Transformation

Recently I witnessed a transformation... Randy from doting father to proud, puffed-chest, spectator/father. Let me explain. Lola has been taking swim lessons. Actually, let me tell you the whole story.

Most of you know about Lola's social issue with strangers. Our bright, funny, performer daughter turns into a super shy, hands-stuffed-in-mouth toddler whenever forced to interact with strangers. However, if they show her no attention she's yelling for theirs. In addition, she is a very independent chick when it comes to playing. Trying to get her to follow direction is quite difficult, she wants to put her creative spin on everything. I wonder where she gets that? So knowing this, I enrolled Lola in the Mommy & Me swim class. I knew she would be way too advanced and was right at the end of the age limit for the class; but I really didn't think I could get her to participate if I weren't in the class with her.

Our first class proved to be way below Lola's skill level. The class was intended to get kids used to water - splashing, blowing bubbles, lying on their backs, etc. But Lola is a fish! She has no fear of the water and is a great swimmer (with floaties of course). The instructor recommended I send her to the next class; but as she noticed how Lola would freeze whenever she came around she began to understand my dilemma. Skip forward to the next class, Lola is taking off sans floaties with a noodle instead. The new instructor suggests moving Lola up, again I hesitate but Lola proves my point as she resists the new instructor. Class three and Daddy comes with, Lola recognizes the instructor from the last week and she does much better. The teacher suggests we stay for the next class which is more advanced. I slowly slink out of the water and Lola begins the class with resistance. It is hard to get her to cooperate, we even offer her ice cream to which she says no. Finally, after she gets out of the water again, we tell her that we are going home and she could swim more but she chose to leave the class. She decides to try again and to our amazement came out of her shell! I go to change clothes and when I return she is swimming at the other end of the pool. Randy explains that she was swimming so fast she was leaving the instructor and other kids behind. She's just playing, swimming in circles, waiting on them to catch up with her. He tells me about overhearing other parents talking about what a great swimmer Lola is and the teacher telling them that it is her first swim class and calling her a fish. We are both really proud of her.



But here's where the transformation takes place - her second "big kid" class. Lola takes a bit to warm up but finally decides to participate. The class swims to the rope and back and Lola doesn't realize that all of them are supposed to be swimming - usually the teacher only lets them swim one at a time. The teacher calls for Lola to jump in and swim. The other kids who are boys aged four and five are way ahead of her. Randy leans over and says, "Watch it, she's going to beat those kids." I say something like, "No way, Randy. She is starting so far behind them." To which he answers, "She'll be the first one to touch." I can literally hear the wind sucking into Randy's chest as I glance at him, arms crossed, chest out. He's trying so hard to not beam rays of pride. Trying so hard that in fact, he looks quite somber. It's hard to explain. I watch Lola as she laps the boys and reaches out in a Michael Phelps-like moment to touch first. She didn't even know she was racing, but in that moment I think Randy heard a symphony of Olympic medals clanking, anthems ringing, and the roar of pride residing in his chest. I look back over and he's still retaining composure. It was eerie.

These pics are from her third big-kid class.