Going for a dip

Sunday we'll take Claire for another dip at a local children's swim club. Here's what our visit looked like last week.



Nothing like putting your life in the hands of a father with an exaggerated farmer's tan.

This was her fourth lesson. Yes that water you see--which appears green in photos under fluorescent light--is drenched with chlorine. You might imagine why. Those swim diapers don't keep everything in, particularly the wet stuff.



She's pretty comfortable in the water floating on her back and on her tummy, even if the next picture seems to undermine that statement.



She protested during a lesson a while back when Sarah and the teacher dipped her head underwater. She broke into tears two out of four dips. Last week, we took it a little easier. We still dipped her, but we only let her face stay under water for a second or so. Still, she tolerated five dips with only one whimper and a little cough. This week, we're practicing our cues as we bathe her. We say, ''Ready, Set, Go" and then blow on her face to get her to suck in some air and hold her breath as we pour water over her head. She takes it better when we regail her with praise.