Summer Fun at the Pool

May 19, 2008

Kate has her first experience going to the pool today!

Nathan, Katherine and I were running errands all day today and when we got home it was a bazillion degrees (soon to be a bazallion and twelve degrees *sigh*) so I suggested going to the pool. Being a huge dork of a first time mom, I called the Pediatrician to see if it was okay to take Kate in the Chlorine and put sunscreen on her. They said yes to the chlorine and sunscreen, but not to let her go under water until at least 6 months. (I just learned you can start swim lessons at 6 months...I thought "really, a 6 month old swimming?" I was told they pretty much teach them to roll over and float if they were to fall in.)

I yelled to Nathan we got the green light. When I turned around he came walking in with Kate in her swim suit. Holy crap, cutest thing EVER! Nathan and I got changed and all sunscreened up and then loaded all our crap in the car. We swung by the drug store to get baby sunscreen...no easy task! I spent 10 minutes reading over all my choices and finally picked one. I asked the check out lady if there was a difference between baby and child sunscreen. She told me the higher the SPF number the more chemicals are in the sunscreen. I said "Well crap" as I'd chosen the Banana Boat 50 SPF. She said to test it on a small area before applying liberally. We didn't do this as we are not that patient, but thank God she didn't have a reaction :) This stuff is hypoallergenic, waterproof, tear free, fragrance free, PABA free (which I am allergic to) and tested by pediatricians. We figured if she had a skin reaction to this sunscreen she was screwed!

I had read online that the community center sold rubber bottoms. I wasn't sure what that entailed but figured we'd go with that for the first time out. It turned out to be a diaper cover. We bought one and found a spot to strip the baby. We put a fresh diaper on, put the rubber cover on, lathered her up in sunscreen, and wrestled her tiny little suit back on her sticky body. I has a small panic attack as she started crying once I'd lotioned her legs and half of her arms. I thought crap, if she was a reaction I'm going to nominate myself as the worst mother of the year! She was fine, no reaction. I don't think she liked the oily feeling when I first put it on her. We got her squared away and were off to the pool. The swim team was practicing at full capacity, but I asked their coach if we could play on the stairs. I was told yes but to stay on the stairs. We did, but I stuck my legs out into the lane a couple of times, just to be defiant :)

The water was perfect, we sat on the first couple of stairs and let her take it all in. She liked sitting on our laps, or standing on the stairs, but would grab onto our hands as though her tiny life depended on it if we put her in water above her belly button. We played for awhile and then headed home. We thought it was a great first trip for her and plan on going through out the summer.