First off, thank you all, voices of experience. The comments on my last post were really, really helpful. Tonight, I have a plan that I hopefully won't need to use. I gave Riley some Hylands Teething Tablets before bed, and if he cries in the night, I'm going to go with my usual ten minute check plan. If he continues to cry, I'll give him Tylenol at the twenty minute mark. I feel so much better knowing that I won't have to make those decisions in the middle of the night in a half-asleep/half-awake delirium.
This weekend marks the return of activities on the twins' schedule after a holiday hiatus. They may only be seven months old, but they are already taking two classes! We started back with Kindermusik Village today. That class is more for me than for them, although they enjoy the music and the instruments. I like to have something scheduled on my Friday "work at home" day that will get me out of the house, so Kindermusik it is. This unit's theme is animal sounds--should be fun.
Tomorrow we start swimming lessons at the local Boys and Girls Club. I'm really excited about this, but I have no idea how the twins will react. They enjoy bath time, but that's their only exposure to water and that's nothing like a swimming pool. GH and I wanted to find a class that we could all do together on Saturdays, and I've always loved seeing pictures of babies in the water. Amazing! So off we go to swim tomorrow. I was totally flummoxed about the logistics of it all. Swim diapers? Check. Swimsuits? Um, for a baby? Seems silly. I'm just going to put a onesie on over their swim diapers and hope for the best. I just hope no one is looking at my legs because I couldn't begin to tell you when they were last shaved . . .
I feel like such a suburban mom with my infants enrolled in two classes. I even drive a station wagon (although not a minivan [yet] or an SUV). I don't want to be one of those parents who forces her kids into endless amounts of after-school activities and such, but for now, before they can tell me what they do and don't want to do, I think a little swimming and music are harmless and maybe even helpful.
Moi
- Snickollet
- I'm a mother and a widow, and a whole lot of other things. Here, though, I tend to write about parenting, grief, and their intersection.
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6 comments:
I think the activities sound great, especially with twins. We started swimming around 7.5 months also and our son absolutely loved it. Not sure what your pools policy is on baby attire, but you can just put them in a swim diaper with no suit at our pool. As a swimmer myself, I would probably leave off the onesies though because wet cotton can actually leave them colder than just bare skin. Babies can only tolerate cold for about 1/2 an hour, and even shorter if the water isn't the right temperature.
Sorry if that is unwanted advice, but I would hate to have their experience soured by being cold. We always just did the swim diaper until now that my son is almost two I like the little swim trunks. Also, if they like the bath, they will probably like the pool. In a year and a half of attending swim classes, I've only seen one child truly hate it and most are giggling and splashing within minutes.
You should see the little swim diaper that Nicolas has - it is red with fishes! But that is a non-disposable...
Supposedly my Mom took me swimming when I was 2 weeks old! The theory was (it was the early 70's) that you should get a baby in the water before they learn fear. I don't know about the theory, but I love the water and am grateful that I never knew a time when I didn't enjoy swimming.
I love that it's a family activity. Have a great time.
Oh, I do the little classes, too. It breaks up the day for me and for them.
We took the kids swimming when they were 11 months old and they both loved it. (We were just at a hotel pool.) Then I waited until the following summer, when they were 18 months old and started swim lessons. One loved it and one hated it. He had all this fear and just clung to me. I wish I had thought to keep him in the water some from the time he was 11 months until now. He gets better now after about a half hour, but that's when we are finished! You're smart to start now. Also, we just did swim diapers as well. But be careful! They are not as absorbant as regular and won't last more than around one, uh, pee or whatever, so pack extra, just in case.
I know I did the swimming classes with my first child and he loved it and I loved it. The best thing about it is being able to do it as a family. Have fun!
As for diapers, I am amazed at what they have today. Disposable diapers were just coming into their being and the companies were experimenting with all kinds of diapers back then..... today's disposables are MUCH better!
Swimming and music. Both wonderful activities. Good Mama.
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