After slogging around here at home all day yesterday, nursing my head cold, which is now more of a throat cold, but misery just the same, I decided to give the whole pool thing a second chance. 

I was able to ease myself into the adventure because my favorite neighbor friend offered to take D (my 7-y/o son) with her boys for the morning while I went to a doctor’s appointment, and then she planned to meet me at the pool.  She’s not my favorite neighbor because she occasionally takes a child off my hands, but that certainly helps her ranking, if you know what I mean.

So I arrived at the pool around 11:30 with both girls in tow and enjoyed about an hour before I was responsible for all three of my children and not just two.  Here is a summary of my day at the pool in numbers.**

8 – the number of little appendages I slathered with sunscreen before braving the mid-day sun

24 – the number of chicken nuggets (I heart Chick-Fil-A) we 3 girls consumed before charging the pool

45? – the number of times R (21-months-old) went down the 3-foot slide in the baby pool, landing with her head fully submerged in a foot of water, and came up laughing

12 – the number of times an onlooker gasped in horror at this sight

4 – the number of times someone said with an amused grin, "She has no fear, does she?"

2 – the number of times I reapplied sunscreen (learned that lesson at the beach)

25? – the number of times I heard one of my children yell, "Mom!  Look at me!"

1 – the number of times the lifeguard had to blow his whistle and call down my 4-year-old daughter for climbing on the structure in the center of the pool (I guess those orange cones, placed strategically on top, were intended to indicate it off-limits)

3 – the number of dollars spent on junkie snacks, sure to promote tooth decay and hyperactivity

10 – the total number of minutes I was able to sit on the side of the pool during our three-hour visit

3 – the number of times I found myself the recipient of a little cold, soggy hug from behind as I sat on the side of the pool

15 – the number of times R jumped off the side and into my arms, laughing uproariously every time

1 – the number of times R ran into the zero-degree entry end of the
adult pool and accidentally slid and landed on her back, laughing
uproariously with the sheer delight of it all

3 – the number of times R ran into the zero-degree entry end of the adult pool and purposefully slid and landed on her back, laughing uproariously every time

4 – the number of heart attacks I suffered in reaction to this daring feat

2 – the number of minutes until R fell asleep after putting her in her carseat to head home