OOL. Notice there is no P in the POOL.

I spent much of my life (yes, my life) at the Fairmont Swimming Pool. I started in the pool as an infant - my Mom and Dad took me to water babies. Dad was already teaching me to go under as a baby. As I grew up, swimming lesson after swimming lesson, one of my favorite things was when my Dad would take us to open swim. They would put all of the fun mats out (which you had to sign up for because there was only 2 or 3) and we'd spend all afternoon in the water - without having to practice the front crawl or treading water. It was all play, no work. Dad would always get us a bag of popcorn (25 cents) when we were leaving. That was the best popcorn ever.

After spending my days at open swim playing in the water, it turned into spending my days on the deck or teaching in the water. I got certified as a Lifeguard and Swimming Lesson Instructor. Granted, it was a lot of work, but we managed to have a little fun. Some of my favorite days were working early morning fit...we'd jump in the water if nobody showed up. Or, "breaking in" (it isn't really breaking in if you have a key, right?) for some after hours water basketball games.

We don't have a preference if Jacob decides to spend his free time in the water or on land, but we still want him to learn how to swim. This past weekend he took his first dip in the swimming pool. Dad even dunked him twice (Aunt Sarah B. has it on video so we'll see if we can get a copy of it). He seemed to enjoy it this time around. We'll see what he says when he gets to his first class and has to pick up the rings off the bottom. ;)