The competitive child

Day two of the swim meet was a bust in the eyes of the competitive child. No one else saw it this way. She beat all her previous times, beat some of her team mates that are older than her and have been swimming longer than her but she didn't make finals and didn't get a J.O. cut so as far as she was concerned, it was a bust. Yeah, makes me want to bang my head against a wall...hers too for that matter.

Photography was problematic again at best today due to the glare of the ever present and oppressive Miami sun. Taking pictures during her heats was something I gave up on after her first one when I realised that once she came off the block I had taken pictures of the wrong kid during the actual race. Nice huh. She is swimming long course and with the glare on the water and the distance I really couldn't see anything so I zoomed in on what I thought was the right lane but once I looked at the photos I saw a blue suit. LOL

I decided to focus on the kids having fun between heats instead and show the more relaxed aspect of the meets. At the last meet Boss Man AKA head Coach told Rosie to take a swim in the cool down lanes or the cool down pool because it was so hot but she didn't want to. Today the heat got to her and she took him up on his offer as did many of the siblings. They even put a lifeguard on duty. Rosie took her team suit just in case it was off limits that way she would fit right in.

The 3 amigos

It's just a good thing they don't go to the same school cos they would be in constant trouble. These are the same two girls that came to her birthday sleepover.

Always a nice touch when meets open with the National Anthem

The National Anthem played at 8.30am and it was already this hot and sunny

Once the formalities were over Ro was right back in the cool down pool doing laps

on and on she went

Team mates, chilling

All strokes, event numbers, heat numbers, lane numbers and J.O.times. Always written in sharpie. One of the massage gels that i use removes sharpie with just a gentle wipe.

Practising backstroke while looking at her friends

Just being themselves

Telling her it's time to roll

Lily always, ALWAYS stands with her hands flat on the blocks like this while she is waiting to be told to get ready. And from this second everything changes for her and it is GAME ON.

So now she waits for next year to try out for Junior Olympics. If she wants it she'll get it. No more long course meets it's back to short course which she likes better. I like watching them swim long but that's cos I don't have to do it.