The pool opened Saturday for the first day. We woke up to a bright sunny day. It was going to be a beautiful day in the high 70s. Which is too cold for me to go to the pool. Shush, I'm very particular about temperature.
Mid-day I got a text message. Funny how my daughter who "HATES READING, MOM" can easily read my text messages, especially ones that say POOL. I respond that we'll go but I hate my neighbor friend for asking BECAUSE THIS IS INSANE!
The kids were overjoyed. They have been dying all fall, winter and spring to go to the local pool. I'm grumbling the whole time because I know I'm going to have to actually get IN the water. EZ is almost four and Ava just turned seven, still too young to be alone in the water.
I pull out my swimsuit from last year. The one piece I bought because this mommy belly was getting awfully soft. It's still too soft to wear a two piece. I'm working on that though. I'm doing the 90-day Bikini Body Mommy workout (BTW it's free). Shut up, it's awesome but I'm only on week four so I don't look awesome yet. Actually, I don't look different but I do feel stronger. Anyway, Ava gathered up the rest of the pool stuff while I bended my body in unnatural ways to get into my swimsuit.
There happened to be way more people at the pool than I expected. The water was heated so that was lovely. The kids barely got their shoes off before they were in the pool. I had to drag them back to slap sunscreen on them. I used a new face sunscreen that worked nicely and didn't leave white marks all over. I sprayed myself and we went in. Well, I hung out on the edge for as long as I could without going in. Eventually, I did get in and it wasn't so bad. It was actually kind of perfect.
During the lifeguard break, EZ wanted to go into the sand. He loves the sand and asked me to cover him. We forgot our sand gear so I just used my feet while he happily laid down waiting to be buried alive. He rinsed off in the freezing cold outdoor showers and got back in the pool. Why those showers aren't heated like the pool, I have no idea. At the next lifeguard break both kids went into the sand because I said we were going to be going soon. I sat on the chair and watched the entrance to the sand pit like a hawk. They weren't getting out of there and slipping into the pool without me knowing. I could foresee my future of hanging out at the edge of the pool with a book and not having to catch a flying child in my arms and being drowned at the same time.
The kids were worn out from the pool. I noticed their faces were pretty pink but they both get that way when they are hot and it just looks like they are getting burnt when they aren't. Turns out they were. The sunscreen I used on their faces wasn't waterproof. Awesome. And I didn't really spray my back so I have a line on my arm where the burn starts. It's not horrible but still hurt for days. I hate, hate, hate when I miss a spot on my skin like that.
When we got home I made the kids take showers because sandy butt cracks. Ava went first and while she finished up I pulled EZ's swim shirt off and what the fuck? What is that?! It has legs. It's moving. OMG IT'S A FUCKING TICK!!!!
I have never had one on me before and never had to deal with one live. Gross. Gross. Gross. Gross. I tell J in a voice that I think is non-hysterical because if Ava sees it she will freak the fuck out and never go outside again. She's terrified of bugs. But J tells me that I was pretty hysterical. I need to review the video footage because I say bullshit. That was not hysterical Stacia.
EZ didn't seem to care too much but before we rounded up materials to remove the thing he mutilated it with his hands and the head was left inside his skin. BARF! The only way to get it out is dig. Guess who doesn't like to have their skin dug at with a needle? No one! Especially a 3 year old.
*full body shivers*
Ticks completely gross me out. Ava thought EZ was going to die because when I was reading what Google had to say for J's benefit she picked up on the horrible things. We were consoling two kids that night, each crying for different reasons. Oh man. It's funny though, I specifically remember thinking my brother was going to die when my mom took him to the ER for busting his lip open on a brick wall. I stayed home with dad and I remember sitting there eating dinner, just the two of us and thinking how horrible it would be if Cory never came back. I couldn't stop worrying that the longer it took for them to be gone the less of a chance of him coming back. Little did I know it just takes a long time when you go to the ER for those things. I was young with a vivid imagination.
Who knew the first day at the pool for the summer would turn out so awesome. No worries. We'll be back. Ticks don't rattle this mama... much.