Welcome to our *OOL

I geared myself up all week for our excursion to the pool yesterday. The big kids pestered me all week: "Mo-ommmm! Pleeeeeease can we go to the pool? Pretty please please please" ::hopping up and down:: I have tried to explain that this is one of my many pet peeves--begging while hopping and repeating one word over and over--but apparently I'm not getting through to them. And I guess I never will, since I gave in.

Here were my two biggest reasons for not wanting to go:

1. Cameron
2. Harrison

I'm sorry, but two toddlers without a healthy fear of the water are hard to keep track of. Luckily the pool had life vests, so at least if they drifted away they'd be stuck like a roach on its back (in the water) .

My dear friend Rebecca invited us to go with her family, which was incentive enough for me to take the plunge. (get it?)

First stop: Grocery store for milk, bread, etc. Oh, and swim diapers. Annoyingly, the store carried the swim diapers, but just size Small. Second stop: Walgreens. Even worse, they didn't carry swim diapers at all. Third stop: K Mart (my least fave place, but close to home). They DID have them, and even in the right size so we were set.

We got home. My job was to put groceries away. Tyce's job was to dress the twins. Mary Rachel's job was to gather the towels. She doesn't seem to know the difference between beach towels and bath towels. I have explained this more than once. I gave a sigh and let it slide.

We had to borrow sun screen from Rebecca once we got there. I didn't want my friend or my son rubbing goo on my back, so I just gambled that I would get too fried (mostly correct). The big kids disappeared with the Shapiros' big kids, and I was left with the twins.

Cameron wanted to hold my hand, so the two of us sloshed around running after fearless Harrison, who wanted to go on the slide and jump off the side of the pool. I was very, very lucky that Cameron wanted to stick nearby, because my worst fear was chasing two kids two different directions. See, it's always worse in your mind. Or shall I say, worse in *my* mind. (Your mind is probably fine.)

After about 2 1/2 hours (and some of Tyce's long-lost friends showing up, which was a treat) I was ready to pack up. This is where things started to fall apart. Cameron refused to walk, so I had to carry a soggy, uncooperative 35-pounder to the grassy area under the shade. I set him down, took off his vest, and found that Harrison had bolted for the water. I left Cam in the care of Rebecca and raced after Harrison. He took my hand and came back pleasantly. I took off his life vest just in time to see Cameron bolting back into the water. This time I asked Mary Rachel get him, but she was no match for her little brother. He managed to render her immobile in the very shallow end (6 in.) by sitting on her and refusing to move. So I had to intervene. I shot Harrison the "look" to stay put and he smiled his little evil smile. Luckily someone offered him food.

Finally I got everyone ready to go but I Cameron still wouldn't walk. So I had to make two very, very long trips to the car to get all of our stuff. The little boys fell asleep on the way home and were out for a few hours afterward.

I think the long nap alone may have made the trip worth it.