Duncan Doughboy

Ryan's still doing well with his "lessons", sarcastically finger-quoted in the air since there really isn't organized instruction to it all. Just a bunch of parents catching and pulling and holding their kids and encouraging fun. He's still not quite jumping into the water like other kids (if I take a step back from the ledge, he says, "No, right here," as he bends over and points to the wall beneath his feet), but he's not afraid to get his head a bit under water. Still can't get him to keep his mouth closed, though. And he's going to have chlorine-stained retinas after these two weeks are up. But tonight, I was able to pull him under one of the plastic lane divider rope thingies (twice!), so we're making progress. We knew he was ready for all this nautiness last weekend when, while showing off to his grandmother how he could walk backwards in the kitchen, he ended up ass-deep in the dogs' water bowls.