Ree has always been a little reticent about the water—loving to play and swim in it for hours, but only as long as she could keep her head relatively dry. Her sister, on the other hand, swims like a rowdy little fish, and is happiest when her head gets totally covered by the water and she can snort and blow like a baby whale. We never made an issue of it, in part because we try and try and try to remember that even though the girls are twins they are still two separate kiddos and, just like any two kids, will learn and develop at different rates. Easy to type, hard to live by, especially when you're a worrier and any little thing that one twin can do and the other one can't is just something new to analyze to death and stress about. (Yeah, I'm working on the not-stressing part.)
Anyhow, the other reason we never made an issue of it, was because we knew if we did little Ree was just stubborn enough to dig her heels in and refuse to ever get in the water again. Well that's one worry down (and only about three hundred million to go before they're off to college)—whew! Here's is the brave Teeny Mareeny and her splash-happy sister Ro:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuBCGq8S9XQ)
And here are a few more pics from our lovely 100+ degree day at the pool. Ahhhhhh.
The girls are wearing their new swimsuits from Osh Kosh, and I'm wearing my new swim cover-up from Target (Like anyone cares what I'm wearing, haha. It's just that I love this light, floaty, ruffly thing and thought you guys might need one too. You can wear it like this or pull it down to your waist, pair it with a nice white blouse and wear it as a kicky ankle-length skirt. Fun!)
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That's great! Way to go, Ree!!! You can order mojitos at your pool? I am soooo joining now! =) Good to know someone else worries over these types of things, too! Love the pool cover up and the suits.
ReplyDeleteRee, it was so thoughtful of you to learn to jump into the pool so your mommy would have an excuse to order a mojito :)
ReplyDeleteMy kiddos are very different too. Peter is Mr. Cautious and would not put his head underwater (voluntarily anyway) until he was almost 3. We found a set of goggles on the side of the pool and put them on him and had him say "hi" to mommy underwater.
Caroline, on the other hand, jumped off the side at 17 months old....
Awesome! I know what you mean about having to remember that they are differnet kids that grow at different rates. mine are REALLY different in that respect and I always catch myself worrying that one is not doing what the other one does.
ReplyDeleteYay Ree! This "head under" thing is going to open all kinds of possibilities for you!
Yay Ree - what a big day and what a big girl! And yay for mojitos at the pool! Or anywhere for that matter!
ReplyDeleteAs always, the elderly aunt who is my 3-year-old daughter won't put her head under water - no way, no how. No jumping in for her. She MIGHT wade in and prefers to swim "on top of the water." Which is her way of saying "on a floatie."
I have no idea who she learned that from...
Alright, Ree! I know how big a deal that is... the Tongginator finally willingly submerged this summer. She's five!
ReplyDeleteYou can have mojitos delivered to you at your POOL?!!! I would never leave the pool if drinking was an option.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that I am not the only parent of twins who is over analyzing everything. Not that I am excited that you worry or anything. My twin boys are 10 months old and it is so HARD not to compare them to each other. Usually I fail at not comparing them. Your girls are so cute and I just love reading your blog!
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome! So brave for a 3 year old! What are those life jacket things they are wearing? Are they just normal life jackets? Where did you get them? I'm looking for something like that for my twins who are almost 3.
ReplyDeletethanks!
Natalie Natski81504@yahoo.com
Catching up on my Salsa girls. I try and wait until there are at least 3 blog posts for me to read so I can get my fill of your cuties. They are just so much fun!
ReplyDeleteWow, they serve mojito's pool side. I need a season pass to that pool.
ReplyDeleteGlad that both Ree and Ro are enjoying the water. It's been great weather for pool play.
My girls enjoyed watching the sommersaults into the pool from the edge. Before you know it.. She'll be doing doubles off the high dive.
The girls' swim vests are Olympia vests, and I got them from one of the local drugstores (can't remember which one, sorry, it was either Longs or Walgreens). They're sold as sets that include a two-piece swimsuit, but I use the vests over all of the girls' swimsuits. They're filled with hard foam, rather than blowup vests, and they're really well-balanced, so the girls' get a little extra boost of confidence but never get tipped over like they did with some of the other vests that we've used. They run small though, we got size "Small age 3-5" and they're already snug.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the BEST vests we've ever tried were called Texas Recreation Super Soft. They have them at all the waterparks in Texas and these little babies are awesome. They have really small sizes, give enough bouyancy to make any kiddo feel comfortable, and don't get water inside (so they don't get stinky after awhile like the other vests). I saw them on Amazon.com awhile back.
