Tuesday, August 29, 2006
2:43 PM
Gracie had her first swim class last night at the YMCA. It's every evening for the next two weeks.
Grace did SO WELL, I was just glowing with pride.
Miss Dottie, the energetic lady who is a sort of legendary swim coach at the Y and who has taught a ton of local kids to swim for the last 20 years, was shocked that Grace just went into the water and was already starting to "swim". Dottie even called my mom after the class to tell her that Grace was really amazing in the water (my mom and Dottie live in the same building, so I've known Dottie forever). It was a small class, just Grace and a little two year old girl. The other little girl is TERRIFIED of water and Miss Dottie spent the entire half hour trying to get her into the pool, so we basically had to show Grace what she needed to be doing. Because Grace isn't at the point where she understands vocal commands, we have to teach her to swim by physical repetition. To get her to close her mouth and go under, we have to blown in her mouth. To get her to swim back to the steps/ledge and climb out, we have to physically work her arms and legs and show her body how to climb out of the pool. But she was getting it.
I know it sounds like I am bragging, but you just have no idea how completely grateful and amazed I am that my daughter is showing a natural skill for the ONE SPORT I love and do well at, the ONLY physical activity I can really participate in because of my Spina Bifida. The one sport I am obsessed with and take part in every day. I mean, it's not even genetic. I think Grace is going to be athletic, and she may show an affinity for swimming because she's in the pool every day, but who knows? She's a tough little girl- she likes movement and activity. I'd love it if she became a competitive swimmer, but whatever she wants do is fine with me. I'd just love it if I could become a swimming mom- and actually be able to help her excel at it and be a huge participant.
The other thing Gracie is in love with is music (something I enjoy but am NOT good at- glass breaks when I hum, so...) Grace LOVES music and things with a beat. She loves banging her little plastic drumstick on things and making music. If anything with music (including a heartbeat relaxation machine!) comes on, she dances. She couldn't care less about dolls, TV, art (wahhhh! doesn't seem to follow mommy in this category), etc., but she adores music and dancing and singing. She does this funny thing where she wails in a monotone deep voice and then in a high falsetto. It's her version of "singing" and when we ask her to sing, or a song comes on she likes, she does that.
She also is a little interested in her sign language DVD. She has picked up some signs, but we have NO idea what they are. They aren't on the video, but clearly they are some sort of interpretation of the ones on the video. She's very clearly SAYING something with them, but we have no idea. I think one might be "thank you" or "all done". I don't know.
Of course, I forgot my camera last night. I truly need to have a page in her lifebook for "I Forgot My Camera"- first restaurant visit, first time in pool, swim class, first ice cream, first doctor visit, etc.*sigh*
BTW, for those that are scrapbookers/lifebookers (something I want to talk more about here on this blog), DCWV is releasing a beautiful line of Asian-inspired papers. I haven't seen them, but I heard they are lovely and NOT stereo-typical. When I started on Gracie's lifebook, I searched in vain for Vietnamese papers or any sort of papers I could use for Vietnam-history pages. However, every Asian-style paper I found either had Chinese or Japanese writing on it (mostly incorrect) or were seriously cheesy-stereotypical, almost insulting. I normally don't pay too much attention to those things, but when it jumps out at you and you think "ugh!", you know it's not good. It's sort of like the cheesy smiling kid-in-a-wheelchair with "Go! You Can Do It!" motif that they use for anything for disabled kids. Yuck.
Tom got me several hand carves stamps from Vietnam, which are AMAZING, but I haven't been able to find any good papers yet. I can't wait to get these.
I just love the mat stacks. They are beautiful. I'm so glad to see something, like you said, without Chinese writing on it. I *love* scrapbooking, so I am so excited, thanks for posting this.
Posted by Melanie @ August 30, 2006 11:06 PM
