Take the Kids to Pool...Hmmm...Let Me Think?

Sara and I decided to take the kids to the pool today. Now this is one of those decisions you make and then immediately wish you didn't. I started to think about all of the work that goes into taking five children to the pool. First there is the packing of the bag. You have to have towels and dry clothes and diapers and swim diapers, the list goes on and on right. Then of course the loading of all children and their things and the unloading and the herding them across the parking lot and into the building and then into the dressing room and then to the bathroom twice and then finally you get to the life vesting all while the two year old is taking off toward the pool. Oh and I didn't mention that we had to stop and feed all five children before we went swimming. I was thinking as we were sitting there in the Legacy Center Cafe...there is no way the dad's could do what we are doing. Well, to be fair they probably could, maybe they are just smart enough not to.

Anyway, we finally made to the pool and into the water. And that is where we received the fruit of our labor.    The kids had a great time!    They splashed, slid down slides, crawled through tunnels and dunked their little heads under the water for the first time...and that was just Benjamin. The other kids were swimming laps in the olympic sized pool! Okay, maybe not, but it was just about that awesome.

Benjamin is the one who surprised me most. I didn't even plan on him getting in the water! After the first 5 minutes it was clear that he was not going to watch from the sidelines! I had to bum a swim diaper off some random mom who was there and off he went. He was voluntarily submersing himself in as much water as we would allow him to. He didn't seem to mind having the water go over his head at all. I didn't wear a swimsuit so he got to have his fun at Sara and Hope's expense. They were in the water with the kids and helped me with Benj. (Thanks you guys!)

Anyway, despite the tedious work that was involved in getting to the pool I think we can all agree that it was worth it! The kids all had a great time and for the cherry on top...no one had a melt down when it was time to go home! I might even do it again sometime.