Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Summer Adventure - Swimming

Last weekend I was listening to NPR and they have a series this summer where they interview people going on Summer Adventures. It sounds like people are doing things like floating down the Mississippi (that is more of an adventure then they planned) or travel on the Nile.
We are not leaving the country and probably not even leaving the state this summer, but I have a summer adventure.
Swimming
I gather up all the suits, swim diapers, towels, snacks, extra swim diapers, goggles, lock and so on. I then get my bike out of the garage and set up the trailer. I take everything out with the kids. Get the kids in the trailer and put all of the gear in the back. I then have to go in, close the garage, go out the front door and lock the front door. For the peaceful part...I get on my bike and ride to the community center.
I decide to take the kids to open session today as well as their swim lessons. We arrive at the community center. I lock up the bike, get the kids and gear out and go into the community center, scan my card and pay for the kids.
Now I try to find an empty family dressing room. When I find a room that is empty, I knock to make sure it is really empty (I walked into a room that was occupied and the person was naked last winter). We get in, Christian can dress himself. I have to help Liam and get my own swimsuit on. We lock up our things in the big lockers in the hall and go into the women's dressing room and shower.
Finally it is time to get in the pool. I have to try to keep both kids within three feet of my at all times or I might get rebuked by a lifeguard. It is summer and the lifeguards are about eight years old and don't seem to care what we or anyone else does.
The kids are having fun, but Liam tries to climb this wall he is not supposed to, so I pull him out of the pool and have him sit on the side. While we are sitting there, this unruly teen runs across the deck, almost steps on Liam and jumps into the current pool (not designed for jumping) The eight year old life guard is sitting right where this boy jumped and did nothing. I got mad. There was a staff member close by and I told her what happened and expressed my displeasure that the lifeguard did nothing. A few minutes later the group of unruly youth are asked to get out of the pool and the lifeguard left his post for the rest of his session. (Note: the unruly youth ate their crackers on the pool deck and left a giant mess, food is not allowed)
We are having fun until Liam poops his swim diaper (he does this often, he is three and a half, I am ready for this to end). We have to get out and I have to go to the hall to get the our bag. While I am doing this, he is dripping poopy pool water on the floor. I have to go tell someone. The family rooms are all full, so we have to go to the woman's dressing room.
When we get in there, I make Liam go straight to a bathroom stall. When I pull the swim diaper off, it turns out he had loose stools. I clean him up and go to dress him, but his does not have pants, since he wet his pants on the bike ride over. I only have a pull up to put on him. He cannot do lessons.
I take them back out so Christian can go to class. Liam sits on my lap. He sat pretty quietly, but at one point he slammed my ear with his head really hard and this was just too much and I start crying in front of all the parents, the swim classes and the world.
Getting Christian dressed and riding home was uneventful.
I took this picture yesturday. Liam refused to get in the pool yesturday. Credits: Swim by Shantilly Faire, Stamped Alpha by Jannylyn. Cardboard and String by Lucky Smith, Swirls Rustic Heritage by Little Miss Liz

I went to this festival when I lived in Japan and joined in on a fishing dance. Credits: Chinese New Years by Caroline B.

Credits: Beach Bum by Amanda Geils

Credits: Tracey's Dinosaur Kit - Clever Monkey Designs by Tracey Monette

Credits: Summer in Mind by Claudi Designs and Cinammon Designs

Three more days of swim lessons. I hope today was the peak in adventure. No more open swim sessions this week.

2 comments:

Monique said...

OMGosh that sounds like it was quite the adventure! I hope your future adventures aren't so... poopy ;-) lol.

Love the layouts!

Amy Eileen said...

That sounds like quite the adventure! Sorry you had such a rough time. :( Your layouts are beautiful though!