Haircuts, Pool and Whatnot

Yes, its official, summer is around the corner.

Next week we hit Spring Break and I cant wait! The weather is getting warmer and its definitely time to have a break from school, no doubt about it.

As the weather warms our pool becomes open for business..mostly because when the kids are playing outside they are starting to get sweaty and hot and the play time usually ends with "MOM...can we swim??"

Usually I say yes although sometimes have to say no if I am not in the mood to have the neighborhood in the pool with all the energy and screaming and yelling and giggling, but I try to remember to say yes more than no. I will say its gotten easier as the kids have all grown up. They all know to bring their own towels, and to go around to the side screen door rather than walk through the house. Three also seems to be the magic number. Any more than three pre-teens in the pool at a time and its going to end up with quarreling or crying...guaranteed! After three, someone is always stomping off mad or in tears.

Our old house did not have a pool and while Kaitlin was young and not able to swim I was so glad we did not. We went to one of the two community pools almost every day in the summer. The great part about that was that you got to get out of the house for a bit and relax. Also, it was great time to visit with friends and get some sun. With the pool at the house and the kids older, Im more likely to keep busy doing stuff around the house than try to get some sun. When she was very young (diapers still) we would take a bottle of baby shampoo and as she rinsed off in the pool shower we would wash her hair and body and instead of putting clothes on put on pajamies and she would be not only all tuckered out but clean and ready for bed.

In the next few months we will be putting up a pool fence as Baby Girl learns to crawl and become mobile. That and also put beepers on the French Doors to the pool to alert us when people go in and out...not a problem with the Girl, but once Baby Girl learns how to manage the handles...well its obvious!

B took these pictures of Saige and the Girl in the pool yesterday. Check out the girl's new haircut. Its super cute and sassy. Although I mourned her desire to lose her long locks, I will not miss the amount of work her long hair demanded. Plus it will grow.

She looks both older and younger with the haircut. Older because its the first time she has had bangs and a real "style". Younger because its a youthful cut and a reminder that she is still a kid.

Long or short the girl got HAIR! Its gorgeous and she is so fortunate!

I love love LOVE this action shot of her jumping into the pool. You can see the giddy joy on her face and her body language is one of pure abandon. It really captures the essence of what being a kid is about!

I love it!

I couldn't help but compare it to this picture from last year at the beginning of the summer! Great expression!