Tag Archives: pool

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Third most favourite thing

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Friday, 26 April, 2014: One Year, Three Weeks and Three Days Old.

I’ve decided that floating around in the pool with my little family is my third most favourite thing to do.

It comes after baby cuddles (#1) and going on holidays (#2), but sneaks in just before long car trips (#4) and Sunday afternoon barbecues (#5).

For some reason the pool is a place where the outside world doesn’t reach us; we float, and we talk, and we share stories, we dream and we plan for the future.

And of course we watch Ayla splash and screech and jump and dive and kick and systematically work through every possible way to try and sink to the bottom.

I think I love it so much because there’s no technology at the pool – no phones, no TV, no internet – which means it the one place where we can all get together, enjoy each other’s company and relax, even The Dog and Cat Cat come and hang out as well!

Whatever it is, swimming in the pool was exactly what I needed this afternoon as Hubby and I recovered from our first (and probably last) night out on the town in years!

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Do the five

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Friday, 11 April 2014: One Year, One Week and Three Days Old.

Ayla took her first steps today!

Don’t get too excited though… Ayla’s first steps were in the pool!

We have a huge pool at our place and at one end there’s an inbuilt spa with a big seat capable of fitting five or six adults, so that’s where Ayla learned how to put one foot in front of the other.

For weeks now Ayla has been practicing how to stand by using Hubby or I as balance posts for pulling herself up to standing on the couch while we sit, but I thought she was still a long way off walking.

Until today when Ayla somehow put two and two together and let go of the side of the pool, then took two steps toward me.

I was stoked, surprised and so proud, but it didn’t last long.

Ayla was so pleased with herself that she transformed in to a crazed, one year old female version of Evil Kneivel and began launching herself into the depths of the pool.

Ayla must have swallowed a litre of water in her “look-I-think-I-can-swim-but-I-can’t” stunts, but still it didn’t deter her.

After Ayla got bored of freaking mummy out by trying to run and jump off the step, she decided to up the ante by getting out of the pool so she could crawl and fall off the edge instead.

In short, my nerves are shot.

It was bloody hard work keeping track of Ayla, even when I held her she was still squirming to dive under, and I can totally see how tragic pool-side accidents happen.

I think it’s a timely reminder to do the five and keep this kid alive! :

Fence the pool,
Shut the gate,
Teach your kids to swim – it’s great!
Supervise,
Watch your mate,
And learn how to resuscitate!

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Beside the swim school pool

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Friday, 25 October 2013: Two Hundred and Six Days Old.

As I sat beside the swim school pool today, I marvelled at how memories were being made before my very eyes.

As Hubby and Ayla sang the hokey pokey, splashing alongside a couple of mums and their sons, I was so proud to have such a wonderful, beautiful little family.

But what struck me most was how something as brief and simple as a 30 minute swimming lesson could become a life long memory.

Although nothing spectacular happened, the smile on Hubby’s face as he played with Ayla in the water said it all; he’s a confident, proud, loving Daddy who loves his little girl with all his heart.

I know that in 50 years time, when we’re sitting on our porch watching our grand kids play under the sprinkler, Hubby and I will remember that swimming lesson like it was only yesterday.

Because for those 30 minutes only Daddy and Daughter existed; happy in their togetherness and unabashed by their special bond.
R&

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Swimming lesson

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Smile

Monday, 14 October 2013; Twenty Eight Weeks Old.

Ayla had her first swimming lesson today!

I was so excited, but I don’t know what I expected… It was actually scary and a little overwhelming!

There was only four babies in the class and we mums got in the pool with our little ones.

It was basically a few technique-based drills done to nursery rhymes (that we have to sing), which was cute and fun but felt a little bit strange at first.

What I wasn’t prepared for though was putting Ayla under the water – for some reason I just hadn’t even considered it – so when the time came I was a bit shocked.

I guess I thought we would be coached through it a bit more, but all we got was a quick how-to then “go”!

Ayla came up coughing and spluttering, but she wasn’t upset. Me though… My heart was racing!

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Kick kick!

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Sunday, 6 October 2013: One Hundred and Eighty Six Days Old.

We bought Baby Ayla a swim ring and its one of the best things we’ve bought so far!

Although Ayla still prefers to float in our arms and splash water everywhere, the swim ring is teaching her to kick.

Ayla’s only been in it a couple of times bur she’s already learning to propel herself through the water by kicking.

Won’t be long before we can tie a lure to the back of it and send her out into the ocean.

**JOKING!!**

Here’s a quick video of her practicing;

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Hubby’s birthday

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Tuesday 27 August 2013: One Hundred and Forty Eight Days Old.

It was Hubby’s birthday today and the three of us had a wonderful day.

Ayla gave her Daddy some fishing lures so we set off in the car with the boat and The Dog to try them out.

It was a beautiful day to be out in the water and Ayla loved it. She watched intently as Hubby and I flicked lure after lure into the sea, and when she saw The Dog panting to keep cool she thought she’d give it a go too!

We didn’t catch any fish but we were grateful for the chance to try, and when we got home we had a long, cool dip in the pool.

Ayla’s been swimming in the pool a few times now, but today was the first time she actually seemed to enjoy it!

It was because she’s finally worked out how to splash, and she kept at it for ages until both she and Hubby had big droplets of water running down their faces (video to be posted soon!)

We ended the day with a birthday cake, of course, one that I made a decorated myself, and Ayla helped her Daddy blow out the candles.

Ayla and I are so lucky to have such a special man in our lives… Happy Birthday Daddy!!! xxxx

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Seabreeze

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Saturday, 4 May 2013: Thirty-Three Days Old.

We had our first proper family day out today, when we went to the Seabreeze Festival.

While we’ve been out as a family plenty of times, mainly to run errands or visit friends, this was the first time we got out and about at an event.

Before Ayla, the Seabreeze Festival was kinda cool, but would have been better with a beer…

Now it was kind of exciting and completely fulfilling – I almost can’t wait for Ayla to be a little older so we can go in the sandcastle making competition!

In other news – Ayla had her first swim in the pool today! She’s not really keen on having a bath so we didn’t know how she’d go, but she really seemed to like floating around in our arms 🙂