First Day of Pool Season

Last year the high on May 1 was 67°F (19°C) and we did a little polar plunge for FHE. 

Today the high was 84°F (29°C) and it was a Wednesday, so we squeezed a trip into the pool between doctor appointments and school work and puppy duty and music lessons and...stuff. So it ended up just being me and the youngest four (Andrew picked Zoë up from the pool to go to her music lessons), but the pool was much warmer than last year! We had a great time!

Here's our traditional First Day of Pool Season picture:

It's funny to me because it looks like Benjamin and Alexander are just about the same height. They're not—clearly Benjamin is standing on the pool stairs—but it still looks off to me.

And here they are sitting on the stairs because that was the direction Phoebe wanted to be in for the picture and she was not about to turn around to face me.

Alexander wanted to jump into the deep end very first thing, but I told him he could not (we didn't need a repeat of last year, though this year I was already in my swimsuit so I wouldn't have had to jump in after him fully dressed). Instead I had him jump into the shallow end and made him pass a swimming test (of sorts). 

Phoebe was in awe of the caustic patterns of light shimmering in the water. She spent quite a lot of time trying to catch the "underwater rainbows" with a toy shovel. She was also pleased to discover that she was able to stand in the kiddie pool area and walk around a bit on her own. She enjoyed a few games of "chop, chop, timber" (where I "chop" the kids ankles until they topple into the pool) and "motor boat, motor boat." But mostly she liked playing on the stairs.

Here are Phoebe and Zoë spending some time in the sun to warm up a little. And I don't blame them—I said the pool was warmer than last year, but it was still pretty chilly.

Phoebe didn't want to leave. 

After Zoë left for piano lessons, I said something to the boys (who said they were also ready to go) that we'd leave when Phoebe was ready to leave. 

Feeling rather proud to be in charge of things, she played for a while and then got out to wrap up in her towel. 

"Okay," I said. "It looks like Phoebe is ready to go."

"No!" Phoebe said, skittering back to the pool and hopping in. "Me not ready go!"

Then she'd play for a while...and then get out to warm up on a towel...and then at any hint that we were gathering up our things would scream, "Me not ready!" 

And *splash!* she'd be back in the pool.

So I had to renege on my offer to let her decide when we'd leave the pool and insist that we go home because her brothers were played out and we needed to get home for dinner and things, but I'm certain that we'll be back at the pool soon.