First trip to the pool

It's always been very important to me to make sure that Chase enjoys swimming or at the very least is comfortable around water. I grew up around water from the time that I was a baby and my parents would take me camping at the lake and then we had a pool for many years after that. My sisters and I have always loved swimming and I really want Chase to as well. Yes, I know that he is only 2. But still. It's never to early to start. Two summers ago he was only a few months old so he would just chill in his float (or in our arms). Last year, however, he would throw a FIT when we would try to either put a life jacket on him or put him in any sort of floatation device. So, now that our neighborhood pool is open, it's time to start again.  A couple of days ago I stopped by Wal-Mart and picked up some size medium Swimmer diapers, along with this Puddle Jumper floaty thingy. When I picked him up from Leslie's, I excitedly explained that we were going to the pool.  I told him a couple of times in the 5-minute car ride home that we would go home, change into our bathing suits, get his cool new floaties and we'd go to the pool. So then when we got home, I pulled the puddle jumper out of the Wal-Mart bag and said, "See??? Isn't this cool??? Let's try it on!" And he grinned real big and let me try it on over his t-shirt. I thought, 'Whew! He'll wear it'. So, we were off to the pool.  Here's what he looked like:

Gotta love the fact that his size 18-month bathing suit is hanging off his little waist.  :)

He did well at first but then preferred to just sit on the side of the pool, with his feet dipped in the water, watching all the other kids play.  He had the cutest little grin on his face while watching them since he absolutely LOVES other kids.  So we'll keep trying.  I'm very glad that I just got him signed up for "swim lessons" starting next week.  Even if all it does is help him get used to being in the water, that's ok.  I'll let you know how it goes...  :)