Splish! Splash!

We have spent the last four evenings at the neighborhood pool.  The temperatures have been in the high 80's and the sunshine's been plentiful!  NHV is almost fearless in the water this year, which is both a blessing and a curse.  It's exciting to watch her gain confidence and independence but also very scary!  Gone are the days of lounging (sarcasm implied) by the kiddie pool.  Natalie calls it the "kitty cat" pool, which is such a cute confusion of kiddie vs. kitty!  This year, of course, Natalie wants to be in the big pool ... on the steps or ladder.  She doesn't know how to swim, but she does a good job of walking up and down the steps, putting her face in the water, blowing bubbles, pulling herself along the wall, and jumping off the side into daddy's waiting hands.  How do you teach a three year old her limits in relation to water safety?  There are some lessons I really do not want her to learn through mistakes!  CPV is great with her in the water, but being the daddy also gives him license to up the fun and encourage some risks.  

I just look away ... and relax in the shade with CJV.  She is perfectly content to lounge on the chair with a few toys and her toes.  Mostly we people-watch.  She's had her toes wet on more than one occasion, and CPV dipped her booty in the "kitty cat pool" for a few minutes.  Her feet were moving constantly - like a cartoon character winding up to run!

Natalie is wearing the same bathing suit from last year, except now we call her bikini top her "shells" because of her recent Little Mermaid obsession.  When we're getting ready to leave for the pool, she asks, "Mommy, where are my shells?"  I just love that her ruffle butt bottoms still fit!  I wanted more coverage from CJV and bought her a UVSkinz knock-off in a color combination that is one of my favorites - light blue and red.  Natalie got the real-deal UVSkinz, but she refuses to wear them because the top does not look like a mermaid's shells ... hoping this princess thing doesn't last too long!  Notice there are not any photos of me at the pool ... with good reason, my friends, with very good reason!  But I am there ... having fun and taking the pictures :)