Water Babies

One reason why Princess Butterfly has made such wonderful progress in learning to swim - apart from all the practice that she gets from being with her Papa and older siblings in the family pool - is that she has been taking formal swimming lessons for most of this summer.  I am delighted about this.  If I had my way, every child everywhere would learn how to swim as soon as is humanly possible.  Apart from swimming being excellent physical exercise, knowing how to swim and otherwise to conduct oneself in the water can literally mean the difference between life and death.  On the other hand, one should never let small children swim alone.  They should always be carefully watched.  Indeed, it is never advisable to swim alone - even when one is an adult.  One should always respect the water - without unduly fearing it.

Princess Butterfly has been exceptionally fortunate this summer in that the swimming course for her age group (and yes, there are classes for little ones who are even younger than three!) and time slot was not overly populated.  As of the time of my visit, there were only two little ones attending that course:  Princess Butterfly and her BFF Princess K - born three months to the day later than the Butterfly.  Here Princess Butterfly poses - all ready for her swimming lesson in the Big Pool!   Notice how the Princess, like her cousin Prince Tyger, understands the principle of keeping herself hydrated!

Because at least one of Princess K's parents likes to be with her in the Big Pool, Princess Butterfly profits in large part from the undivided attentions of Coach C.

And does she love that attention?  Does a fish love water?

Here is Princess K, being encouraged by her Papa, Big E.

Princess Butterfly was not at all intimidated by swimming in the Big Pool.  Here she demonstrates - and demonstrates again - how to hold her breath under water.

Here she is supposed to be splashing with the kickboard but is actually profiting from being towed by Coach C.  She may be an active little one, but she's no dummy.  She knows enough to save her strength when she can.  (Please pardon the shooting techniques - Grandmom is still getting accustomed to her camera's video capability.)

After my departure last week, Princess Butterfly's Papa, Big S, reported that at her swimming lesson last Friday, Coach C asked if she wanted to try jumping from the diving board.  To everyone's surprise, she said yes and then proceeded to climb the ladder up to the small board, go all the way out to the end and jump in the deep end of the Big Pool - without a second's hesitation.  Everyone was stunned. 

Princess Butterfly took it all in stride.   And Grandmom is so sorry to have missed it!