waterbaby

we went swimming on sunday. first time in the pool for autumn. mom spent the morning looking for water-diapers and eventually we dressed got her dressed in her swimsuit (don't get me started on how cute she looked) ... we went off to the local pool. Mom and Autumn turned into the girls locker room while dad went to the boys- we met in the pool and although we were fifteen minutes early- we jumped right into swimming.

she loved it.


our swim teacher, Claire- a fourteen year old girl, kept telling us how wonderful it was that she wasn't wailing or screaming... we sang "the wheels on the bus" and jumped up and down for the windows part and side to side for the wipers part... this was the first time dad had sang this song... and truthfully i am not sure who liked it more- autumn or dad?

we took turns holding her and pulling her along in the water, she kicked her legs and occasionally splashed her hands. Claire brought in a couple of rubber fish (think bath toys) and after that... autumn just happily chewed on a nemo-look-alike and scooted around the pool with the help of her proud parents.

it was a wonderful 35 minutes.

there are times when juggling everything is hard, packing up and trying to remember all the STUFF that a little kid needs (bottles, diapers, toys, warm clothes, change of clothes, binky, binky, binky, stuffed animal, special seat for eating, food, chewing biscuit, wipes, tylenol, ....)- remembering all that stuff can be hard. inevitably there are disagreements and tensions rise... but even after the arguing, sleep deprivation, silent treatments, exhaustion and confusion - watching a gorgeous little girl in her frilly green bathing suit hold onto an orange fish and smile broadly at her mom and dad puts everything into perspective.

and what a wonderful perspective it is. i love you dad and autumn.