Pool Days

When it comes to summer, I tend to be a big time “over planner”. Starting sometime late spring, I make lists of places to visit, search the web for vacation deals and look up summer camps. I had a long list last summer and checked off just a few things. I got into panic mode early August that we hadn’t done enough exciting things, and my big 7month pregnant belly with 2 preschoolers in tow was not ready to cram in any last minute travel. So I took a step back, looked through the hundreds of photos taken and realized we had an amazing summer full of memories. 

With kids, there are so many simple joys in the summer. While I was feeling bad for not making the trek to the amusement park, I asked Maggie one of her favorite things we had done all summer. Her reply “when you let me drink water from the hose when we were filling the baby pool”. So there was my answer: we had plenty of fun last summer. 

As we started to count down to this summer and I asked the girls what we should do, they’d both scream “swim in the pool”. They are like little fish and couldn’t wait to get back in the pool. Instead of making crazy long lists of summer goals, I made one: enjoy a ton of pool days with the kids. I was a little nervous about the pool this summer. Taking 3 kids swimming made me feel more than a little out numbered. I honestly wasn’t so sure how it was going to go. Thankfully, Maggie learned to swim, Alex is on her way and Tommy likes to sit poolside or splash while I hold him. We are also surrounded by a crew of amazing moms in town that are quick to lend a hand. It’s been 3 weeks back at the pool and the kids are loving it. The best part is when we head home for Tommy to nap, Maggie and Alex still get a kick out of afternoons in the baby pool in the backyard. 

When we head to the pool for the day, the key has been planning ahead. It took some practice. I arrived one day with 2 little girls and 1 bathing suit (thank goodness another, way more prepared, mom came to the rescue). I leave the giant pool bag with the pools toys, tube, etc in the car. I have a wet bag that I fill with all the kids suits when we change at  the pool. When we get home the whole bag plus our towels go right into the wash. Then I refill the bag (once dry) with a change of clothes for everyone for the next day. I put that, along with new towels by the door at night. In the morning I pack the cooler bag for the day. The side pouch of the cooler bag houses our sunscreen. I don’t like leaving the sunscreen in the hot car and we never leave home without the cooler bag, so I know I won’t forget it. I’ve also learned it’s a lot easier to coat the kids in their Banana Boat® sunscreen before we leave the house and then reapply after we are there a couple hours. I like the Banana Boat® sunscreen line for the kids because there’s a lotion, spray and stick. We apply the lotion all over before leaving the house. When we reapply later on, the spray is perfect for fast little legs and feet. We use the stick for their face, neck and ears. 

So this summer is all about swimming, splashing and sunny memories. We are ready to dive in! 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Banana Boat® . The opinions and text are all mine.

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