The pool

I was excited to find out there is a pool in our general area that is nice and cheap. It is still a fifteen minute drive (made easy by the car we are now driving) away, but it is not too crowded and has one big shallow pool as well as a deeper pool for lap swimming. Technically little kids are only allowed in the shallow pool (which has a really shallow part and a deeper part that goes up to Austin's shoulders) but that is where we would mostly be anyway. Also technically they don't allow sunscreen. What?!! One day (I was not there this day) a bunch of foreigners were there all slabbing it on when they tried to stop them. They don't want it to get the water dirty. As if it were dirty (and its waterproof )and even so, more important than skin cancer? Well, don't worry, grandmas. We still put it on, we just do it before we get to the pool. They seem to have calmed down a but since that one day, but you never know what funny rules you might encounter (like not letting pregnant women swim. But that was 2006 in another city when I was pregnant with Austin. Despite my fears they have not made an issue of that). The funny thing is as a culture China is so afraid of the sun and want their skin to stay white...however they do not burn that easily and usually swim at night, so I guess sunscreen isn't much of an issue.

Anyway, we have started going most Wednesday and Friday mornings. Jason (our neighbor) has graciously offered to give some of the kids swim lessons (he was a big swimmer in high school). So Austin has been to quite a few. He has at least gotten back to where he was at the end of last summer and I think a smidge further, though I still would not call him a swimmer. But maybe in another month he might be dog padling at least. We will see. I have a few pictures, though not many since one mom with two non-swimmers and a lot of water are not a great combination for the camera.

Bennett looks like such the swimmer doesn't he? Lest you be fooled, he usually starts asking for a sandwich moments after getting to the pool and will barely leave my side until he eats something. Even then, he stays in the shallowest part and usually wants me right beside him. I did get him this little boat that he likes some of the time, but he doesn't worry me too much at the pool. I found he enjoys it much more though if I just let him eat his lunch at 10:30 am- if not he asks to eat and doesn't swim much. Funny guy.

Austin attempting to use the kickboard. He doesn't really get it, but he likes to play with it. He did learn how to blow bubbles out of his nose and will go under water a little more freely since he doesn't have to use one hand to plug his nose. By the way, the pool requires swim caps and so we wear them.