Yes. I am still talking about summer. Can't help it. I will move on eventually.
My intention at the beginning of the summer was to spent A LOT of time at the pool, like 2-3 times a week. I bought a pool pass that gave us access to three community pools so we would be able to mix it up throughout the summer. I really wanted LB to be comfortable in the water by the end of the summer and I think it's important to start young. The pools didn't open until noon and I knew that would be a little difficult because of LB's nap schedule but I figured he would nap and then we would play at the pool until dinner time. Well, that didn't happen. It wasn't entirely my fault but it kinda was. The one pass I will give myself is all the rain that we got towards the end of June and beginning of July. I think we had something like 16 straight days of rain. The pool just wasn't an option and there was no way I could have predicted all the rain we got this summer. Once the rain subsided then we left for New Mexico for a week. I also discovered the pools are really strict about "hearing thunder" in the area. So even if it is 90 degrees and sunny they will shut down the pool if any thunder is detected. LB and I went to the pool one afternoon and it was so bloody hot but they wouldn't let people in because of supposed thunder. They would say "30 more minutes" and so we waited. Then they said "15 more minutes" and so we waited. When they said "15 more minutes" again I decided that was it. Poor LB cried and I wanted to cry too. So it wasn't entirely my fault. But here is why it was my fault:
*I am lazy.
*I am a wimp. I think growing up in Oklahoma I got used to pool water feeling like warm bath water. By the end of June the water was usually pretty warm and you didn't want to scream obscenities when your toes touched the water. Even by the end of August the pool water here in Ohio was still REALLY cold. I always had to give myself a little pep talk about it being good for LB and that I needed to suck it up and deal. Sometimes that worked.
*I am lazy. Trying to squeeze in a trip to the pool post nap was more work than I thought it would be. By the time he got up and was out of his post nap fog and was willing to put on his suit and sunscreen we would be pushing 3:30-4pm and then it didn't seem worth it to go to just stay for an hour.
*Shaving is a pain in my a*s. Even in the summer I despise it and do the bare minimum. So really it all goes back to my laziness.
We did make several trips to the pool and usually had a pretty good time but we certainly weren't there 2-3 times a week. Not even close. And for some reason whenever we got there LB would want to spend a lot of time lounging on the chairs and eating a snack. I am not against lounging. (See above laziness.) But it frustrated me because I wanted him to use up energy so that he would go to bed easily. There is something to be said for sitting in the sun but I wanted him up and moving. I would say he got a little more comfortable in the pool but nothing like I hoped. He still won't put his head under the water. Although, he got close a few times. Mostly he liked to stay towards the wall and play with various pool toys that I brought for him. I got him some diving rings and he would reach down pretty far to get those but that was usually the extent of him moving around. One of the community pools is more of a water park and LB definitely liked that one the best. They had some fountains that he liked playing in and a little slide he could do and a big slide he wanted to do but wasn't tall enough. He watched me go down it once when we met friends there and for some reason that satisfied his curiosity and he didn't beg to go down it when we went back. Sometimes he makes no sense to me. He doesn't want to move around too much in the water but a big twisty slide he is dying to do. I don't get it. The pool was a great place to go on days when D was working late or when he was traveling for work. Then I felt like we could take our time getting there and stop somewhere for dinner on the way home. It helped pass the time so LB wouldn't miss D as much.
I didn't manage to get a single shot of him playing in the water all the summer. I think because he always wanted me close to him and getting my phone near water wasn't really an option. I have about a billion photos of him lounging and snacking. Here is a sampling. If you've seen a few then you've seen them all.
My intention at the beginning of the summer was to spent A LOT of time at the pool, like 2-3 times a week. I bought a pool pass that gave us access to three community pools so we would be able to mix it up throughout the summer. I really wanted LB to be comfortable in the water by the end of the summer and I think it's important to start young. The pools didn't open until noon and I knew that would be a little difficult because of LB's nap schedule but I figured he would nap and then we would play at the pool until dinner time. Well, that didn't happen. It wasn't entirely my fault but it kinda was. The one pass I will give myself is all the rain that we got towards the end of June and beginning of July. I think we had something like 16 straight days of rain. The pool just wasn't an option and there was no way I could have predicted all the rain we got this summer. Once the rain subsided then we left for New Mexico for a week. I also discovered the pools are really strict about "hearing thunder" in the area. So even if it is 90 degrees and sunny they will shut down the pool if any thunder is detected. LB and I went to the pool one afternoon and it was so bloody hot but they wouldn't let people in because of supposed thunder. They would say "30 more minutes" and so we waited. Then they said "15 more minutes" and so we waited. When they said "15 more minutes" again I decided that was it. Poor LB cried and I wanted to cry too. So it wasn't entirely my fault. But here is why it was my fault:
*I am lazy.
*I am a wimp. I think growing up in Oklahoma I got used to pool water feeling like warm bath water. By the end of June the water was usually pretty warm and you didn't want to scream obscenities when your toes touched the water. Even by the end of August the pool water here in Ohio was still REALLY cold. I always had to give myself a little pep talk about it being good for LB and that I needed to suck it up and deal. Sometimes that worked.
*I am lazy. Trying to squeeze in a trip to the pool post nap was more work than I thought it would be. By the time he got up and was out of his post nap fog and was willing to put on his suit and sunscreen we would be pushing 3:30-4pm and then it didn't seem worth it to go to just stay for an hour.
*Shaving is a pain in my a*s. Even in the summer I despise it and do the bare minimum. So really it all goes back to my laziness.
We did make several trips to the pool and usually had a pretty good time but we certainly weren't there 2-3 times a week. Not even close. And for some reason whenever we got there LB would want to spend a lot of time lounging on the chairs and eating a snack. I am not against lounging. (See above laziness.) But it frustrated me because I wanted him to use up energy so that he would go to bed easily. There is something to be said for sitting in the sun but I wanted him up and moving. I would say he got a little more comfortable in the pool but nothing like I hoped. He still won't put his head under the water. Although, he got close a few times. Mostly he liked to stay towards the wall and play with various pool toys that I brought for him. I got him some diving rings and he would reach down pretty far to get those but that was usually the extent of him moving around. One of the community pools is more of a water park and LB definitely liked that one the best. They had some fountains that he liked playing in and a little slide he could do and a big slide he wanted to do but wasn't tall enough. He watched me go down it once when we met friends there and for some reason that satisfied his curiosity and he didn't beg to go down it when we went back. Sometimes he makes no sense to me. He doesn't want to move around too much in the water but a big twisty slide he is dying to do. I don't get it. The pool was a great place to go on days when D was working late or when he was traveling for work. Then I felt like we could take our time getting there and stop somewhere for dinner on the way home. It helped pass the time so LB wouldn't miss D as much.
I didn't manage to get a single shot of him playing in the water all the summer. I think because he always wanted me close to him and getting my phone near water wasn't really an option. I have about a billion photos of him lounging and snacking. Here is a sampling. If you've seen a few then you've seen them all.
So we ate a lot of snacks and got really good at pool lounging. I suppose that's something.
Next summer, the plan is to get serious and do lessons, which happen in the morning. I will not be deterred. At least, I hope not.
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Love it. You know, I also struggle with post nap activities. My kids too, are finally out of the post nap fog around 3:30 or so, and then you're right, it feels like before i know it, it's time to feed them. A part of life seems like it will be easier once naps go away, and a part of me hopes they never go away! :)
ReplyDeleteWe also tried to do the pool a lot. We have a neighborhood pool that opens at 9am everyday, which is awesome, but the bad part is it only gets about 2 feet deep. Hey, there is always next summer, right? :)