Move over Michael Phelps....

Winston is naturally athletic. He's small and lean; he's quick on his feet and seems to have a keen interest in most sports. He's intensely competitive....with pretty much anything which can make for some dicey moments around here or on the football field.

The exception to his love of all things sports....swimming. The kids loves to PLAY in the water - beach, pool, water park - wherever, if he can PLAY on his own terms - he's good to go. You ask that kiddo to SWIM....people, it ain't pretty. He gets panicky, gulps down water and starts sinking like he's got weights in his pockets -- he comes up gasping and gulping and flailing...poor fellow.

I grew up with a pool in the backyard and have been swimming for as long as I can remember. I love the water and I love to swim - clearly Winston did not get the swim gene from me. We've tried several lessons in the past and until this summer, none of have been a good investment of our time and money. Until....this year. Praise God for Coach Tori is all I can really say!!

We signed up for a session of private lessons with Tori and it was worth every single penny and every single minute we spent at the pool with her. We arrived to the pool on the first day and the first rule...facemasks and floaties are a thing of the past -- they are no longer allowed (gulp). Winston would now wear eye goggles and learn to blow bubbles slowly. Coach Tori informed Winston that masks and floaties were nothing but a crutch and wouldn't help him learn to swim. He was not so pleased to hear this news but he took it like a big boy and did what she asked. I thought we were in for a loooong 2 weeks.

Here we are, two weeks later and the boy is starting to show movement in the water that get this...actually resembles SWIMMING! He puts his face in the water, blows out of his nose, kicks his feet and propels himself through the water. He started diving and worked a tiny bit on the backstroke too. Coach Tori was fantastic...she was so patient, so encouraging and so quick to see what Winston needed to do differently.

Tori could easily see Winston's inclination to panic...she was so great with calming him back down so he could succeed. She said her favorite thing about Winston was that he gave her 110% effort in everything he did. And really, isn't that all one can ask of another person? I believe so.

We have quite a ways to go before we reserve a hotel room for the Chicago 2016 Summer Games but people, we have progress....MAJOR progress.