What can you do in Perth in searing hot weather? Go swimming. So we did. Thornlie Swimming Pool charged us about $4.50 for the entry. Free for baby Albany, $3.00 or so for Jen (minder) and $1.50 for me. (spectator). Jen told me it used to be free of charge for parents with a baby. That was alright. $4.50 was a good price to pay for hours of fun with Albany.
It was Albany's first swim on Christmas Eve at slightly over 11 months old. Albany had a puzzled expression on her face the whole time since we made entry to the pool. The sounds and smell was new to her. When we put her into the pool gingerly, her confusion switched to ecstasy. She took to water really well like most children and began to flap her arms and clap, experimenting with her new interesting surroundings. Before long, she began to crawl around busily in the pool.
I took her to the deeper ends and supported her she did her first swim. She held her head high above the water and kicked a little. Then I did another few rounds of 'backstrokes' for her. She seemed to like that more, smiling cheekily as she felt her hair consumed by the water under her. I finished off holding her making big 'water hops' until we reached the end of the pool. She loved it.
It looks like that would not be the last trip our family will be making to the pool. We should try that again at least once before Albany hits one.
I know the expression is so cliché, but for me it's ever as fresh as the first time: how Albany has grown!
ReplyDeleteIt's the beauty of children.