As I think I’ve mentioned here on the blog several times, one of the coolest things about living in India in an apartment complex is that you have unlimited access to the pool! The kids and I usually go swimming once a day and sometimes even manage to go twice. We all just love it, and its been especially fun since our shipment from America came with all the fun pool toys I bought for the kids. It was the one thing I really splurged on before we came because I knew we most likely would spend A LOT of time at the pool and I wanted our time there to be fun, safe, and magical.
The best part about having a pool to go swim at everyday is that the kids are quickly becoming very confident in the pool and starting to really master swimming. Branson is a little fish now and in just the few weeks he’s been here he’s learned to swim going frontwards, he can do the back stroke, he can do the butterfly, has started diving, and can swim between our legs and dive deep to pick up rings or toys we throw for him to find. He loves it!
Harry has also come a LONG way, and is jumping into the water on his own (last year he screamed bloody murder), can ladder climb up to the top of the water, and then he gets to his back and can back float the entire length of the pool (which is quite long in places). He is also swimming forward (doing the doggy paddle) and starting to pick up swimming with his head under water and then taking deep breaths. He’s really becoming a little fish and the most common thing I hear from him is “Mom can I jump in and swim to you?” He loves being in the pool!
Dawson is also coming along, but a bit more slowly than the other boys since he’s still pretty terrified of the water. We’ve gotten him to jump in the water on his own (which is a big deal to him because he hates putting his head under water. I’m pretty sure he gets that from me). And then he ATTEMPTS to ladder climb up but mostly just freaks out and swallows water because he hasn’t learned the art of keeping his mouth closed yet when he goes under. After our shipment came and he got floaties on his arms and his swimming goggles though he’s become a lot more brave and now will at least float swim all over the pool and he will play the “how many fingers am I holding up” game where he has to put his head under water and count the number of fingers I have out. This has helped him a lot and now he is at least learning to hold his breath (and can do so for 5-8 seconds now underwater)! I’m hoping by the end of our three months here he will be swimming like his brothers. He just takes a bit more time.
Adalynn on the other hand seems to be getting MORE scared of the water the longer we are here and she freaks out if we even attempt to put her in the water with a life vest, AND a big floaty toy around her. She will go into a little spaceship floaty toy we have where she is not touching the water at all, but now refuses to get in the water even when we are holding her super close (at least initially). She will calm down after a minute but screams bloody murder until she realizes its fun. So that has been challenging. Because of this I don’t see her swimming skills getting any better anytime soon, but we will keep working with her.
We all are having a ball though taking advantage of the apartment pool and especially are loving it now that all our gear has come. I got the kids 2 tubes, a spaceship, a boogie board to help them learn to kick, some pool noodles, water guns, different colored rings to throw, a few water balls, swim goggles, and little octopus toys that you hunt for in the water. Its really been a ball, and we’ve made some fun family memories together with all our hours spent in the pool.
One thing that I have noticed here in India though is that I never see parents in the pool with their kids. Ever. Moms and Dad’s will come and WATCH their kids, but never once have I actually seen an adult in the pool just PLAYING with their kids. The only time I’ve seen an adult in the pool with kids is when the kids are getting swim lessons and its usually very serious and not much fun and several of the kids are crying.
The other thing I’ve noticed here in India is that everyone is SUPER modest. I thought being a Mormon and wearing one piece bathing suits, and tankini’s with shorts was pretty modest (at least by American standards) but women here in India cover EVERYTHING. The teachers I’ve seen in the pool with the kids are usually wearing either full length body suits, or they have leggings and long sleeved shirts on over or under their swimming suits. Its been really interesting and I often feel like the apartment freak show because I get so many stares.
Another funny thing about swimming here in India is that all the women here are required to wear swimming caps. Not the men or boys, just the women. Even if they have their hair pinned up and out of the water (which Is what I always do) They think the shampoo from girls hair will somehow dirty up the water (even with all the chlorine) so we are not allowed to swim without caps. I actually got yelled at by our apartment security for not having one on one day (even though up to that point all I’d ever done was play with my kids in the water never going under) but he said rules are rules and that I have to wear one if I’m going to swim in the pool (he said several women were complaining to him about me not wearing one). So now I have a bright pink pool cap that I take down with me. I don’t always wear it, but I have it there if they come and get after me about wearing one. But its been interesting to see some of the differences between cultures and what things people value.
Below are some pictures of our first day swimming after our shipment arrived. The kids were so happy to have all their pool toys and goggles! 🙂 We actually already had plans to go swimming with the Blair family at their pool in the afternoon, but the kids were too excited to wait and asked if we could go that morning too!
And here are some pictures I took later that day when we went swimming with the Blair family. Holy Moly was their apartment complex and pool amazing! Wowsee wow wow! And the best part was that it was only 1-3 feet deep everywhere so all the kids could touch wherever they went in the pool and you didn’t need to worry about them as much (just the babies if they wanted to go into the deeper areas). Plus check out how BEAUTIFUL the pool was? I loved that they had flowers growing all over and beautiful greenery all over. We are definitely hoping for an invite back! It was so fun!
This was Dawsons reaction to being told he needed to wear a life vest since I hadn’t brought his arm floaties. I think we can tell which of the two floating devices he prefers. 🙂
I have absolutely loved how quickly these two became friends. They are both almost 7 and bonded immediately over that!
Ady and Griffin are also the same age (just a few months apart), but at that age where sharing is still hard.
Here is a look back at all the apartments. Wendi and Cameron live on the 2nd floor and each of their rooms has its own balcony and bathroom. Its really a beautiful place!
The kids of course loved having a park right by the pool as well to play at.
And a view of the clubhouse, pool, and playground area from the apartment. Amazing huh?
Thank you so much Wendi, Emili, Tyler, Jillian, & Griffin for having us over! It was a blast! We sure are grateful to have made such great friends as you who have taken us under your wing and made us feel so welcome! Love you guys!