Nothing on the schedule...

I have a list. Actually a lot of them. But at the beginning of the summer, I started a list of things that I wanted to do. Most notably was to give myself permission to sneak away from the office for some afternoons to do some things with Joshua without the juggling act that ensues when we make it a threesome with Lauren. Although I love her with my whole heart, she's not exactly low maintenance at this point (and the more I get to know her, I don't suspect we'll ever describe her that way!).

So I found myself with an open calendar yesterday afternoon and decided it would be a good time to go to the pool. I'm almost embarassed to say this, but Joshua had never been in a big swimming pool. Just hadn't had the opportunity. Although I spent just about every summer afternoon at the Rec Park pool as a kid, situations are a little different since I'm not a teacher and my clients expect me to be around from time to time from June-August. But given his reaction to the pool yesterday...I think I may be playing hooky a little more frequently to take this handsome little man in the crab swimming trunks to the pool.

I fully expected him to be petrified. He was timid, and a little cautious, but he loved it! Thanks to the "swimmy thing" (as he calls it) that Aunt Libby found for him, he wasn't as scared as he might have been without it. The swimmy thing must be the hot swimming item this summer given that about 5 other kids were also wearing them. I was glad....didn't want him to be the only kid who needed a helper not to sink!

It didn't take long at all for him to gain some confidence and begin to walk down the steps by himself. When we were out in the open water, he insisted on hanging on to me for dear life. But, it didn't take long until he was wanting to jump in the water like the other kids. Only once did he do a header and go underwater by accident, but I guess it was good for him to learn to trust that he would come right back up again.

The hardest part of the afternoon? Getting him out of the pool and into the car to go home. Lauren needed to eat. Joshua suggested that we not worry so much about that and stay at the pool longer! So compassionate.