A Princess Thing

Grace and buddy Alex Rouselle

If you ever need a test to determine whether or not you are dealing with a real princess, put her in water.  Real princesses are excellent swimmers.  This is because they may be required to walk a plank, swim across a deep, crocodile-infested moat or maybe even rescue Prince Charming.

All of the princesses of Casa Doyle will be working on their swimming this summer.  Ella will get her second taste of "under, bubbles, kick", Sophie will (hopefully) learn to breathe and will jump off the diving board and swim to the end of Grandma and Paka's pool and Grace will finally join her big sisters as a Wahoo.  

It cracks me up a bit that our swim team mascot is a Wahoo.  As a graduate of the University of Virginia, I am a Wahoo (and a Cavalier) and unfortunately, many UVA grads earn their nickname along with their giant diploma by graduation day (a wahoo is a fish that drinks twice its weight in water.  At Mr. Jefferson's University, the Wahoos are drinking something a little stronger).  It seems a funny choice for the mascot of a family swim team although I'm sure many of the kids--ours--can drink twice their weight in juice boxes!

 Monday, we entered into the swim season.  We are now committed to daily practices, all day meets and lots of volunteering.  I love being a swim mom though and it will all be worth it when the girls are safe, strong swimmers who can have fun in pools, rivers and oceans and maybe even be excellent triathletes!

*All of our talk about princesses is partly a game but not a joke.  We really do believe that we are raising princesses--not the Disney kind--though we enjoy those--but the daughters-of-the-King kind, destined for the kingdom of heaven.

Coach Brad warms up the troops

(Grace is in pink and white and Mia in black with blue straps)

"Hi Mama!" Mia practices freestyle

Sophie helps Ella with her walking while we wait

Last year, Madeleine was given the Coaches' Award.  When Coach Brad finished talking about her dedication and spirit and how she never missed a practice, he called Madeleine up, "And here's to the girl who's always there for her team--Madeleine Doyle?  Madeleine Doyle?"  We weren't there.  We had skipped the award ceremony.  Oops.  We won't do that again.