Just keep swimming!

This is our 3rd summer living in this apartment and our 3rd summer that we have used the lovely pool that is in our complex. For the past 2 years our trips to the pool have been limited because Riley was young and we would spend the majority of the time in the pool sitting on the steps or holding Riley as she held on to us for dear life. It wasn't very fun.

I was certain that this year would be the year that Riley swam by herself. We even bought her a brand new puddle jumper back in early spring to be prepared for swimming. Boy was I wrong!! Starting from back in May when the pool opened our trips there included yet again, sitting on the steps and having Riley needing to be held (this year it wasn't for dear life). She wanted nothing to do with letting go. We tried everything...even bribery!

Yesterday we went to the pool for the first time in a few weeks and Riley decided to on a whim float around the pool with her puddle jumper and noodle. After over an hour of her independently swimming around, Jeremy and I asked for a turn with the noodle. She said "ok" and handed the noodle right to Jeremy and began to swim all on her own. It was nothing short of awesome.

She's been non-stop since! So below you will see her swimming with the noodle and then a picture of the prize she got at the BIG toy store (aka Toys R Us). She picked out a bird that she calls Tweet and Tweet has an egg in her belly with a baby bird that Riley named Zee. And after the pics enjoy some video of Riley swimming all by herself!!