My Pool Boy

Ever since tax season has been over, Josh has been in charge of the bath time routine with Michael.  It's a bonding time for the two of them.  I enjoy hearing Josh play these little games like "the car wash" with Michael, as he dries him off after his bath.  From the way I remember things, Michael ALWAYS cries when I dry his hair off after the bath.  There's hardly any laughter or funny games.  

Over the past few evenings, I've heard lots and lots of clapping and cheering coming from Josh during the bath time routine.  Being the nosey individual that I am, of course I asked what was going on in the bath tub.  Josh exclaimed that Michael likes to dunk his ENTIRE head under the water!  Which, really is a BIG deal!!  Until the past week or so, Michael would put just his face in the water and a little, tiny bit of his hair.  Now, he's submerging his WHOLE HEAD. 

All of this brings me to today's topic:  Michael and the swimming pool!  Last summer Michael was  like a cat at the pool.  He didn't have much use for the pool at all.  From what I remember he enjoyed throwing things into the pool,  he did NOT enjoy putting his face into the pool water or getting dunked, and he really did not have ANY use for any type of flotation device.  Over the past few visits to the pool, I've noticed a miraculous change.  

This afternoon we spent a large part of our time in the "big" pool, in the two feet section.  Mainly, I wanted to explain to Michael how swimming lessons are going to work next week and I wanted to show him  where he would stand during the lesson.  We also played some swimming lesson games, like Ring Around the Rosie.  And, WOW!  Did he have a blast with our little games!!  It was the sweetest thing ever.  He blew bubbles, AND he went completely under the water!!  I honestly could not believe my eyes.  It was this huge transformation from just a week ago.  We played and played in the big pool this afternoon, and we had so much fun together.  For the first time in the past three years, I felt like I was playing with a CHILD, not a toddler or a baby.  : ( We pretended to play hide and seek, though that game terrified me because I refuse to turn my back on him in the pool.  We played games, and boy did we laugh!

I give Josh a lot of credit for this transformation.  I think bath time with Dad prepared him to be brave and to dunk his head under the water.  I just wish Josh could have been there with us today.  We'll just have to do a family swim date this weekend, to show off these new-found skills.  

(These pictures are from the baby pool last week.  Taking pictures was virtually impossible in the big pool today! )