Teaching Time for Toddlers: Our Basic Pool Bag

It's swimming pool season again!  Catherine (almost three) and I love the pool.  Of course, her pool preference is the one that barely reaches my knees in the "deep end" and mine is the 50 meter pool with lap lanes and a diving board.  Like last year, we are trying to take full advantage of our membership.  I swim laps in the early morning and then return to the pool in the late morning or early afternoon with Catherine.

As any parent knows, children bring a certain amount of extra baggage with them.  Additionally, we're constantly bombarded with the message that we need This, and That, and This Other Awesome Thing, and This Thing that You Can't Live Without, because we somehow fail as parents if we don't have everything.

But what do we really need?

Well, today I am just going to talk about Pool Bag Basics (because I can't really talk about anything else--I'm generally one of those people who'd rather pack an extra suitcase than forget something).

Of course, some days I bring a lot of "extras" but most days I try to be pretty minimal about what we take with us, I'm the one that has to lug it around after all.  Keeping an eye on an active toddler is busy enough, without worrying about tons of stuff.

Our Basic Pool Bag contains the following:

• Two Towels 
• Sunscreen
• Hats
• Sunglasses
• Four dollars of "emergency money"
• Goggles
• Measuring cups
• Inflatable ring
• Travel sized bottles of shampoo and body wash
• Drinking water (or water bottles)
• Driver's licence and insurance cards

All of the above items fit very easily and neatly into my tote bag.  I can carry it with ease without ever feeling overloaded.   This bag works for us most of the time.  

"Extras" Include (but are not limited to):

• Cooler with lunch and extra drinks
• Kick-board
• Additional toys
• Umbrella for shade
• "Street clothes"
• Rashguards 
• Magazines
• Extra pair of goggles (I don't like to share my awesome pink bungee cord ones)

We wear flip flops and cover-ups and very rarely actually change into our "street clothes" at the pool.  I've found it easier to just change at home.  Of course, this does mean that I've run last minute errands sporting a "damp" look . . .

The pool has a lot of communal toys, so I'm not depriving Catherine by only allowing a few toys.  Besides, I think that she could spend hours doing various pouring activities with the measuring cups.

How about you?  Do you spend a lot of time at the pool in the summer?  Do you have a Basic Pool Bag?  What is on your list of must haves?

Link up any toddler related post that you'd like to share!  


Thank you so much for visiting!

Goodbye, Awesome Pool!

Water.

Chlorine.

Buckets.

Goggles.

Towels.

The swimming pool.


While the calendar might not say fall just yet summertime has come to an end; the pool is closed.  This summer Catherine and I joined a local pool--the PG Pool.  (Which, to my chagrin, Catherine affectionately termed the PP Pool.)  While it wasn't an incredibly cheap decision, it was some of the best money I've ever spent.



Since the pool first opened we've had our pool bag packed, and I kept my driver's license in there instead of my purse because that's where we'd go most during the week!  In the three months it was open I gave my member number well over a hundred times.  (And two weeks of the summer we spent at the beach!)  I am proud to say that I made it to morning lap swim almost every Monday through Friday.  The water wasn't always immediately welcoming at 6:30 am, but by the time I started my second lap I never had a second thought.  Catherine just turned two in July, so Toddler Swim Time was her favorite activity!  As soon as Daddy left for work she'd ask, "Pool?  Pool?"  By the time 10 am finally rolled around we were more than ready to jump in the baby pool!

Being members at the pool was great for Catherine because it gave her a place become comfortable in the water and a place to run around and play outside.  Apartment living doesn't include having a backyard, and the grassy area and the giant baby pool  more than made up for that disadvantage.  It also was great because it would tire her out before nap-time!

For me, I loved being able to swim morning laps.  Even though it can be hard to get up so early, it is so rewarding to come home at 7:30 in the morning and have a decent work out under your belt.  I also loved the "me time" that swimming provided--a calm and tranquil place where I wasn't being asked to fill a milk sippy, get more water, or read "Are You a Cow?" TWO more times.  ("Are You a Cow?" really is an awesome book, I do highly recommend it as far as toddler books go, but like any great kid's book, there really is a limit to how many times a mom can enthusiastically read a book!)  The health benefits of being active also can't be forgotten! I lost a little over fifteen pounds this summer, so that's not too bad.