They are precious! May I offer/share an idea? I teach swimming (the past 25 years) and I'm always concerned when kids wear life vests in the pool. They tend to rely on them and as a result, in an emergent situation, it can be very unsafe. (Same w/ those floaties - just yesterday a 3 y/o child in Dallas died bcs one of her arm floatie came off and she had no swimming skills)
ReplyDeleteCertainly, vests are needed in watercraft, but I really worry about them in a pool or swim only environment.
Just a FWIW from a worry-wart Mom of 5. Please, no flames from those who don't like anonymous posts, I'm not trying to hide, I simply have no google account but am concerned about safety....
Joan
Yeah Ree !!! Great job.
ReplyDeleteI meant to comment on Ro's new pool trick.....now we know why the girls were not interested in taking gymnastics seriously. Because they knew those sommersault skills are for the side of the pool.
Your kids are genius'. (Hmm that plural genius doesn't look right).
Blessings,
Gail
That's soooooo cute! They must burn a zillion calories! Lol!
ReplyDeleteLove your swimsuit cover up. Too bad we don't have Target here! :o(
Yay Ree!!!
ReplyDeleteTo second what Joan said, when my sister was three she forgot that she wasn't wearing her floatie and jumped off the diving board without it, while no one was in the pool. Thankfully my mom was able to get to her in time and she was fine (and jumped off the diving board with her floatie 20 minutes later), but it could have been much worse.
I was at Target tonight, looking for my first suit in 4 years, and I have a question: why don't they make wetsuits in Indiana? Or anything that would cover my thighs?
ReplyDeleteWow, I need my pool to serve mojitos. Wait...I only have a blow up pool, which means I'm the bartender! Yes!
Congrats on the swimming!
Indiana Lori
Joan's comment is excellent.
ReplyDeleteKids should only wear vests in boats.
You are such nice parents. My girls had no floatation, no goggles, no baby pool and just the (free) 'sink-or-swim' lessons. Poor kids were lucky to get bathing suits. They were jumping in at 12 months and holding their breath kicking by two. Now at four, they can freestyle halfway across the pool.
ReplyDeleteI agree with dropping the floaty vests. Even without serious accidents, too many kids gain confidence in the floaties instead of their own abilities and won't get in without the floats even when they can swim on their own. Ro and Ree are strong, coordinated and confident with vigilant parents. They'll do fine without floats.
I can totally identify - Tess has similar water issues and is making progress, albeit slowly. But those little milestones feel so good for the kiddoes, and for Momma too!
ReplyDeleteHey Joan, thanks for your nice comment, no flames here. Totally understand the concern, and we're definitely working on teaching the girls to swim all on their own (they've had 4 or 5 rounds of lessons now), but at this point they're definitely not swimmers, and we're taking things at their speed. Frankly we're just happy that they've gotten over their water fears and are finally feeling comfortable submerging their heads. Anyhow, we'll continue the lessons, and I'm confident they'll learn to swim in their own time--shoot, I'll bet it will even be soon because they are so close. Until then, and any time I'm outnumbered in the water (which is almost every time since TubaDad is usually working when we go to the pool), I won't take them in without the vests. The pool isn't in our backyard, so there's no danger of them wandering into it unattended, and the vests can't pop (they're not inflatable) or slip off. Anyhow, we'll keep doing what we're doing for now, and we'll get there, probably sooner rather than later. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey!
ReplyDeleteYou've been tagged
http://daphnechantell.blogspot.com/2009/06/tomorrow-is-july-1st.html
Send this to all your friends and family!
It sounds like the girls are having a blast this summer! Poor Eliza probably watched 12 hours of T.V. today as I sat on the couch and held a puking baby. Hoping for more fun around here soon!
ReplyDeleteLove the skirt. I have the same one......
ReplyDeleteLove your swimsuit cover, M3! You always look so nice. I think you are naturally pretty, because I can't imagine that you have much time for primping, lol.
ReplyDeleteOK, should I be worrying? My five-year olds won't jump off the side of the pool like that!
ReplyDeleteI had great intentions that they'd be the two-year olds leaping off the diving board but you can't make a kid do what they just don't want to do. :)
Yeah Ree!!! You'll be a great swimmer in no time!!
ReplyDelete