So Flippin' Proud!

"I'm gonna stand on a rooftop, climb up a mountaintop Baby, scream and shout I wanna' sing it on the radio, show it on a video Baby, leave no doubt I want the whole world to know just what I’m all about I love to love you out loud" ~Rascal Flats

I cannot stop singing that song in my head! Not since Grace's swim lesson this morning!!! I am proud of my girls everyday. Frustrations aside, lack of sleep, messes, temper tantrums all that aside, I have something to be proud about daily. They are really good, smart, funny, exceptional children and I am so so lucky to be here everyday to see all that they do! Today was just the cherry on top, take my breath away, tears to my eyes, laughing and cheering out loud exciting!

Grace swam today! I know what you are thinking, "yeah, yeah, we've been hearing this for a year now. Ever since Grace started lessons last spring Shelbi says she swims..." Her willingness to float on her back, her willingness to go underwater, her willingness to jump into the pool from the edge are all great things! They have been huge milestones and they are all keys to swimming, but they are not themselves "swimming"

Ahhhh! I cannot even sit still to type this. I want to jump up and down and shout and yell and cheer and if I could still do back flips and front hand springs, I would be! Grace swam today!!!!!

Her swim instructor, Mary the goddess of all things water, put flippers (fins) on Grace today. Mary said that "Grace is so ready to swim, let's give her a little extra push". And she did! Grace swam about 8 feet, underwater, to me and came up with a huge smile on her face and a sense of self pride like I have never seen! She couldn't get enough of it! She swam to me, to Mary, to the wall, to the stairs. She got out of the pool and jumped in to see what that was like with her 'flippers' on... I am so flippin' excited!!!

I will have this child swimming strokes and ready for swim team by age 3! I know that swim team doesn't take 3 year olds, but let me tell you; by the time Grace is old enough to join swim team, watch out!! She comes from a long line of swimmers, and this is one of those rare moments when I wish we were not so far away from family, they be so proud of my little mermaid...