Since May, both kids have been swimming with STOP (Swim Team of Placentia). Practices are right across the street at Valencia High School, so we walk to practice, which makes me think that I'm getting exercise. Come on, don't burst my bubble.
I am LOVING being a swim mom. It's much cooler in the shade than a soccer field, it smells better (I LOVE the smell of chlorine), and I have friends there whose kids are also swimming, so I'm getting a plethora of adult time.
After the start-up costs (which never seemed to stop this summer) the kids are outfitted with swim bags, reflective goggles, buoys, flippers, sunscreen, swim caps, team suits ($$$), and of course, I had to get the team sweatshirt, and my good friend Amy (another swim mom) bought me the most AMAZING bleacher chair with "Team Castiglione" embroidered on the back.
Then, they actually have to swim...now that they have all of the cute stuff. Sydney has been a champ. Our first day there, I heard her coach say, "OK! Warm-ups! 14 laps!" Then, I suffered a small heart attack. HOLY CRAP! For warmup??? I'm NEVER going to get her back in the pool after this!!!
We finished the first day, and Sydney proclaims, "Mom! This is great! You don't sweat when you swim! I love this!"
I gleefully rubbed my hands together maniacally...in my head. "Great!"
Dylan of course, being my athletic one, didn't want to get out of the pool. My plan of wearing him out so he'll stop chucking things off the landing in the house might be working.
The first meet came along, and Sydney was nervous. Dylan didn't to compete right away, so we got Sydney marked up with her races in Sharpie on her arm. She had a hard time believing that I, the opponent of ink on arms, would be writing on her with SHARPIE, but hey...gotta be a true swim mom, right?
On her first race, she dove in for the breast stroke, her goggles slipped off, and she teetered on, bumping into lane lines, and coming in dead last. The best part? The coaches screaming her name from the sidelines, encouraging her to go, etc. I was in tears to watch people who knew my kid for two weeks have her back like that! She was SO proud of herself! Sydney and her friend Bella were on their way to being addicted to swim!
Finally, Dylan was also ready to start swimming at meets. He is in LOVE with his team swimsuit, but was a little upset with me because I ordered the longer "jammers" instead of the short Speedos. Hmmm.
After three swim meets, the kids were going to be swimming in a Championship Meet against the three teams they had already gone up against. Early morning, huge pool, tons of kids, and two races each. Sydney has cut off time each time she swims (and luckily doesn't give a toot about winning the race) and Dylan ended up placing 1st in the 25M Backstroke!
After that, we were having a discussion about the Olympics, to which Dylan said:
D: I'm going to be in the Olympics.
Me: You are? For what sport?
D: Swimming, obviously. I mean, I already got first place.
Me: Obviously.
D: When can I go?
Me: In three Olympics, but that means you have to work really hard.
D: I already am.
Can't argue there, I suppose. The conversation with Syd went little differently:
S: Do they have Olympics for theatre?
Me: Yup, it's called the Tony Awards.
S: Oh, right, duh. Yeah, I want one of those.
Me: Obviously.
S: When can I go?
Me: Once you've had enough training in college, but that means you have to work really hard.
S: I already am.
Hmmmm...I feel like I've had that conversation before.
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