Swim Season is in Full Gear!

So glad swimming is in full session!  I got kind of lax about swimming last year because I was pregnant and uncomfortable, and just didn't want to deal with getting in and out of swimming suits, washing and drying my hair, etc.  The benefits of being in the water just didn't outweigh the annoyances that followed.  As a result, I didn't go swimming nearly as often as I would have liked.  

This summer has been way different!  I have loved jumping in the pool with the kids, occasionally with Jared, and frequently on my own during naps or after kids go to bed.  Being in water is so relaxing for me, and I am finding swimming laps to be soothing and methodical.  

And of course, the kids love that swimming is an everyday event now!  The older kids are just as adept as ever in the pool, Sara is independent now, and its fun watching the kids experiment with flips, dives, races, and splashes.  Stephen comes swimming often, along with the Mantanonas, and that is always a fun thing for the kids.  James doesn't seem to really care about the water yet.  He is okay if I hold him the entire time....otherwise, he gets sad, and while he balanced okay in his puddle jumper, he just doesn't love it to actually want to go swimming most days.  He's usually pretty content to just play on the patio, which I guess I don't care about.  To date, Jackson has gone swimming about 3 times.  :)  Its stressful for me to monitor a little baby in a pool full of rambunctious kids, so I usually time his late nap to be during swimming time.  Now that the water has warmed up significantly, he enjoys sitting in is floatie watching the other kids and comping on rings and other water toys.  

Swimming saves me most days from going crazy, since we swim for an hour and a half before Jared comes home.  Its a good way to end the days, and a great way to keep cool as AZ continues to heat up!  We've already dealt with lots of issues with the shark-hopefully that doesn't continue all summer, especially since the electrical aspect of the pump just got fixed.  Crossing our fingers!

End of May 

Early June