Picture vs. Play

Took the boys swimming last night as a easily earned reward for having great days at their respective day care/camp locations yesterday. I brought plenty of entertainment items for the boys IN the pool as well as for me on the sidelines. This, I have found, is one of the benefits of the boys getting older - I don't HAVE TO get in with them to make sure they don't sink, drown or bust their heads open on the concrete edges. I read a magazine, played on my ipad and kept a close eye on their whereabouts while a small family of three arrived and claimed two chairs next to me. A teenage girl was flanked by her parents and she and "papa" immediately got in, while "mom" tried to do what I was doing.....hang out, restful and unbothered.

Her daughter begged for a solid ten minutes to get her to come in the pool and she eventually won. "Mom" reluctantly joined and although all she did was float on a noodle, just being IN the water apparently was enough for daughter.

It made me think about whether I should have put my suit on and joined the boys in the pool, but as I watched them, happy, easily entertained with goggles, floaties and bubbles, I had the opportunity to appreciate some things about them I didn't realize before.

Harrison is 5 and with the "right" goggles, he runs toward the pool and does a respectable cannon ball into the water. Just last year he hated getting his head wet and wouldn't swim without his life vest. Now he swims across the pool, unassisted and keeps up with Jake without a problem.

Jake is a great big brother. He blows bubbles for Harrison and always welcomes him in his activities. He encourages Harrison to race, but is careful to let him win sometimes. He takes him to the boys' potty when Harrison is scared because its so dark. When we leave, he helps to carry his noodle.

I took a quick picture with my iphone because its all I had on me, so now I have a documented memory along with the observations above that I made. Next time, I'll be like "Mom" and create some mental memories by playing.