It’s a hot 96 degrees today, and after all the errands I’ve subjected the boys to this week, I decided they deserved a little pool time. So we headed out to Seth’s favorite swimming hole. This pool has a large 3 foot area where he can practice his new moves that he picked up at swim class a few weeks ago.
The boys are starting to get the pool drill down, and so am I. It makes it sooo much easier to go, and I’m thankful. For starters, the pool bag stays mostly packed all the time with sunscreen, pool toys, and snacks. I fill up a water bottle with ice and water, throw in a couple of rolled up towels, and that’s done. Also, I don’t get dressed in the morning when we’re going to the pool. I leave on my nightgown and bring down all our swimsuits to change into after breakfast. Lots easier… They now know that I’m going to spray them and apply sunscreen to their faces on our porch before we head to the car, so they wait instead of charging right to the van, etc., etc.
The water felt great today, and it’s nice to feel the weightlessness that only comes from being in water right now. I’ve started wearing a large straw hat to keep me from getting too hot. That, and some big sunglasses, and I look like a fat Zsa Zsa Gabor. The boys don’t care. And since it’s just other moms and preschoolers at the pool, I don’t care, either.
Evan has gotten better at knowing his limits at this pool. Even a couple of weeks ago, he would charge out fearlessly over his head, and I’d keep dragging him back, coughing and sputtering, every 5 minutes. It was exhausting. Well, he’s a lot better at keeping his balance now and not getting in over his head. It’s wonderful. I can be at the pool with both of them now for 2 hours and not feel totally stressed the whole time.
It says something about how pleasant they were today that Evan could fall in our hallway, bust his lip wide open, and have to sit in his high chair sucking on ice to get the bleeding to stop for several minutes… and I wasn’t fazed. While the ice sucking was going on, Seth was smearing poop all over the downstairs bathroom trying to wipe himself, but he asked for help, and I was able to clean him and it up without much trouble or any tears. One again, not fazed today. Why? Because they weren’t fighting or whining or dissolving into tears every 5 minutes. Little emergencies don’t seem like big emergencies so much when everyone is calm.
Please, Lord, more days like this this summer! At prayer night a week ago, one of the other moms there prayed that I would really relish these last couple of months with just my two big boys. She prayed that their hearts would be knit closer together, and that they would enjoy each other more and act out more kindness and sharing every day. It was a great prayer. I’m copying it myself every morning when I wake up… =)
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