This Is What You Do...

...when it's 90 degrees out and almost 90% humidity...

YOU SWIM!

Thank goodness for the pool in our apartment complex! It has been such a life-saver as we adjust to this climate. Not to mention it's sooo fun!

Our first day in the pool the kids' personalities really came out. Ava was extremely cautious, clinging to either Andy or me for quite some time, choosing to let her little brother wear her floaties (I should mention in advance that they're pink... that's right, our boy wore pink floaties).

Jax, on the other hand, would have jumped right in the pool floatie-free had we let him. As soon as his body hit the water he was kicking and giggling and once he had the floaties on he sternly announced, "I do it myself!" He didn't want us holding on to him, this kid wanted to move on his own. And that he did. He did take in several mouthfuls of over-chlorinated water but that didn't stop him. Once Ava saw what fun Jax was having, she decided she was ready to adorn the fancy pink floaties. Still, a little hesitant at first but within a few minutes she was chugging around the pool all on her own. She too gulped down some delicious pool water, which caused a reaction quite the opposite of her brother's. Once the tears were gone and I convinced her she wasn't going to sink to the bottom of the pool, she went back at it like the brave little toaster she is. From there on out, she turned into a fish... or should I say mermaid, she's likely object to me calling her a fish.



We've gone to the pool several times since we got here, and I have been so impressed by how much Ava's swimming skills have improved! She's doggie-paddling, kicking with much more consistency, blowing bubbles and not freaking out if she swallows water. She's excited about learning to swim and tells me she can't wait to do it without her floaties! That's huge progress especially when you consider that less than a year ago she was terribly afraid of water deeper than bathwater. I'm so proud of her for facing her fears and learning to love to swim!

Jax, our buoyant little boy, loves to jump off the side and splash us in the face. He loves when Mommy does "tricks" in the pool (read: somersaults) and now thinks all water-dwelling animals do somersaults under the water rather than swim! He hates getting out of the pool, but loves getting to come home and run around naked while I rinse out his shark swim trunks.

I suspect we'll be spending much of our summer by the pool. We've already stocked up on spray-on sunscreen (although we're all already sporting way more color than we ever did in Utah) and we finally picked up some green floaties for Jax. Bring on the summer Mississippi, we're prepared!