She's swimming!

Riley started swimming on the weekend!  It was very exciting and very unexpected.  We were at a birthday party at The Bellaire Town Square Family Aquatic Center (could they have chosen a longer name??!!) and forgot her Puddle Jumper so she was much more free in the water than she usually is when we are out at public pools.  After a couple hours of playing in the water, she just stuck her face in and swam to me!  And then she did it over and over and then went to get Daddy and Leighton so they could see, too!

Leighton also had a first at the pool - he jumped from the HIGH diving board!

The two of them had a really great time at the party!

Riley is loving going under the water like her brother now, and is already able to swim from one side of our pool to the other (width, not length!  And I am RIGHT there with her.).  We went and bought her some good quality, PINK goggles, but she has yet to allow them to get wet in the pool!  She says her eyes don't hurt in the chlorine.  Leighton was the same way when he started swimming a couple of years ago, but now he depends on his goggles for all the time he spends under the water.

Here is a little video of Riley (and of Leighton with his new mask and snorkle ... Roy pressed 'pause' between the three clips he was taking instead of 'stop', so Mr video editing genius has created this little montage for you - totally on purpose, of course!).

Riley obviously still has a long way to go until she is independent in the water, but it is very reassuring to know she is gaining some skills and confidence, especially after she fell in last week when I had my back turned and after a moment of panic for us both, I fished her out.