We had no plans today... I know shocking. But I've got that kaleidoscope in my back pocket.
Everyone slept a little bit later today.
Vera wanted to take her nap at 10:45... and I let her.
After lunch I looked at Jonah & Vera - do you guys want to go swimming in a big pool???
Vera shook her head up and down with confidence!
Jonah jumped up screaming yeaaaahhhh!!!
I had done some research on the DC public pools. They opened for public weekday daytime hours yesterday. I read the reviews on the local mom sites and deduced that Upshur Pool should be a good fit for us.
Why?
Because it has a big kiddie wading pool.
I love swimming! I love pools! It is totally my thing. Jocelyn is all about pools and swimming - she's got the Caribbean heritage you know. We had Jonah in swimming lessons for multiple sessions starting at 6 mos. When he was one, we moved to Chicagoland for 6 months. We got there on July 2. I spent the whole summer taking him to the local suburban "off the hook" pool every day! He swam in the kiddie pool (with sprays, twisty things, toys, etc.) and then he would swim with me in the big pool. It was awesome. We want our kids to swim! To love the water.
Last summer we didn't do much swimming. We had the cancer and the new baby. We kinda lost last summer. We were so worried Jonah wouldn't like the water anymore. When we went this Memorial Day to the beach, we were thrilled that both kids LOVED the water... thank goodness.
We have the sprinklers in our backyard. We have a baby pool in our backyard. But it is different when you go to a pool. It just is. But I was just worried. How am I going to do it with both of them by myself (GOD BLESS THOSE MOMS OF TWINS!!!) I reasoned, we need to swim in the baby pool - a nice, big one.
We were off. We got there 15 minutes before it opened at 1pm - I planned it that way. We parked right in front. We put our sunscreen on and waited for the doors to open. It was all very exciting!
The pool is totally not fancy but completely nice. The big pool is big, we walked right by that one. The baby pool has a fence around it and its own lifeguard. It is also pretty big for a baby pool. It only goes up to about 2 feet and has a ramp you can enter it on. There is working water fountain to drink from (or fill your water bottle with) in the enclosed gate. It is also completely in the sun - no shade. We had it pretty much to ourselves. JONAH & VERA LOVED IT!!! We played, walked, & splashed in the pool!
The changing rooms are fine. Jonah even told me while we were in the pool, he needed to poop?!?! So we ran over to the bathrooms with Vera in the stroller... all very comical really - we get there and then he tells me, "just a fart mommy..." - so we went back to swim...
Overall, we spent a good hour in the pool.
Then we went to have snacks at the playground next door. There are some picnic tables in the shade and small playground. But the playground is in full sun with a sandbox. We were tired so we did a small stint on the swings and headed out. Except then Jonah saw this big playground on top of the hill. He insisted we try to get in. (I had asked someone at the little playground about it and they said you have to walk around the block and up a hill and through a parking lot to get into it...) So we walked up the grassy hill but it was gated off. He was tired, so he accepted that one try and agreed we should go back to the car.
Ten minutes into the ride home they fell asleep. Swimming in the hot sun, fun but exhausting!
I think we have a new swimming hole. Not too far from us. Not too fancy. Totally free. Perfect for a little pool action when we need it!
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