Up early, quelle surprise!

Le bébé m'a réveillé à 3:30 am, encore.
I am guessing he is getting me ready. However, I hope when he gets me up at 3:30, it's only he who is hungry and not me, too.
I am also guessing there is a long nap in my immediate future.
Got to swim at Steve's, yesterday. It was pretty awesome. I swam about 10 more 100 IM's than I have swum in a while. I am slower. I am cool with it. I can still pull fast. And, I am pretty proud of myself that I have graduated to the big, yellow paddles. There is only one more that is bigger, and only the superfast high school boys use those.
I have a new respect for the Ntl. Teamers. They go to practice at 5:30 am on MWF, then go to school all day, then every afternoon and every Saturday, they practice another 2 hours. I have done 2-a-days, but never of the same event, and never more than a couple of times a week. 3 at the most if you count lifting weights. They do that, too. I think they do dryland 3-4 times/week.
Today is the swimathon. It's essentially a long practice with breakfast and coaches vs them relays. I was a little afraid of the relays at first, but now I saw that they are silly ones. One is a pumpkin relay. I think I will be able to use my water polo skills on that one because I think pumpkins float.
One of the dads talked with me yesterday and was very sweet and encouraging. He acknowledged my job was challenging and said how much his daughter had improved. I don't think I can take credit for her improvement. She is just getting more coordinated with age and being back in a routine of a fairly high volume of swimming for a 6 year old. He said the best way to get little kids to do want you want is to "give them love." He is French. Then, once they like you, they will do whatever you want. That seems to be true. As they have gotten to know me, they do what I say more and more. I am still trying my no response technique when they are whiny. The whining has persisted, however.
Yesterday, a kid who wears a longsleeved sun shirt was supposed to be doing backstroke. Instead, he filled up his shirt with air and very leisurely kicked on his back about halfway down the pool. Inventive. The day before that I told the littlest kids 50 choice to cool down. They always reply with "anything?" and "pop-ups?" I usually say yes, "anything!", and have given up trying to get them to call pop-ups bobs. ("Pop-ups" sounds too Yankee). So, the first kid does bobs down, then gets out at the other end and walks back. He is 5. I look at him and ask if he is ok. He said, yes, you said we could do anything. So, he walked back. Yes, you are right, I did say anything. Of course, the rest of the kids behind him did the same thing he did. They all thought it was hilarious and thought they had really pulled one over on me. I guess that is pretty lovable.