When we were in Texas, the girls went swimming with their Grandmama a lot. Ben and I joined in one day at the hotel pool before we made our way to the family reunion. Ben’s dad taught all of Ben’s cousins how to swim and was an avid water sports guy. He knew how to sail and even built his own sailboat! Our girls don’t know how to swim just yet, but to start off, Ben’s mom was doing some basic techniques she used to do with his dad to teach the girls. The girls had a blast and each time they would get a bit more confident in the water. Now, let’s just hope we can actually sign them up for some swim classes here in SoCal. Every summer I plan to, but then I am either pregnant or giving birth, so we never get around to it. Those aren’t in our plans this time around, so let’s hope we get around to it.
I didn’t learn to swim until I was 16, even then, not sure I would consider what I do as swimming. I am not that confident of a swimmer and can’t swim with my head under water. Partly because I wear contacts and don’t like opening my eyes under water and part because I don’t know how to hold my breath. I for sure don’t want my girls to have my lack of skill and want them to be completely comfortable in any body of water.
Besides learning how to swim late, I also learned how to ride a two-wheel bike at the age of 11. I guess you can say I am a late bloomer. Heck! I even joined facebook, twitter, and instagram much later than all my peers too. I guess it tends to be my theme. How old were you when you learned to swim or ride a bike? My friend Melody is learning how to swim late too (I probably should join in on those swim lessons too)!
on me: bathing suit top and bottom, c/o lime ricki. on ben: bathing suit shorts (and undershorts), c/o lime ricki. on true: bathing suit, target. on brave: bathing suit, target (last year). on soul: bathing suit, old navy (4 years ago). on glow: bathing suit, target.
You look adorable (& hot!) in your suit, girl! Lovely photos, too! I learned to swim early on, but due to many ear infections and tubes in my ears, my diving skills suffer and I’m not too great at swimming to the bottom of the pool because it makes my ears pop & I hate that. You’re not alone Rubyellen!
oh my word! that picture of Soulie is just so gorgeous! I had my first swimming lesson when I was 14. As for biking riding… i am ashamed to admit, i never learned!
I learned to ride a bike when I was 10… i got really frustrated b/c all of my friends were biking and I was just sitting on the curb when I stood up, grabbed the bike i got for christmas went to the top of a hill got on and flew down the hill screaming. after that I could do it haha.
Also 21…. still cannot swim. And I live at the beach and have my whole life
kids are so cute in swim suits!!!! and i just giggle when i see pictures of soul- she is serious!!!!! lol
awwww….ruby! these photos are gorgeous!! I seriously love these, and all the swimsuits everyone is wearing! and yeah, I agree- Soul has been really bringing her inner model out lately, so beautiful! <3
melody… oh my gosh! you’re last packing post is sooooo good!!! i love learning new things about you on your blog!!!!
I STILL can’t swim! I’ve been wanting to secretly learn and surprise everyone. Maybe one day…
Forgot to mention that Soul is such a big girl now!!!
That picture of little Soul is beautiful! You are going to have some drop-dead gorgeous ladies on your hands soon.
Wow. 16 when you started Swimming, that’s really late. That’s great that you tried to learn though. My sister-in-law never even went in a pool or the ocean and makes huge excuses for why she doesn’t try. She never even rode on a bike and is afraid of fires in fireplaces. I don’t understand living life in such fear. It is terrible.
Anyway that aside your family is always adorable and I love these posts and pictures.
HA! I love your honesty even in little things. I did not learn to swim until I was about 9 and I believe that may have been the same year I learned to ride a bike. (Although I owned my bike for a few years prior… I just couldn’t get the whole balance thing). I also feel the same way as you. Holding my breath feels like torture so a variation of the doggy paddle is mostly my style. My husband on the other hand is a fish and also learned to ride his bike the same day he got it at 5 years old. I really want my kids to take after him a bit and be a bit more fearless and confident about new things. I better get to searching for swim lessons.
I love swimming and always feel the need to get into water wherever I see it. I had years of regular swimming lessons as a child and then moved on to synchro. If your girls enjoy just keep encouraging them. I used to be a swimming support for a little boy with Down’s syndrome who was terrified but the more he did it, the more he liked it. In a few months he could swim a length by himself with some one beside him.
Also and it feels a little stalkery to say because I don’t blog much but I read often, Soul looks like a little girl now rather than a baby, so grown up!
sorry this was a very long rambley comment
these pictures are sooo cute, ruby! oh, and i don’t know how to swim either. alex tried to teach me during our honeymoon and i got so scared he gave up 🙂
Hey all, for my fellow adults who can’t swim… don’t worry, there is still hope! I was very anxious in the water, could not AT ALL understand how people could effortlessly float, all that good stuff… and then an impending trip across the country forced me to take swim lessons. I learned how to swim at age 21!!! You can do it, too! I feel so much more, well, empowered. It’s crazy to be able to enter deeeeep water and be able to float. If I can do it, you can too, sisters! You just have to find a patient and lovingly-tough instructor.
Still trying to work on the whole underwater experience… but I get a teeny bit better every time I get in the water. Definitely a mind game; knowing I can’t breathe freaks me out. I haven’t figured out how to swim underwater yet, or how to dive into water. But I’m pretty confident that if I got thrown into the deep end of a pool, I would make it. 😉
You think you are late in learning to ride a bike? I’m 22 and still can’t ride a bike (except for those trikes – I love those). When I was little, I rode a bike and one time was going down hill and didn’t break fast enough when this little kid ran out in front of me. He wasn’t hert but got scared, fell on his butt and started crying. I got so scared, droped my bike and ran away, and am scared of riding ever since. Lol
We didn’t put Anya in to swimming until this year, at 4yrs old. She took to it straight away, I think if she did it any younger she wouldn’t have been so brave… she LOVES it! I’m not a strong swimmer and I didn’t want my kids to be the same…
ruby the picture of soul is just stunning!! beautiful girl and beautiful shot! love love