Swimming! A summertime activity like no other. Nothing brings smiles and joy to the faces of children like a day spent in the sun (sunscreen required of course) surrounded by water, friends, and splashy fun. Swimming is always a great thing to do. While public pools are all around, we were fortunate to head out to a slightly more private pool at one of my son’s aunt’s home. An apartment complex with an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and a hot tub. This was to be the space where our son would enjoy the summer fun of playing in water with family. Mom, Dad, one Grandma, and a gaggle of aunts would all be there splishing and splashing in the water with the baby boy. To say that it was fun would be an understatement.
Our son happily moved from Mom to Dad to Grandma and through all of his aunts. He spent time happily in the water being passed from person to person until I put him up on the side of the pool and asked him to jump. He didn’t understand this request (not really, anyway) and I had him hold onto my hands as I pulled him quickly into the pool. He made a big splash, laughed a good deal, and started saying “more more more more” frantically until I put him on the side of the pool to jump (be pulled) in again. I’d started something huge. For the next couple of hours, regardless of who was swimming with him at the moment, our son asked (over and over again) to “jump jump jump” until someone put him on the side of the pool. I fear I’ve created a monster. That said, I’m excited that our son has finally discovered the joys of jumping into a pool during the summer. It is one of my favorite things to do and now I’ve passed it on.