I was looking forward to today for two weeks.  Today was the pool party for Girls on the Run.  I had envisioned a family love fest in the pool.

Not 5,000 balls flying through the air, landing dangerously close to the baby.  Rather, hitting her in the face.

I had forgotten the joys of a kids’ pool party.  The only thing missing was a proliferation of water guns.  phew!

And while the other Mommies sat watching from afar, I was in the pool, clutching the baby, who loves water.  She didn’t cry when the balls came flying in her direction, but I could tell she wasn’t feeling it.

I had my older children throw back every ball they could find.  They did that until there was a reasonable amount of balls in the water.  Then they started playing with them.  The baby and I had moved out of the danger zone, started bobbing around and playing.  She was cold.

I hung in there with her; we didn’t have much longer.  I watched my other children.  Neither of my little girls were up to the swimming test.  The 8 year old got too tired, trying to swim a 25 two different times.  The 7 year old is just not ready for that.  They had a ball in the shallow end splashing around with their friends.

My little boy was doing what he usually does; staying out of the pool for the most part.  He was a major offender in the ball wars, pulling them out of the bin and filling the pool–from the outside.

The older kids let loose a little.  They even had a couple races.  The girl won the first one, and the boy blamed it on the goggles, so they switched goggles and tried again.  The girl won again.  She’s 17, he’s 14.  He’s not quite got the man strength.  I’ll check them again in a year.  They’d lost the joy of swimming years ago in swim club.  Excursions like this make them glad they swim well.

I still have plenty of work cut out for me in getting the young ones up to speed.  8 year old has halfway decent form, but no stamina.  Doesn’t that sound familiar?  I know the cure for that–going swimming!