Weather: Alternating every day. Thursday was lovely; Friday it rained; yesterday was sunny and 60 deg.; today it is cold and raining again.

Blossoms: Redbud is in full bloom. Why is it called redbud, anyway? The blossoms look purple to me.

Listening to: Bach's Brandenburg Concertos.

First Swimming Lesson

10:15 a.m. I took Daniel for his first swimming lesson yesterday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised at how much he enjoyed it. When I signed him up for the lessons, I warned the director that Daniel hates to get his face wet. She recommended buying him swimming goggles, which proved to be an inspired suggestion. We let him wear the goggles in the tub last week, and he was thrilled to be able to see under water without getting water in his eyes. "I am going to look at the drain plug, now!" he announced excitedly after trying them out.

Daniel seemed enthusiastic about the prospect of swimming lessons, but I was afraid he'd panic when he saw the huge pool. Up till now, the largest pool he'd ever been in was my sister's above-ground pool last summer. I was trying to teach him to float, but he panicked and sank. I couldn't sink if I tried to.... I bob like a cork, thanks to excess adipose tissue.

The lessons are held nearby at what used to be called Trenton State College until the school's president decided the name wasn't prestigious enough and bullied the trustees into renaming it "The College of New Jersey." To me, though, it will always be Trenton State. We entered the recreation and health center, and I showed Daniel the pool, which is visible through a long glass window. Daniel, who had been chattering away, fell silent when he saw it. But he soon became absorbed in watching the kids practicing their dives at one end and the lessons that were going on at the opposite end. We were early, so after he changed into his suit, we hung out by the pool and watched the lessons. He kept asking me when it would be his turn to get in the pool.

Finally, it was time for his lesson. We had signed him up for the beginner's level, and he was the oldest in his group of three kids. We should have started him earlier. Perhaps this summer I'll start taking the twins for lessons. His instructor was a very nice young woman named Sara. She was already in the pool, and she held out her arms to help Daniel in. I think she decided to start with him, under the mistaken impression that since he was the oldest he would be the boldest. For a moment I wondered if he would actually go in. He was frozen at the pool's edge for a few seconds, but then he went to Sara, convulsively clutching her neck. Eventually she got him to let go of her and hold on to the side of the pool.

There is a long table under the water that the kids can stand on, so the water only came up to their chests. Sara helped the next kid into the pool. He seemed even more frightened than Daniel, who had relaxed once he was actually in the water. Sara turned to the third child, a kid in bright red swimming trunks, but he didn't need her help. He happily plunged right in and began paddling around.

I sat on the uncomfortable metal bleachers for the next half hour, watching the lesson. The moist, chlorine-filled air seemed to muffle the sounds of voices and splashing. I could barely hear what Sara was saying, but she seemed to spend the first part of the lesson teaching the kids to blow bubbles, with straws and then with their mouths.

Then they worked on bobbing under water. At first Daniel would only dip his face in and out quickly, but as the lesson progressed, he bobbed deeper. The object of this level is for the kids to be able to bob 10 times in a row, blowing bubbles under water. We've signed up for one 8-lesson session, every Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning for four weeks, and will probably sign up for further sessions until Daniel is swimming well.

It's very important to Tab that our boys become good swimmers. He himself never learned. When he was young, a swimming instructor tried to cure Tab of his fear of water by forcing his head under water and holding him there. Tab was traumatized and refused to go back to the lessons, but it has always bothered him that he doesn't know how to swim.

Fortunately, Daniel's first experience was a positive one. He talked excitedly about the lesson all yesterday afternoon and evening, proudly telling his father and grandmother what he had learned. He's impatient to go back for his second lesson this morning.

This afternoon we will be going to Discovery Zone for his birthday party. Between swimming and running around at DZ, I expect Daniel will be exhausted tonight!

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