Cute pool pics

Fun memories of our new pool...

Swim lessons galore

So now that we have this beautiful new addition to our home, within a week it became painfully clear that it very well could be a death trap also.

Nathan REFUSED and still REFUSES to listen to anything I tell him to do in the water. Arm floaties - yeah right! Sit on the step and wait your turn - come get me mom, better hurry I'm goin' under. Cool life jacket with an alligator on it - he acts like I'm strapping a cactus plant to his back.

Back to swim lessons we go. For one week, we had Nathan finishing up the "easy" swim lessons in one location and also starting the "life or death" swim lessons in another location clear across town. Katherine was in the "easy" lessons for 3 years and it was just her pace. Basically, it is getting the child familiar with the water and making sure they love it. That wasn't the issue in our household, it was making sure this child was on his way to becoming drown-resistant because there was no fear or respect for the water.

He enjoyed the "easy" lessons and didn't care for the "life or death" ones, but at 21 months he can jump in the water and swim to the side.
Because brother was going into swim lessons at Katherine's alma mater, I decided to have her go for another two weeks with him. She successfully completed her Pre-school certificate and by the end was working on swimming Freestyle and breathing to the side. I declare that girl.

All in all each kid got 16 1/2-hr classes of swim lessons over a 6-week spread with the mileage to show it. It was all very worth it and the peace of mind is priceless.

"Lazy days of summer" my rear-end

I don't know about you, but I'm just now feeling like I can finally get a couple short gasps of air once more, before my head is forced back underwater.

LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER! Ha! Whoever said that ridiculous quote wasn't rearing two pre-schoolers and trying to take on the task of co-leading a group of 70 women! ( I had to throw that last little bit in because I can't blame all of my summer craziness on the two littlest people in the house; their eyelashes batting, lookin' all sweet and innocent).

So where do I start? I'll start with the most exciting news in our house. Remember the mosquito pit? The science experiment we had bubbling in the back porch? The only block of space we own that I had successfully and completely blocked out of my memory? Remember this?
Well, I do and it has taken on a much different "feeling" in my heart and mind. Thanks to Pool Man Dave and his colorful crew, we now have a beautiful, sparkling and CLEAN pool for our family to enjoy.
The deck isn't so slippery that we curse the Home Depot salesman that convinced us painting it was "okay." It no longer leaves a fowl stench in the back yard. That 18x30 foot area is no longer blocked from my memory. (a defense tactic I strategized to preserve my sanity).

Now we have an official fish and a wanna-be fish enjoying it's coolness on these extremely hot summer days. And what a blessing that is. Now, if I could only convince the wanna-be fish to wait his turn.

Summer days have begun

Now rather than get all upset that we have a blue hole in the ground located in our screened back porch that will cost over $5k to make functional again, I choose to look at the bright side.

1. Our kids aren't old enough to swim by themselves anyway and it can be rather exhausting trying to keep two of them from drowning.
2. Pools are very expensive and very time consuming to keep up.

So the next best option is a $15 pool from Wal-Mart inflated and set up in the back porch. Shoot, we got a pool. Yep, come on by. Just make sure you're not wearing sharp shoes when you get in.
We started out with the freezin' cold water from the hose and I got the bright idea to add boiling water. Nobody got hurt, but all I could do was think, "this is a disaster waiting to happen." I added about 3 gallons of boiling water and it warmed it maybe a degree. We'll have to wait for ole Mother Nature to do that warming.

Katherine got all excited about putting on her bathing suit. Nathan got down to his bare essentials (those swim diapers must be scratchy) and boy did I convince the girl to smile pretty for me. I'm sure it had nothing to do with threatening to make her get out unless she smiled for the camera. Nathan's trigger has more to do with being able to look at his picture after it's taken. Whatever works.


Here, he's saying, "I see, I see!"

Water babies

It's official. I gave birth to two children that have morphed into amphibians.

THEY LOVE THE WATER!

Which is a HUGE blessing because I feared for a while that neither one of them would like it and with both of their parents being raised half in/half out of the water, that was going to be an issue.

Mother's Day was sketchy with the little one, but that was because of an ear infection. As of Tuesday, he exhibits more of a Commando-style when it comes to swimming. Similar to "it's up to you to catch me when I fall in" or "wanna see if I can touch the bottom" type of mentality.

And she has shown a deep desire to learn how to swim without floaties. Putting her face in the water still isn't high on her priority list, but I can tell she wants to, it's just not comfortable for her yet.

It makes for an interesting/non-relaxing trip to the pool, trying to keep an eye on both of them, but I'm so thankful.

One day soon I won't be able to provide enough water-time for them.