Why are Women Such A-Holes?

Lyla completed her fourth week of "swimming lessons" today, and honestly, I don't know if I can bring myself to go back (two more weeks left). Today was a bit different than other hectic days going to class...Lyla woke up, and while a bit groggy at first, was pretty smiley and happy. I fed her a bottle, but I had extra time today, so I was feeling better about the digestion period. Lyla talked and smiled the whole way to class, happily got changed, etc. so I thought it was going to be a great day like our first class. Uh, no.

As we step into the pool, Lyla immediately clutches me as if I'm going to throw her from the high dive. Now, they were saying the pool was much cooler than normal because the heater wasn't working properly, but I'm unsure this had anything to do with it. She wasn't crying, but whining a bit. It's hard to understand honestly. If you saw this kid the first class, you'd think she was born in a birthing center somewhere in the Valley in SoCal right in a tub. She absolutely loved it. Since then, not lovin' it. The other thing is, Lyla rarely cries or clutches to me. She's just not like that. So, when she hold on to me for dear life, I'm wondering, what the heck changed?
I still think it has a lot to do with it occurring right after her nap/bottle, but she does everything else after the bottle (like thrust up and down repeatedly for 30 minutes, swing upside down, crawl) with no issue.

Anyway, for the first five minutes of class she was a bit loud, and while I was hoping she'd be laughing and enjoying swimming rather than almost crying, I rolled with it. What am I gonna do? I pulled myself out of the circle so people could focus on the teacher, and so we wouldn't cause a real distraction (even though she was barely even making a fuss). As I do this, a few of the Mom's follow me with their eyes (not with friendly, I've been there smiles either), turn around to watch me float away, and are giving me looks as if I we were disrupting the wedding of Charles and Camilla. I whispered a few, "sorry, she usually loves the water" at a few, but that only led to more looks of disbelief that this child could actually like the water.

Now, this lasted maybe five minutes total, and then Miss Lyla, ever resilient came around and was eventually laughing and flitsing about with the others. However, she was still a bit on edge when it came for splashing and dunking. The first incident occurred when a lady said, ,"I better stay out of her way," which I sheepishly brushed off hoping she was joking.

Then, this jackass mother, who I haven't liked from the start, sees me, and stands directly in front of me, and starts whisking her kid back and forth in front of Lyla. Her kid is kicking and splashing water in her face, and she starts to lose it again. I'm looking at this woman like, you have to be kidding me right?

I try to remain nice, move away from her and say, "Whoops, we're getting splashed, let's glide over here." She proceeds to make bigger dips in the water with him, as if she's somehow (believe it or not) showing off that her kid is just going in and out of the water without issue. Now, this kid is also a lot older than Lyla (Lyla is the youngest in the class--there's one other baby, a nine month old), so I would expect he can do a lot more too. At this point, I'm pissed, and I really just dart her a look, and leave it.

Needless to say, Lyla was fine, and happily ended class with a goldfish in hand and a smile on her face depite the comments of others (who all hang with each other).

After class this woman says to me, "You should try another class, maybe the 9." I had previously mentioned to her that this class is not at an ideal time, but her tone was not appreciated, especially after the pool bit. I don't know why I end up explaining that her nap is 9-10:30 or longer, and with travel it's always a rush, but I know she loves the water, but the 9:00 wouldn't work either, blah, blah, but I do say this, and she just says, "Maybe you should practice in the bath tub." and walks away.

First I'm thinking, you're a total bitch, and who the H do you think you are telling me what to do and when to bring her to class. I mean, it's not like she had a complete meltdown in class. The child cried for a few minutes, and most of it was quiet. Then, I'm thinking, how is the bath tub going to help this situation? She loves the tub, always has. Is she going to practice getting kicked and splashed in the face repeatedly at home in our tub? Probably not. Finally, I thought about how nothing this woman says makes sense, she's just a jerk who thinks she owns the Getting Wet class, which is obviously the most important place for all of us to be on our very best behavior. It's not just her either, the Moms are all cliques who only talk to each other, and treat any new person like she were David Greene from School Ties--the guy who comes to the stobby prep school his senior year who never paid his dues, got hazed, or in his case told his classmates he was Jewish. Did it really matter guys? Well, regardless of religion in this particular instance (I think), I'm the David Greene of Getting Wet.

To go back--two weeks ago another girl in the class, who is also newer (the girl who stalked me in this Blog's swim class video) asked one of the elite group a question about strollers in the locker room, and one of the queen bees told her to ask the teacher, and just kept talking to the other groupies. I overheard, and told her about the stroller policy there, and the queen bee jumped back in and said how she doesn't care and brings the stroller in anyway. I remember at the time thinking, why wouldn't you just answer her question in the first place, especially when you're putting your fat mouth back in it anyway, but I didn't think too much about it. Now, after this, I'm remembering that today's jacko lady was in this group, and I'm probably on the outs with them for helping the other newbie. By the way, the newbie hasn't been back to class since. This may sound like a bunch a bunk, but I'm piecing it all together now, and doin' some figurin' about these ladies. I feel like I'm in the Net, and I'm the only one that knows the truth. Poor newbie. They got rid of her, and now they're trying to get me out. Despite my earlier sentiment...ladies and gentleman I will prevail.