Time Trials

Spring is really here and swim team is in full swing when we hit Time Trials,  a fun day 

set aside as a practice meet for kids to race and get their first official times. 

Check in is at 6:45 a.m. and then racing begins at 8:00.  

We have our "camp" on the grass and spend any down time together

reading books, playing games, and eating snacks.

But with four kids swimming there wasn't much down time. 

 It seemed as it every few events one of our kids were in the water! 

 That makes the day so fun and go by so fast!

 This year in Aubrey's age group every race is at least 50 meters!  Whew...this early in the season that is long!  She did awesome though, swimming seven times, all four strokes!

Here is Katelyn after her first race, the freestyle.

 This is Katelyn and Megan's first year swimming and so when Megan jumped in for the free-style and looked down to see the bottom of the pool was very far down, she got scared and quit swimming.  I was close by her on the side, cheering for her to keep swimming and Tyler was encouraging her from the finish.  Over my shoulder, what appeared to me to be in slow-motion, dove in one of the coaches.   She helped Megan finish.  Whew...the scary part was behind us.  We now knew that help was nearby and we could do hard things.  So when the backstroke started at the shallow end and they were racing in the lanes right next to each other, we were thrilled to see them come in first (Katelyn) and second (Megan) place in their heat.  The smiles were back ON!!

Another one of my favorite things about swim meets is watching Tyler.  

In my opinion, he is the perfect "swim-Dad" (I think I made that term up after "soccer-mom")!  

Here are a few of my reasons, un-posed that I captured at Time Trials.

Here is he is warming and comforting a very cold and tired Aubrey.

Here is he is by the pool talking to Andrew about what he observed watching the older boys do the butterfly and breast stroke.  A definite teaching moment.

And then he keeps track of their times.  Not because they are winning every race, but because the whole focus in on doing your personal best.  Beating your own time!  Tyler announces after every race, even if it's down to under a second, the personal best victories!  What a great Dad he is!

I'm not sure I can say as much about my contributions.  

I do provide an overabundance of treats, a never-ending supply of cheers and hugs (no high kicks from my old cheer-leading days though!! Haha!), and plenty of photographs.  My cute friend made me this Bling, Bling shirt, Wave Mom to the 4th!  Boy, am I lucky!!!

A wonderful reminder of why we take on the demands of 

swim team, for us the family time is well worth it!