Progress in the Pool

Full transparency: this is a #latergram of a post - I wrote most of it in one sitting, but wasn't able to finish it till about a week later.  I’d also like to preface this with an acknowledgment of the level of privilege with which I write this - privilege of time and resources and proximity and connections.  Now, back to our regularly-scheduled programming:

In this season of life, it seems that as soon as I have an inspiring seed of a thought that might blossom into a blog post, it is quickly blown into the wind of a need to be met, question to be answered, or outside thought to be heard.  And then it's gone for good.  Sometimes, these thoughts resurface in the place where I do some of my best thinking: the shower (Can you relate?).  So here I sit, after everyone else has gone to bed, to record my "shower thoughts" before they get buried by another day's worth of compost comprised of needs and questions and thoughts.  

I am blessed to have a front row seat to my children's nearly every move.  I get to watch their brains develop, their bodies become increasingly strong and able, and their senses hone.  Even then, however, milestones and new skills seem to sneak under my radar.  The kids surprise me with new abilities, expanded vocabulary, and unexpected tricks.  Whether I miss these because I’m distracted by everything else happening in our day-to-day or I’m just not looking for these developmental markers, I do not know.  Perhaps a little of both.

One skill area I have found myself keenly attuned to, however, is swimming.  For now, this is something that requires my undivided attention to them and also something we have sought help in developing (i.e. swimming lessons), so I suppose it makes sense that I would be extra aware of every glimpse of progress.

All these thoughts were put into motion earlier this evening when Jacob and Lydia jumped into the pool, unassisted, at the same time.

Jacob did not jump in unassisted and without a floatie till about a year ago.  He was hesitant to jump in to the instructor without his puddle jumper during his swimming lessons and required a floatie or someone to catch him when we swam elsewhere.  When we went to a friend's pool that had a 3-foot section, however, he was much more comfortable and gained a ton of confidence and skill after just a few swims there.  He was still pretty attached to his floatie the rest of the summer, but was ok to jump in without being caught.

Lydia, on the other hand, would've liked to jump in "all by myself" and without a floatie the first time we got in the water this season.  That said, the video of them together was taken the day she had first successfully jumped in unassisted with her floatie on (though she still would've preferred to not have to wear it...), and it happens to be at the same pool where Jacob jumped in unassisted/no floatie for the first time last year.

This summer, and esp. at this pool this past week, Jacob has gained even more confidence and skill - in jumping, swimming, surface-diving, floating, and more.  He has typically requested to have his floatie on more than not, but when we went this evening, he didn't use it at all!

I do not take for granted the fact that we rarely pay to go swimming and are often some of, if not the only, ones at a given pool.  It's difficult to say which is more valuable: the opportunity for exposure and practice or the fact that this is an activity we ALL enjoy.  Either way, I'm extremely grateful to spend so much of our summer in the water.

I am not sharing all this to brag on my kids or the fact that we have amazing, generous, and thoughtful friends with great neighborhood pools.  Rather, I share it to exemplify the vast difference in children and a caution about comparison.  Observing kiddos like Lydia when Jacob was her age made me feel insecure about my parenting and unsure about what to do to help him more quickly succeed in this area.  Knowing what I know now, though, I realize there is only so much you can do, and simple patience is required for the rest.  I always said I was thankful Jacob was (is) so cautious, because I worried less about him doing something reckless.  Not the case with Lydia...but I'm not having to coax her into the water.  🤷🏻‍♀️

All this to say, we love the water, we love making these summer memories, and we love our Bentgo lunchboxes that make post-pool picnic and/or car lunches super easy. 

Summer lovingly,

Kensy

Favorites of the day:

The spontaneous welcome home party Jacob planned for our neighbor who had been away for work for several weeks.  There was a meal, cake, gifts, games, and decorations.

Lydia reading Amelia Bedelia: 

Side-by-sides like this... 🥰
(I realize the irony in sharing this at the end of a post cautioning against comparison…haha.)