A Splash-Catastrophy

Well, peeps.

Swim lessons started up today, and I can pretty much sum them up with one word. And it would be be a four-letter one.

Seriously--pick your favorite not-for-tiny-ears word, and it probably went through my head a gazillion times during our half-hour catastrophy.

Heeeere's my trio just before launching into the battle zone. Let's call it the "Before" shot.

And this is probably an appropriate "After" shot:

For the record, Chica was in heaven. Absolutely perfect for her instructor, and SO. DANG. EXCITED. to be there that she'd been counting down for days, and even woke up in the middle of the night last night to tell me--with a squeal--that lessons were in the morning.

It's the other two that were the problem. Ha.

I was led to believe that Chicklet would be in a class with an instructor this time, with only the parent needed in the water for the first couple of classes. 

But ooooh--noooo, was that wrong. (Not that Chicklet would have released her starfish, suction-cupped grip on me to go to an instructor anyway.)

Problem with that: I also had Little Man in my arms, as he's technically enrolled in the water babies class at the same time. 

So what I thought might just be a couple weeks of awkward--but hopefully feasible--juggling, now seems not so feasible.

Especially when you factor in that Chicklet screamed like a banshee, wailed, cried--you name it, she did it. Except for swimming. And this from my fearless water girl! Who woulda thunk it??

Little Man was somewhat game (if you ignored his lack of nap and terrible night of sleep from teething)--until his sister put up such a ruckus and he thought he'd join in.

On the plus side--we totally put on a good show for the whole facility. And we also managed to test the instructor's ability to power through, regardless of our brand of "distraction." Oh--and we quickly garnered a whole bunch of new friends, who tried--and mostly failed, mind you--to take one of the screamers off my hands.

God Bless the one sweet floating instructor who finally managed to snuggle with Little Man for a few minutes. He's such a charmer that she even offered to hold him for his water babies class next week so I could focus on Chicklet--though it's hardly a long term solution, as she has other duties to attend to.

So...long and short is that today was no bueno, and we certainly can't proceed like this indefinitely without ruining the class for everybody else.

BUT...there's nowhere to go but up, my peeps! And I'm so glad for and PROUD of Chica. So wish us luck!

Over and out.