With our schedule we didn't really go to the pool on weekends, that was family time and Daddy didn't have a membership, so we did miss out on meeting a lot of the "regulars" and grilling out.  But that's alright, we did meet some very nice people at the morning lap swim and toddler swim times.    Hopefully we will see them around.




If we're local again next year you know where we'll be--the PG Pool!


Oh, and of course, another benefit of being pool members?  Nice tans!

7 Quick Takes Friday

ONE

Catherine and I will be quite sad when the pool closes.  We have just over a week left.  This week has been very quiet at the pool--a couple of toddler swim times we were the only people in the pool!  

TWO

Here is another picture from the pool!  

THREE

I shared a photo on my Facebook Page of the awesome yarn I received from Fangrrl Fiber Arts.  

FOUR

St. Rose of Lima's feast day was this week.  She is my confirmation saint.  The first book I read and learned all about her was this one. 

FIVE

I am feeling completely unmotivated to get up and wash the dishes.  Someday, I WILL have a dishwasher.  (Even if it's just a cute little ponytailed girl with a bucket!)

 SIX

I took a super short -- four question -- what's-your-temperament quiz earlier today.  I'm sure you've seen them: if you answered mostly A's then you're phlegmatic, etc.  Well, I honestly answered A, B, C, & D once apiece.  So what does that make me?

SEVEN

I added one of my beaded crochet wrap bracelets to my Etsy shop!  

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PS: Do you like giveaways?  Then check out my Giveaways!

7 Quick Takes Friday

ONE

We are back from two glorious weeks at the beach.  I miss it already.  The house was great--large, well equipped, and super close to the beach!  We had so much fun with family and friends.  If you're interested I did post a few pictures!

TWO

Catherine and I have been able to take the edge off of our sad-to-end-a-vacation blues by hanging out at the pool.  I've swam early morning laps four days this week and we've been to the toddler swim time just as often.  Next week the pool begins its regular hours and I foresee us spending even more time there!

THREE

I am super excited that another season of Master Chef is beginning.  However, I am bummed that I will be a week "behind" because Hulu is delaying the show by eight days for non-paying subscribers.  

FOUR

I love entering giveaways in blogland--I do it fairly regularly.  I have decided that a great use of my Twitter account is to tweet about these giveaways.  Most giveaways award this with extra entries anyways, so it works out quite well.  If you also like entering giveaways you definitely should follow me--if not, I wouldn't bother. (@The_Phil_Wife)  

FIVE
Oh my gosh, speaking of giveaways, have you seen all the Shabby Apple giveaways?!?! I'd really really LOVE to win one of those because their dresses are absolutely adorable!

SIX
Last night I spent some time looking for a specific recipe.  When I was very little there was an incredibly kind older woman at our Church who made a very unique cookie.  It was a soft "blonde" cookie with white chocolate chips, coconut, and corn flakes in it.  I've never been fond of coconut but these cookies were amazing.  Sadly, none of the recipes that I found last night seemed right.  (So, dear readers, if you know this recipe, or see one that looks like it might be right, I'd love to know about it!)

SEVEN
I finally got started on my chevron afghan!  It is dark purple and grey.  I am using this pattern, which I found on Ravelry.

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7 Quick Takes Friday

One

I cannot wait until Catherine really talks.  She uses quite a few words now, and she jabbers constantly.  She understands so much!  She does not really string words together yet--except for "peanut butter" and "I love you".  Hopefully soon.

Two

While browsing though Pinterest, I came across this awesome How to Frame a Large Photo post.  I really love the idea and want to give it a shot.  I keep going back and forth on whether or not it would "work" in our small, and quite full, apartment--or if this is a project to save for later.

Source

Three

My hubby and I just watched the most recent Psych episode--we watch them on Hulu, so it was a bit delayed.  I just have to say it.  OH. MY. GOODNESS.  What a way to end the season and bring viewers back next season.  

Four

It's almost pool season!

Five

This picture is from May 2011--one year ago.  It was Catherine's first time in a pool.

Six

While playing at the park the other day, I was shocked, impressed, and a little scared that Catherine was able to climb over five feet up on the rock wall WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.

Source

It was very similar to this wall.  However, this is not it, nor is that Catherine.
She sure is a climber!

Seven
I think that my next big crochet project will be a dark purple and grey chevron afghan.  I haven't tried chevrons, or ripples, or waves, or anything like that yet and I think it is time.

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