I am sinking

I feel like I am getting more and more behind on writing and blogging and am going to miss the good stuff if I don't get to it. Today was the last swim meet before the end of the year meet next week. I have not downloaded photos from the day but have got to document Wednesday first.
Wednesday was Caroline's first swim meet where she swam freestyle. She is on the pre team which does kick board races during half time. The coach said that she was ready to do freestyle on the last meet. During the week her teen coach worked extra hard with her teaching her how to dive in when you hear the beep.
It was so fun to see her go in the line up and get her lane and and race written on her hand

She swam in lane 6 and was so cute sitting in the holding chair.Here is her first dive in.
One of the best parts of having Caroline be on the team is the chance it gives her sister's to cheer for her. Annie Kate always rallies her friends to cheer her on.

Caroline looks more like she is drowning than swimming but was determined to get across the pool.
She even picked up her arm like a windmill only because she has seen others do it but has no idea what she is doing. She was a trooper. She finished the race and got out of the pool and just started to sob! I have only ever seen her cry like this one other time and that is when I picked her up after girls camp. It was like an emotional exhaustion cry more than a sad cry. She said she was scared when she was swimming but wants to do it again. She qualified to swim in the meet next Wednesday and can't wait. Oh I knew all that energy she has been blessed with would come out to be a positive someday - it has been a long 4 years.
There are like 6 Caroline's at any given time around the edge of the pool and here is one of her buddies who shares her name.Annie Kate swam and had to bid farewell to her Olympic swim cap as after her last race it got a hole in it. Darn I loved seeing the American Flag go across those lanes.
I have been given this great gift of having my friend's daughter help take care of Sally Jane of late at the pool. It has given me some free arms and the chance to take more photos.

She has the time of her life and she calls her her little burrito!

After two major rain delays and everyone pool side getting soaked they were able to finish the meet and do the kick board races.

I don't know anyone who smiles more when she is in the pool!

even under water!!


*huge thanks to our friends who took underwater photos of my kids today at the pool.
Are they not so awesome?