My little swimmers

This week we decided to start the summer off right and we went swimming all day Monday and Tuesday. Aubrey is loving the water. I really have to keep an eye on her and keep floaties on her the whole time. She likes to just jump off the edge of the step whenever she feels like it. She will be laughing and trying to keep her head above the water at the same time. This is only our 3rd time to go swimming and she is already rapidly turning blonde. No more little brunnette. By the end of the summer I am guessing she will be completely blonde like her big sis!
For the past 2 summers I have been trying to get Alyssa to let go of the step with her floaties on, but little miss cautious wouldn't do it. She would hang out on the step all day and complain how the other kids won't play with her. This year she is old enough to reason with and understand me when I try and explain things to her.
So I told her that the other kids don't like to hang out on the step. They like it better being able to swim around in the pool. I told her she would like it better too if she would learn to swim away from the step. So she agreed that she wanted to learn that day. But.........when the time came to start, she gave me every excuse in the book. "Mom, I have to poop." "My tummy is hurting." "I'm hungry." "My throat hurts." "I'm sleepy."
I asked her don't you trust me and she told me no :) I finally had to hold on tight to her and as she was screaming and clinging to me like a scared kitten, I had to drag her off the step with me. It took a while to calm her down enough to talk to her. I kept telling her to say "Go away Fear in the name of Jesus." and with tears streaming she repeated it and then she would say her verse. " I can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives me strength." It was so cute! Finally she wouldn't let go, so I had to let go of her. She was freaking out at first and I told her that she had to calm down and keep her arms down, and she started to float and kick her feet. Poor little thing was shaking like a leaf, but she managed to swim back and forth to me and Savita about 4 times and then she had enough. I was so proud of her! This was a HUGE breakthrough for her. Now I just have to keep her doing it more and more. When we left, she couldn't wait to tell her daddy about it and she kept asking me to tell her why I was so proud of her. I think one of her love languages is words of encouragement.