Day 532: Water torture

The renovations continue to move slowly along, but this weekend brought some really big news: We have walls! Real walls, with insulation and everything. With the possible exception of the day Maddie started walking, I’ve never been happier. So of course while Fernando was working on that project this weekend, the girl and I had some serious quality time together.

On Saturday I took her to swimming lessons. I figured we should probably put in an appearance seeing as we’ve only made one of four classes so far. I should feel badly, I know, but to be honest I’m not too worried about it. At worst she is falling behind in vital skills like bubble blowing and ad nauseum repetitions of “Motorboat, motorboat.” I think she’ll survive.

It’s a bit of a stretch to call them lessons in any case. She basically spends the half hour trying to figure out ways to get out of the pool and I spend it trying to keep her in. Keep in mind that my bathing suit and I are not on the best of terms right now, so chasing Maddie in circles around a public pool deck in my old one-piece is not really my idea of a good time.

The thing is, she actually does like the water. She loves it, in fact – on her own terms. If it were up to her our time in the pool would be spent with me bouncing her up and down and saying “Whhheeeee!” But of course the cruel instructor wants her to kick her legs and float on her back and such things. Oh, the horror, I know. So there she is, forced out on her back, her little neck straining up at me as she grunts and squirms, all the while giving me this look that very clearly says, “Have you lost your mind, woman?” And I of course ignore her, rambling on endlessly: “Ooooh, this is so much fun, you lucky girl! Maddie loves swimming!” As if my saying it will make it true.

So that was our weekend. Ooh, but did I mention the walls?