My lil Mermaid Elmo fanatic :)

Check out our bubble blowing fanatic!!

Leeza has conquered her fear of blowing bubbles in the water and sticking her face in. She never really minded going underwater, she'd happily "jump" to us off the side of the pool, and I'd "dunk" her to get her used to it, but it took swimming lessons from the wonderful Emily to get her to be the bubble blowing officiando that she is now. :)

I quickly learned that JUST BECAUSE she loves the water, does not mean that learning to swim is an easy task, kinda like, just because Leeza loved to sit on her her potty, didn't make potty training a no brainer EITHER. :)

However, if one is patient, and practices, again,and again, and is patient, over and over, repeat patience, x google x infinity...success WILL PREVAIL. Patience is a virtue..one that I would say I don't really possess, but one that I constantly work on, and Leeza sure is helping me. Together-we can move mountains! (Or, learn to blow bubbles, or, do our business in the potty instead of diapers-which is a lot like moving mountains, if you ask this EVER SO PATIENT MOMMY!)

We quickly found that having Mommy in the pool during swimming lessons was not a winning combination. After a day or two of crying and telling Emily "bye bye" at the beginning of the lesson, and using her infamous "pee pee" as an excuse to not have to blow bubbles, or float on her back, we are now at the point where we must wait OUTSIDE for Ms. Emily to come.


We walk thru the house and to the sliding glass door, while Leeza happily grabs Emily's hand and tells me "Bye bye" and goes in the pool with her beloved Emily, her rings, and her FLOATING ELMO that Emily brought for her.

I have to say, Elmo is my hero. I used to lament because Ms. Leeza showed ZERO interest in any tv shows or videos. I never understood the parents who didn't want their kids watching videos because there is so much GREAT educational stuff out there. The Elmo love started with a book on manners that I got because Leeza was refusing to say please, even though she COULD say it. We had a few stand off's about it-she once sat in her high chair for an hour and a half because she refused to say it and I refused to back down. (I am not sure who is more stubborn??)
I got the book, and made up my own words, and it became a favorite very quickly. I am not sure what it is about the lil red guy.

On our road trip to visit Kristan, I invested in a DVD player and got an Elmo video, so she was confined to her car seat and HAD TO WATCH. It was "love at first sight" for Ms. Leeza.

She now watches at least a video a day, and watches it INTENTLY, and pays attention. She sits still??!!! I was in shock!

I got her some Elmo pool toys to help encourage her to blow bubbles, so we have Elmo, Bert, and Ernie, who are also some new favorites. :)

Emily found the mesh Elmo who floats on his back, so they use that to demonstrate the "reach and pull", coming back to safety (the wall) and floating on your back.

We had signed up for 3 weeks, but I just signed up for 2 more. Leeza seems to be getting it. I am not sure she'll be swimming in 2 weeks, but she is WAY further than I know a group lesson or her parents could teach her.

I can't take any credit...I give all my credit to Elmo and Emily...the E time makes for EXCELLENT in Education for swimming safety in the Serra family. :)