Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Micah the Brave

"Micah the Brave" is my new nickname for Micah.  I hold his little face in my hands, look him in the eyes, and say, "YOU are Micah the Brave."  Micah does not feel like he is brave yet.  In fact, he is very afraid of many things.  But I am watching him slowly overcome his fears.

Last week he started swimming lessons, 5 days a week for 2 weeks.  We have never said anything negative about the lessons, only positive, and give him a treat each day when it's over (a popsicle or something of the like).  But he was afraid of even the term "swimming lessons."  The first day was really hard on Martin and I, watching him tremble and shake with fear as he hung on tight to the side of the pool.  We entrusted his little heart and his life with a very young swim instructor.  But slowly he is becoming more confident, and has begun to tell other people about his lessons and how he is being brave.  Every day we endure him fighting us tooth and nail to go, but at the end of the lesson when we pick him up, he is beaming with pride.  "I did good today, mommy!! I was brave!!"

If you look at the pictures, you will see that he stands out. He comes equipped each day with his bright orange ear plugs in his ears, his "Ear Bandit" (that he wears for the tubes in his ears), his blue goggles, and a toy in his pocket to "help him be brave."  Other mothers smile when they see him, but I'm smiling on the inside, because I know our boy is overcoming a major fear.

No matter what other people may say, to us he is "Micah the Brave."







2 comments:

  1. We had a horrific experience with swim lessons. They cried and cried after the first day. Apparently they didn't know that they were going to have to get their faces wet. Go figure. :) I'm glad he is doing well. Go Micah!!

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  2. That's wonderful! Micah is doing so well! Looks like the instructors know what they're doing. Elias's instructors are one per every 10 students and they don't go under the water like Micah's does. They make the kids do it themselves and Elias just won't get past his face LOL! Micah IS a brave little boy.... he just doesn't realize it yet. XOXO!

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