Water Baby

There are few things in life that I have anticipated as much as taking my baby swimming for the first time. For most people, swimming, especially with a baby, is an after thought. But for the Epp's, it is a fore thought. My best childhood memories stem from time spent at the pool with my family. My brothers and I lived at the pool, literally. We were pool rats that annoyed the life guards because we NEVER went home! As babies, we went daily with Mom and Dad. We all learned to swim around 15 months old by a method not endorsed by swim teachers, although very effective! Basically, Mom and Dad passed us back and forth, and as they got farther apart, we figured out how to get to the other parent. Hey it worked! As kids, we would show up early for swim team practice, come home for lunch, and then head back up until about 3 or 4 when Mom made us come home. After dinner, we would head back up to the pool with Dad for a night swim, which was the best because he always bought us ice cream afterwards. And as teenagers, we had jobs at the very same pool as life guards and swim coaches. These days were the longest, usually lasting from 7am to about 8 or 9pm, but it might as well have been play to us. Chris even got so good at the swimming thing, that it paid his way through SMU. I can not think of a single summer time memory from my childhood that does not involve the pool, water, or swimming, and needless to say, summer is my favorite time of the year. So all last summer, when I was pregnant with Jack, I was eagerly anticipating this day. The day when I could take him swimming.


The pool at the YMCA finally opened today. We got Jack dressed in one of his swimsuits (yes he has more than one! The one he wore today and one Nonnie & Pop got him from Baby Gap that will fit in about a month) slathered him in sunscreen, and headed up to the pool. Well, being Texas babies, we expected the water to be warm, but not so much. I sat in the shallow end with him and it was way to cold for baby. So we went to the indoor pool (not what I had imagined, but I am way too impatient to wait for the water to warm up outside!) for a little dip. Jack seamed to really like it. He was calm and laughing, and by the end of it, was kicking and splashing his legs.


All finished and drying off.
Watching the big kids play in the pool.
Honestly, I think I enjoyed it more than Jack, and I have a feeling it will be like that all summer ;) It was so much fun! I can't wait until the real playing begins!