Our family spends a lot of time near or in the water in the summer. Swimming pools and open bodies of water (including bathtubs and toilets) are dangerous places for babies to be without proper training. We enrolled Jamisen in swimming lessons at the ripe old age of 8 months. So far, he’s not a huge fan of the water but he is a huge fan of the play toys IN the water (see below).
See the single minded focus in the below video as he goes for his ball? Email subscribers, click through to see video.Β The kid has the power of focus! And, lest you think that I am staying dry during swim lessons be assured that I am not and am happily splashing around with Jamisen as well.
Jamisen still loves eating and is getting really good at gumming his foods into submission. I have also started feeding him small bits of fresh veggie juice in the morning (juiced by yours truly) and he loves vegetable juice (even the more bitter kale based ones).
This is a photo from his 8 month old photo shoot. It’s the only one I could get where he wasn’t moving, eating the sticker or looking like a hyper midget on 9 shots of coffee (but he’s still tearing the sticker off even as his eyes look so innocently up at the camera):
And this is what happened in the next 35 seconds – notice the eating of the sticker and then the dangerous “Let’s play schooch on the granite ledge. Front teeth? Who needs ’em!?”:
The reason my leg and sock is in the photo the entire time is because when the inevitable fall came, I wanted to be close enough to break it (with my leg but something had to be holding the camera). This granite Pull-Up-And-Scootch move was the first time Jamisen has successfully pulled himself into an upright, standing position. Obviously, the desire to not pose for this photos was so strong that he had extra energy to propel him upwards and onto the least-safe propping station in the house (granite). Jamisen is keeping us giggling, laughing and marveling at everything he does. And now that he’s sleeping long stretches at a time? Life is is one big party.
“or looking like a hyper midget on 9 shots of coffee”…Laugh OUT LOUD moment when I read this!! Great post. I have to agree with you, he has awesome focus when it comes to that ball in the video. He’s a baby on a mission! LOL
Glad you laughed! We do a LOT of laughing in this household.
Tonight at swim lessons? I gave him a floating ducky and he exhibited the same focus. The kid LOVES his chew toys =)
I totally agree with the early swim lessons idea! Because I never really learned how to swim, it was vitally important to me that the kids knew how. My MIL had felt the same way for her kids. π
Woohoo…milestone! Every photo of Jamisen always makes me smile! Thanks for sharing little Mr. Sunshine, Anne-Marie. π
You never learned to swim? Aw, sad! I’m glad that your kids have made up for that lack! Swimming in the summertime is the best!
Such a cutie pie!!! We’ve done swimming lessons for ages, too – even when the kids don’t always want to – but I think it’s great for them to be confident in the water. And they’re always glad when summer camp comes and they’re allowed to be in the deep end. π
Exactly! Jamisen isn’t sold on the swimming lessons yet (I think he gets cold as evidenced by the shivering at the end of the lesson) but it’s something new and fun to do that doesn’t involve the same toys, on the same floor, with the same people, in the same house! =)
Jamisen swims better than I do!
And LOL, that he took his 8 month sticker off. He’s not playing your games!
And he didn’t even finish eating it either – just wanted it off of him =) Hope this doesn’t bode badly for his teenage years!
I was a lifeguard all through high school and college and have taught many babies and young children how to swim. Work on blowing bubbles. Blowing bubbles was always their favorite. Make motor noises and blow bubbles. As they get a bit older, stretching their arms out like superman while holding on to a kick board. Then combine the superman with the bubbles and some kicking… and you’re off to a great start. It’s so good to start them out early. Great job Anne-Marie!!
Blowing bubbles! Check. I am soooooo there. Yummy chlorine =) Thanks for the hint!
He is getting so big!
Thank you for sharing his first “stand up” with us.
π
And, he hasn’t done it again! We have a family friend that comes to our home during the day to help out and she said he didn’t do it once today either. And how rare is it that you have a camera when you want it?! LOL!
Jamisen is getting more handsome every day! We lived in FL when my kids were small and they all grew up in the water, too (pool, rivers and the ocean). Early swim lessons are a must! So glad you are getting him ready now.
My husband’s jaw dropped when I said this was going to be happening 2X a week for the next three years. I think he thought that learning to swim well was a faster process. Ha ha =)
I remember going to parent and me swim lessons with both my babies. I loved those classes. Now they both are off on their own in the pool but sometimes it seems like yesterday.
They are really fun! Seeing Jamisen learn new skills is the most rewarding part of it all.