Swim Team and Pool Days

I was really hoping Andrew and Ryan would do swim team this year so I would feel more comfortable with them in the pool. Andrew decided to (although you can tell from this very first picture that he DID NOT like the swim cap). The first meet was tough, and our pool is longer than most, so he decided to sit it out. Since then though, he has been doing great. It has been a great learning experience and I love watching him have total confidence in himself and have fun.

Swim practice is EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. So, we are at the pool A LOT! It has been really great for Ryan too though, as he is gaining a lot of confidence

                                        Andrew and his friend Grace

Gearing up for the first backstroke of his first year. He told me afterwards he never wanted to do that AGAIN!

We swam against our friend Joey (these boys go back to birth!)

Pool fun with our friends Kendall, Wyatt and Charlotte

Telling secrets while waiting

 The cheering/sit around and do nothing for 98% of the swim meets crowd!

              The last backstroke of the season! It was a HUGE improvement over the first of the season! We hope Andrew knows how proud we are of him. Initially we didn't really care if he actually even participated in the meets, but as time progressed we wanted him to be able to push and succeed. He never gave up once he was in the pool in a race. He didn't quit, as many times as he actually told us he wanted to.

I only have a mental picture, but a cute story. Ryan has been practicing a lot to pass our deep end swim test. You have to swim back and forth twice the width of the pool and then tread water for one minute. He and Andrew ran by me one day and told me Ryan was going to take the test. I didn't say anything because I really didn't think Ryan could tread that long, but I know they can surprise me, and you never know which lifeguard you will get. Andrew jumped in the pool and swam right beside Ryan the entire way and then kept treading with him every second. It was one of the sweetest things. He didn't pass, and actually has no desire to try again right now "because treading water is dumb," but I'll never forget seeing that act of brotherly love.