She can now swim without her floaties and ride a bike without training wheels!
Swimming
The kids swam in Nanna's pool every day while we were in Australia, and so I wanted to get them back into swimming lessons when we got home to see if they could make some progress in their lessons. Emma swam with her floaties on all the time in Australia, though, and despite me working with her to learn how to do a back float on her own, she still had an attachment to her floaties, fighting me anytime I suggested she take them off for a bit of practice without them. But in swimming lessons she doesn't get to wear them, and after every class her teacher would tell us that she knows Emma can do it, she just won't let the teacher let go. However, by her last class of the session, Emma really wanted to pass her class I think because she let her teacher let go, and it was amazing! The rest of that class she kept practicing her floats (front floats and back floats) on her own during the lesson. So today was the first day since her last swimming lesson (which ended late February) that we went swimming as a family and she got to try swimming without her floaties. At first, she was resistant again and wanted her floaties. However, by the end of it all, she was willing to take them off and she did a great job! She swam with her face underwater on her stomach several strokes, until she needed to stop for a breath. Then she'd stand up and do it again. She also practiced rolling from her front to her back a few times, though she still needs some practice doing that without putting her feet down. Either way, it was a big day for her!
Backfloat practice with Daddy's help.
There she goes, swimming on her stomach!
Click here: Video of Emma swimming
Riding her bike
Last weekend we had a beautiful spring day, which we spent nearly the whole Saturday afternoon at the park. We had ridden our bikes there, and after we got home I suggested we try taking Emma's training wheels off. She did great! Within a short time, she was getting at least one or two peddle cycles in before putting her feet down. That really helped boost her confidence and she kept trying with John's help and on her own. She figured out how to scoot along to build up speed and then put her feet on the peddles and go. It was a huge day for us! Well, this afternoon it was another beautiful spring day, so we got her back on her bike again. At first she seemed scared to get back on, but then when she finally did it, she did great! She basically just got on it and rode as far as she could, which was nearly halfway down the block! She spent the next hour or so practicing and even got better at turning while riding and using her back peddle for brakes. I'm so proud of her!!
Last weekend:
Ready to try it without her training wheels!
Getting some help from Daddy
And just today:
Emma riding this afternoon like she's been doing it all her life!
Click here: Video of Emma riding off on her bike
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