Reaching a Milestone

For years now I have held a membership to our local swim club and every summer I have packed my bags and lugged all the necessities a Mom with young children needs to survive an afternoon poolside. During this time, I have watched with much longing and envy, the Moms of older kids reading magazines and novels as their children swim carefree in the surrounding pools. I have longed to be among them.

Some of them even talk on the phone for long periods of time, uninterrupted. But not me. I would be set to swim, every day no matter what my condition or the condition of the pool. I would be prepared to carry children, provide the entertainment and activities for said children, and negotiate between the children when one could swim and one could not.

I would be wet, in freezing water, mascara running, while other moms lay pool side maybe even napping. I would stare at them silently begging for a turn to be just like them.

Finally this is the year I have been waiting for. Both kids can swim, both kids can go down the slide and both kids can dive (kind of). I have finally joined the ranks of those Moms I have long envied. I bring a book with me and on the days that I absolutely just cannot get into the water (you know what I mean) I don't have to come up with some lame excuse for why we aren't going swimming in 90 degree weather.

There is not much more that a Mom can ask for. Now if only they could apply their own sunscreen....