Ok ladies, I've hit a wall. I'm mentally incompetent with this whole swimming thing. For the life of me, I cannot seem to get a breath in while swimming. This is what happens:
I push off the wall, my head is in the water, I do three arm pulls forward, then it's time to stick my head out to get air and I end up sucking in water, so then I end up having to stand to breath and start over.

Swim instructor says I'm still exhaling and start to inhale when my head goes back in the water, says I need to have all my air expelled by the time my head comes out of the water so that I can quickly inhale. Yes, makes sense, but for the life of me I can't seem to do it!

Any suggestions, it's beginning to really get to me because I can't move forward until I GET this. I can't seem to fully expel until my head is out of the water.

HELP!