Fun Summer Day

A few years ago I met Kristin through the March of Dimes. She had a six-month-old daughter at the time, Kamryn, who was born at 25 weeks and had an NICU stay at Woman's Hospital. Kristin and I became good friends, and since we were both home with our babies we spent a lot of time together, taking both of the kids on outings and just over to eachothers' homes. Kamryn is 3 years old, and I am just so proud to know this family and to see how far Kam has come. Kamryn also has a 1-year-old sister (born full term). I talked to Kristin almost everyday during her second pregnancy and then after Kinley was born, which gave me a good idea of the differences between preemies and full-term babies, good and bad! Their family moved to Mandeville last year, and we all have busy schedules, so we do not see eachother often anymore. Yesterday Chris, Gina, Tucker, and I headed over there to spend the day with Kristin's family and another family at their gym. Their gym is really nice, it also includes a spa and a very nice water play area. Tucker has been very anti-water lately, but it is just SO hot outside, so I am determined to get him used to it! We need a way to "beat the heat" as people say, and playing in the pool or sprinkler is so much fun. So I thought yesterday would be a good chance to show Tucker how much fun water can be. For about 30 minutes the pool was closed due to lightning...just as we were getting ready to leave, they opened it back up. We tried Tucker in the kiddie pool, and he was not impressed. So Chris decided to try the water slide with Tucker. Doesn't this look just like Tucker's cup of tea?? Well it was!! He loved it, and they rode it about 8 times. I rode with another little girl, Maddie, and we had a blast also. Then we got in the big pool so that Tucker could float around. I brought him floaties and an innertube so he would feel safe. Chris and Gina took turns pulling him around while I took pics.

And then we let him float on his own...

Right as he was getting used to it, the lifeguards called a break, apparently they do this once an hour. So the kids have to get out of the big pool, but can play in the kiddie pool. The kiddie pool is about 6 inches deep, and it has fountains, small slides, and swings. We left his floaties and innertube on so he would feel safe....until Kristin told me that was ridiculous!! Her girls were running and diving all over, so we took Tucker's stuff off, too. He crawled around in the water, and with Chris's "coaching" he even kicked a little and went up and down the slide. I didn't get any pics because I was following them around the whole time. Tucker was the only kid with two parents following his every move, like we were afraid he was going to drown in the 6 inch pool!

The weather was cloudy and pretty chilly for June, so eventually Tucker's teeth chattered and we got him out. We said good-bye to the girls, and Tucker gave kisses to all the adults around, even the ones that weren't with us!! He bothered Gina the whole way home (he loves to bother her!), and then my mom (Nana) came over to baby-sit him so that Chris and I could go eat with some good friends, Lacy and Steve.

We had a blast eating with them, they are getting married in October and we are really looking forward to the festivities! When we got home around 1030 Tucker and Nana were wide awake and still playing, they apparently had fun, too!