Jake is taking swimming lessons. Okay, Jake's mom and dad signed up for organized 'Swim With Your Baby' time, also called swimming lessons for infants. It's the starfish level. I wonder if Jake has to pass a test to get a starfish badge. If he does get a badge, I'm totally sewing it onto his bathing suit....also called his swimming costume. When babies turn 4 months old their inner ears are developed enough to be able to go swimming. So we all headed to the pool the day that Jake turned 4 months.Its fun to be a family and use the family change room. Jake wears a special swimming diaper, which admittedly doesn't catch the urine...but it does catch the poo. His special zip up swim suit keeps him warm. It would be nice to get one in Steve Zizou blue, perhaps when he joins the fanclub.
The swimming lessons introduces the babies to counting to three to jump into the water, blowing bubbles, getting their ears underwater and getting dunked. So far Jake likes to stare at the lights in the aquatic center most of all. We also sing songs in a circle with the other babies, one song includes selected a fish and singing Jake's turn using that fish. So far Jake has been a lingcod, a halibut, a hake (Jake the Hake) and a dogfish. All species that mom studies. Next week will be a shark or a skate. Can't decide.
Jake's favorite part of the pool visits are his Hop on Pop times, either standing on his dad's stomach or chest. Lot's of hopping up and down and giggling.
For years prior to Jake's arrival, Mom and Dad used to enjoy going to the aquatic center together. They would race each other down the water slides. They would play volleyball in the wave pool and float in the waves too. They would play tag in the river and then lounge in the hot tub. It was a great way to get out into a busy part of the community and feel like you were a part of a larger group. One day we noticed that we were the only adults there who were without children, there were plenty of adults but we were likely the only ones having a blast as if we were the kids. So now its so exciting to have a kid to share all of the fun times with. Here's to lots of fun time at the pool together as a family.
