The Finke Family

Gabriel and I started parent-child swimming lessons about a month ago. We go Monday nights for a half hour at the Chaska Community Center. It’s not so much “lessons” as a chance for the babies to get used to the water and have positive experiences. The babies range in age from 6 months to 2 years. I think Gabriel is the youngest one in the class. Most of the time we put them on a kickboard and try to get them to blow bubbles or kick their feet. We also lay them on their backs to get them used to the feeling of water around their heads and ears. We also use these little watering cans to pour water on their heads and shoulders.

The last few weeks we also dunked them under the water. I was nervous about it, but Gabriel took it in stride and it didn’t seem traumatic for him. He instinctively knew to close his mouth and eyes so when he came up he just blinked a lot and looked a little dazed. Some of the older babies got pretty upset though. He really loves to splash around and last week he kept trying to dip his mouth in to drink the water. Here are a few pictures:

On the kickboard

Last week was the first time we used the floating barbell. Gabriel prefers the kickboard.

Last week we used life jackets & went in the deep end. They only had a pink one left so that's what Gabriel got stuck with...My little pink marshmallow.