Family Swim Night

As a kid, our family went swimming every Saturday night at the YWCA. We lived a half hour outside of the city, so the ride home after swimming was pretty chilled out--probably exactly what my parents wanted. I remember listening to the Saturday Night Old Tyme Dance Party on the radio--that would put any kid to sleep ;)

We have been going swimming on a weekly basis for over a year at the YMCA. Lately though, I have been choosing to not swim with Missy and her dad just so that she gets used to relying on him, and its their special activity (plus I am using that precious "me" time to work out at the upstairs gym while they swim! Then we all go home together). After the baby comes we will continue to go and he will swim too. Missy was in the pool for the first time at 7 weeks, so her brother will follow her lead.

She loves it. Last night she was half undressed before we were even in the Family Change Room! Its the only thing I see her rush for (she's always pokey getting ready for stuff!). We can stay in the pool a full hour now to swim and play. Last night she also started swimming on her own with the water wings! She was telling her daddy to "go away" and "leave me alone" so she could swim to the pools edge. Something else I have never seen her do before, she jumped into the pool NOT into her daddy's arms (but with the safety of her water wings). She can also touch the shallow pool floor now so that is extremely exciting for her.

We never miss a weekend and neither do the other handful of families. Its always the same families, and we really like that familiarity. There are never big kids jumping in and goofing off, just little kids, babies, and their parents. Last night there was a dad with his FOUR little kids!! Lucky mom had a few hours to herself!

After swimming she gets her snack and her pjs and we drive around looking at stuff or just go home to read books and lights out. She's tuckered out and sleeps soundly because of all her kicking and playing. I love that we go every weekend and that its our special family time. We have been fortunate not to have to miss it for Dad's events, etc.