The Miracle Worker

If you live somewhere in the greater Seattle area, chances are you've heard of Susie Gravrock's swim lessons. I've actually been out of town before and overheard strangers talking about Miss Susie and what an amazing swim teacher she is. Ragen did fantastically in her lessons over the past several years. With Maggie, I did a few swim lessons through Water Babies early on and then sort of got busy. Poor 2nd child!! I started the lessons up at the Bellevue Club in the spring and after a rocky start, she did OK. I was able to get Maggie in for a week at Susie's so I jumped at the chance figuring she'd be swimming like a fish at the end of the week.

Poor, poor Susie (and everyone else at class that week)! Maggie screamed like crazy for 2 straight days. She was out of the pool as fast as I could put her back in - about 25 times. Finally on day 3 (of 4), she got in calmly at the start of class. And didn't scream. In fact, Mags was having fun!! She was the first one out of the pool for dives and the diving board. The day before I'd had to drop her off the board screaming like crazy. This day, she jumped right in. On the last day, she actually dove off the diving board! She was so disappointed when the week was over. We headed straight to the Tennis Club after lessons on the last day and when we swam in the big pool, she jumped over & over off the side by herself. She wouldn't even jump in to me holding my hands at the beginning of the week.

I'm so proud of Maggie for overcoming her fear and progressing so well! I really can't say enough about Susie and what a miracle worker she is. Who knows how she does it but she always manages to amaze me!

.Day one - one of the few times she stayed in the pool long enough to have a turn

Day four - such a happy little swimmer!

Jumps & dives off the edge

Maybe she has a future on the dive team?!