Summer Time = Swimming Time

Swimming is my favorite part of summer, and this year Tatum is just big enough to safely enjoy the pleasures of the local public pool.  The only way to enter in or out of a public pool is via the ladder (or jumping), there are no steps and the "shallow ends" starts at 3 feet.  She tends to hang out on the ladder, climbing up the ladder, stepping to the side and jumping into my arms from the side. 

A happy swimmer needs snacks on the return trip home!

Our first visit to the pool this summer was an experience in setting limits.  A month before Tatum received a towel as a birthday gift, which she adores.  We started our pool experience, as we do every time, by laying our towels out by the pool and then going over to the water and getting in.  Tatum developed a pleasured habit of getting out of the pool, going to her towel, straightening it or laying down on it, then returning to the pool.  At one point she insisted that I too join her on this back and forth adventure, so I did.  What I realized was that she was trying to get me out of the pool so that she could get in by herself.  Two is the age of fierce autonomy, and I try to support it as much as I can while remaining safe.  So, as Tatum insisted through her communication that I stay out of the pool, I squatted at the water's edge and watched her go down the ladder and jump in.  I must say that is quite brave, but a bad idea when you can't swim.  Immediately I was in the water and picked her up and out of the water.  Tatum was only under for a moment, but enough to experience that she needed her mom to swim.  I held her as she cried and wiped and the water from her eyes explaining that babies need their mommas in the water so that we can keep our little ones safe.  She agrees.

This happened in June, but we've continued to return to the pool at least once a week when it is hot.