Progress

In our household transitions of any kind pose a constant challenge. Stopping, starting, being on time they all require effort and patience. M and I have our challenges, like most mothers and daughters I suppose. The thing is we're both drama queens and so it gets fairly intense fairly fast...Or as one of her books states "bombaloo!"

We seem to have a little dark cloud hanging over our heads whenever we try to get active together. Bike rides seem especially cursed. Pretty much without fail, we run into a snag of some kind. Once her gears broke, another time it was a flat. When she was a baby, we got one of those nifty trailers that hitch to the back of the bike. She hated it. She would scream the whole time time. I finally gave up after she started projectile vomiting to make her point.

One thing she did seem to enjoy was swimming.

So, Sunday I suggested we ride our bikes to the Y to swim. T fixed the flat, from the last time we rode and in our usual fashion we met our first obstacle: locking up the bikes. I was prepared with a lock, but the cable I thought would work was too short for 2 bikes. First stop REI for a longer cable. Once we got the store..Which is just a couple of blocks away I realized she didn't have her helmet.....Arrack. I run into the store hastily pick out a cable and then we head back home to retrieve her helmet.

Finally, we're off to the Y. Locking our bikes up outside, I soon realize that we only have one lock, we need the second to secure our stuff in the locker room. We get to the locker room, shower and stash our stuff w/the exception of my wallet in an unlocked locker and I wrap my wallet up in a towel and head for the pool. Earlier back at the house, I had both locks together and M thought it would be helpful to hold one, I got mad that she had separated them and ended up leaving the one behind. This is so typical, we argue about bullshit stuff like this all the time and I inevitably forget something.

After Friday's frustrating attempt at swimming together we agreed that we would spend the first 1/2 hour on our own and then swim together the last 1/2 hour. This worked out so much better. I felt like I got to focus on a few things by myself and then was relaxed enough to play and let her "coach" me. We were finally having a good time.

Afterwards we showered and the ride home was so pleasant. M was hungry so we grabbed some corn nuts at the gas staton and I taught her how too push off from the curb on her bike, she was thrilled about this.

The effort was well worth it, sharing time with my girl despite the glitches here and there turned out to be the best kind of progress.

Oh, and lastnight I signed up for my swim lessons, I start next week. T and Th nights are a group lesson and I scheduled one 1:1 session for next Wednesday. Yeah!!!