Water, Water Everywhere - Getting Over Their Fears

Doing things with the boys has been a little easier this summer.  I am finally able to actually sit in a beach chair or at the edge of a pool.  

Those the first few summers were not so easy when the boys were really small. 

When Nolan was 1 he was in "the runner" stage.  I never sat and I was pregnant with Sean.  Running all over the beach and always running for rocks or the stairs, why do they always go for the stairs?  

Then he turned terrified of the water.

This was his favorite thing at the beach back then...sitting on a towel and having snacks ;)

Putting his toes in and never going past his ankles.

I remember Sean's first summer on the beach, he was more of a sand/mud/rock eater.

Then the next summer he morphed into "the runner with no fear". 

hey where are you going...

  

Then for some reason they were both afraid of the water.  I think Nolan was rubbing off on Sean because in most instances Sean is fearless.  They would maybe go in the water if I went with them and they would cling to me like there were piranhas in the water.

Then magically...cha cha cha changes...

This summer has been a blast.  They play in the sand for hours and have been enjoying oceans, pools and lakes.  They are truly getting over their fears of the water.

My 5 year old, Nolan went from only putting his toes in and hanging out on the pool steps all last summer to swimming with no life jacket this summer...I honestly thought this would never happen.  I was so proud of him and he was pretty proud of himself :)

My 3 year old, Sean who is usually a little dare devil had taken to hanging out on the pool steps, until a few weeks ago.  We were at a friend's pool and all the other kids were jumping off the diving board.  Next thing I know I see Sean put an inner tube around himself and his life jacket and did this (please excuse my annoying voice):

and then the next day at another friend's pool Sean did this...

They took swimming lessons this past spring which I'm sure helped, but I really think it comes with time and also watching the older kids.

It is amazing to watch them grow/learn/change right before your eyes.  It really does fly by.  One other nice change...they have been sleeping later...ah...no more 5:30 a.m. wake up calls.