Swim lessons and Swim diapers

I enrolled the babies in swimming lessons! Little baby swimming lessons for babies age 0-2. What's cute? Two baby girls in swimsuits:

"What's this on my swimsuit?"


"A skirt! Lookit, Mama, I have a skirt on my suit!"


"Why am I wearing this weird thing?"


"Well, as long as I can still play with my toys, then I suppose it is fine."


Unfortunately, the girls swing from hating to tolerating to hating being in the swimming pool. The other babies seem to do fine, but not our babies. Sunniva tolerates it if I (not John) hold her very, very close, chest to chest. Only rarely will she let me separate a bit so she can do an activity, like me holding her in a "float." Anna-Sofia tolerates it if John (not I) holds her very, very close, chest to chest. She is, surprisingly, more tolerant of doing the activities like "floating" or kicking.

But, our little baby Ace freezes. Her little chin starts to chatter after about two minutes in the pool and by fifteen minutes (of the thirty minute lesson), she is completely blue. Really. And her whole body is chattering and shaking. So, our part of the swimming lesson ends rather early. Sunniva could stay, but since I freeze too, I take Ace out. Then Sunniva is mad that I am gone and John takes Sunniva out.

We have gone to two lessons so far (no photos, since we are both in the pool with both babies) and we skipped this past Saturday's lesson. We're not sure if we'll go back since the girls aren't really getting much out of it. The teachers of our community center lessons are awesome, I must say. We sing, we move, we play with toys. Everything babies and toddlers like to do. Except our babies since they are in a pool. We are considering signing them up for lessons at a private pool that advertises "warm" pools, but then again, I also hope to take them to the beach a lot this summer (lakes everywhere here in Minnesota!) and they can learn to be in the water there.

But, they are still really cute in these swimsuits!

I have to add one more thing. We have the girls in swim diapers, which as parents of diapered-kids know, do not absorb all the water from the pool like a regular diaper would. Swim diapers are more aptly described as "poop holders." Pee, I learned from our old vet and neighbor, is sterile and okay to float around in tubs and pools.


So anyway, swim diapers are pull-ups, like real underwear. Pulling up a dry one on a dry baby? Not so hard. Even for squirmy Ace. Pulling off a sopping wet one from a sopping wet baby? Very hard. Luckily neither baby has pooped in hers because otherwise, wow, what a mess that would be.

Then I happen to see Lisa, my clever friend, change Cate's pull-up diaper (she is potty training). Lisa tore the leg seams, easily. The diaper nicely fell off, just like the tabbed regular ones.

"Huoh?"
"They are made to tear," Lisa says, "You didn't know this?"
"Uh, no. Swim diapers too?"
"Yes," smart Lisa says, "Otherwise, isn't it hard to get them off?"
"YES!"

I joyfully bring John the news. Happy day!