Of Swimming and Winning

The first time Micaiah went for a swim, she was all decked out in her bright blue swimsuit with lime green trim, a white sun-hat strapped to her chin covered in tiny white embroidered eyelets, and her purple, glittery Tinkerbell sunglasses.  Quite the sylish Miss.  She sat in her blue floatie with rubber ducky print, cool as a cucumber, giggling as her legs were grabbed from underneath and enjoying the feel of the squishy water ball in her hands.

Since that time she has had quite the love/hate relationship with the pool, from cruising in her duck-covered floatie to screaming in fear at being placed near the cool water.  Thus, it was anyone's guess how she would respond to her time in the hotel pool this weekend. 

Frankly, the fact that she let me carry her (this time donning her multi-colored striped suit with bright purplish-pink bow in the back and the same color frills along the straps) into the water in the first place without letting the world know of her dislike for the experience was a win.  So when, after a minute or two, she decided she would rather sit on the edge and kick her little feet in the water, I was more than willing to oblige - and so went the half hour she and I spent in the indoor pool while her brother napped that first day.

And so it seemed she would prefer to spend her time there this morning while we had a bit of family time - until her Daddy finally decided to take matters into his own hands and, rather than ask if she wanted to come in, opted to simply pick her up and carry her into the water.  Again, her lack of strong vocal opposition was a miracle in itself, so we tried to hold on to the delicate moment of wariness, slowly stirring it into delight by making waves and small splashes while she emitted giggles and her own watery bursts.

By the end of our time, she was ready to leave but not in such a way that we feel we may have traumatized her.  Again, we call this a win.

Meanwhile, Emmett man, experiencing his own first time in the pool, had his little fiery-print-swim-short-covered bottom stuffed in the very same ducky floatie first loved by his sister.  Much more stoic, however, even the sporadic leg pinches and belly tickles did little to evoke a smile, nor did the twirling of his floating saucer.  He, rather, seemed entirely apathetic to the entire ordeal. 

That's ok.  We trust he will have his own share of emotional roller coasters in the future.  And, as always, the lack of tears is always (altogether now) a win.