Summer

At the beginning of each summer I get this slight sense of dread.  Playing cruise director for two active boys is a tough role and in the summer I have to step it up a notch because they are home, ALL day.  For me there is a fine balance between over and under scheduling.  Under schedule and I hear "I'm bored" and "what are we doing today?"  over and over like a broken record.  Over schedule and the boys are so tired that their attitudes and behavior stink.  I've been walking that fine line since the last day of school.  We've had play dates, sleepovers, been to the movies, the races, rollerskating, had fires and s'mores and spent lots of time in the pool. 

Ah yes, the pool, we love it.  My boys may grow gills before the summer is over.  Big guy is a full on swimmer now and is working on his stamina.  He's learned to float on his back finally and is even trying the backstroke.  He loves to cannonball and after watching his friend do it he is now an underwater swimmer.  I love how comfortable he is in the water.  Little guy has come leaps and bounds in the pool and this past week has blown us away.  He gave up his life jacket and donned a pair of goggle and the rest, they say, is history.  Little guy loves to be under the water, is swimming short distances, and can make a heck of a splash doing cannonballs.  He's got guts like no other and amazes me with how far he's come so fast. Our friends ask us if we swim all day every day now that we have a pool.  We swim every day that the weather cooperates and most days, twice.  It's a lot of fun and the boys and I really connect in the pool.  We laugh until our belly's hurt, we applaud each others progress and we talk while we float around.  I can't say enough about our time in the pool, it's quality time and I am soaking it up.

I can only hope that there are a few more summers to come where doing cannonballs and blowing bubbles underwater are on the agenda.  But in case there aren't if you need me I'll be in the pool.