Wednesday, July 23, 2008

It's Not Just Your Neck You Should Protect

As the summer rolls along, the kids are getting better and better at swimming. Somehow, between yesterday and today, The Girl has figured out how to use her arms and legs at the same time in what, some may say, resembled a pretty good looking freestyle stroke. She has also learned how to swim in a straight line, where previously she was all over the place. Also, she can touch the bottom of the pool at the 7 foot end and then push herself up. Finally, at the end of her lesson today, she was learning how to dive off the side of the pool.

The Little Man let go of me today and swam to the side. He went maybe 3-4 feet, but he wasn't holding onto me. He went by himself and was happy to do so. I was thrilled to feel his white knuckle grip let go of me as he confidently navigated his way back to the side of the pool. I thought I would see how far I could take his bravery today and asked him if I could take off his water wings to see if he wanted to try to swim to the side without them. He looked at me like I was crazy and said, "No Momma! If I take off my wings, I won't fwoat!"

I will take what I can get and be happy with it.

As I went over to the deep end to see how The Girl was doing, I noticed that she was crying a little. Once she saw me coming over to her, the crying a little, turned into full on wailing. (There's something about knowing your mom is on her way after you've been hurt that just makes you want to turn on the drama.) As I leaned over the edge of the pool to see what was going on, she continued to wail and cry even louder.

me: What's going on?
Lanie: (holding onto the front of her upper thigh) I hurt myself, Momma!
me: What did you do?
Lanie: When I was trying to dive into the pool, I hit my leg and broke my hamstring.
me: (trying not to laugh) Your hamstring? Really? How did that happen?
Lanie: When I was diving into the pool my leg hit the side of the pool and cracked open my hamstring. Now...I can barely move it (more wailing).
me: Hmmmm...sounds like you better get out and let me take a look at it.

She proceeded to swim over to the ladder and climb out. As I looked at her "hamstring" she said she was too cold to just stand there and needed her towel. She then ran over to our chair and grabbed her towel.

It feels safe to say with the swimming, climbing the ladder, and then running to her towel, the "hamstring" is in fine shape.

Also, I am still in deep confusion as to how one hurts their "hamstring" while trying to dive into a pool.

I guess that some things will remain a mystery.

No comments: