I don't like to take my kids swimming

It's true. I don't. At least not in the winter and not to indoor pools. I admitted it to Greg today as we unpacked smelly, wet towels from a duffel bag. But I/we do it because its good for them. And Kai lights up like a Christmas tree and you can't wipe the smile from his face while he is busy getting "pwuney" hands. Teia is still figuring out what it is all about. I am thinking that she doesn't like being cold and wet much. That little peach didn't fall far from her mama's peach tree.

But honestly, other than your kids' smiling faces, what is there to like about taking little ones to a crowded, dirty and cold pool in the middle of winter? You pack a bag with swim suits, towels, extra clothes (b/c you know the ones they are wearing are going to end up in some big wet spot on the change room floor), drinks, snacks, swim diapers, regular diapers, and don't forget your wallet so you can pay money for this experience. Once you get through the rigamaroll (or however you spell that word), that is getting them changed, you have to jam all of your coats, boots, mittens, hats into a small rusty locker while not losing a child in the process because they are excited and scampering about in their gitch. Don't even think about putting a lock on to protect your valuables b/c you can't even get the door closed, let alone remember the combination.

Then on days like today you make it onto the pool deck, hoping no random fungi are hitching a ride on your or your little ones' tender tootsies, when the life guard tells you there is a wait list for the warm-ish kiddie pool. "Only 10 people ahead of you." Yes, this does happen in Massachusetts where far too many of the earth's inhabitants reside. You are offered a 4 by 8 section of the lap pool as your waiting area. And this is okay because kids under the age of 4 wait REALLY well. Luckily for us, pretty much any pool will do for Kai, so long as their is water in it. Teia, not so much, so today we sweet talked ourselves into a corner of the kiddie pool, promising not to walk in deeper than an inch until it was our turn. The lifeguard couldn't resist Teia's cute belly button bulging out of her too tight bikini (who knew how much she would grow since she last wore her suit!)

Neither child was keen on separation from the other parental unit but we survived and eventually ended up in the kiddie pool all together. Other than being cold most of the time and swimming in other kids' pee (because mine would NEVER pee in a pool; they've seen the sign "there is no Pee in OOL," and other kids' boogies (and not my kids again b/c I NEVER take a snotty kid to a pool. That is just beyond gross), the swimming part is okay b/c they have so much fun. Even Teia enjoyed it until she was just too cold. Kai was happy to just keep getting even more "pwuney." Unfortunately, I think we'll have to endure this experience a few more times before we don't have to anymore....at least not for a few years :-)