We have been swimming all we can. Of course when it is 105º in the shade there isn't much else to do! Trust me when I get done with a few hours at the pool this old gal is tired! But, all three are having fun and nobody has drowned or gotten back into the parking lot;)
The girls are now both great at kicking their legs, floating on their backs, putting their face in the water and bubbling. They LOVE the 2 foot wave pool and it is a great workout for them while they swim and walk and chase their toys around.
Since they slept in we ate a late breakfast and headed back to the pool for a few hours. Dariya had a sweet little 3 year old boy come over and introduce himself and he was stuck to her like glue. Finally instead of swimming away from him she interacted with him and played with him for a while. Of course, little sister found him and definitely enjoyed playing catch with him. Dariya swam off nonchalant because she doesn't have a care in the world and really doesn't care if she has anyone to swim with or not and I love that about her. Alayna, "Miss Social" is always looking for someone to play with wherever she goes, sometimes I think she tries too hard.
We are also working very hard on teaching the girls that they can hug and kiss family members but, not strangers. High fives and fist bumps are ok. Both girls have indiscriminately walked up to someone (many someones) at the pool and hugged and/or kissed them. Ugh!
We always have our mix of people when we go to the pool: There are those who ask questions about the girls because they are truly interested, those that think I am either heroic or stupid for bringing them to the pool alone, those that interact with them and think they are adorable, then we have the adults that stare continually, yes adults stare as if they are going to catch an extra chromosome by swimming in the pool with the girls, we have the kids who talk to them and play with them, and we have the kids who shoo them away and look at them like they have horns coming out of their heads.
I am thankful that the girls are too young to pick up on the staring or the kids who don't enjoy them. Life is too short girls! Seek out those that do accept you for the beautiful girls that God created you to be!
For you parents out there, teach your children young that it is ok to be different, it is ok to play with kids who are a little different and finally it is never polite to stare!
4 comments:
Yeah, that hugging/kissing thing is a tough thing to teach. We've been working on it for a long time. It's gotten somewhat better, and if you ask Sammi who she can hug or kiss, she'll tell you mommy, daddy, gramma, grampa, but she doesn't correspond what she says with what she does. LOL
I'm willing to bet that the more those staring, disapproving parents see your beautiful, vivacious girls out and about, the more they may learn. I wonder if perhaps, they're just *intrigued?* Lost in thought with strange looks on their faces?
The staring just gets to me sometimes. Just really, really gets to me. Zoey in the wheelchair just adds another element to it. And you know, I understand with the kids somewhat, but the adults, I have grown weary of the adults. Rude and ignorant and as much as I would like to go with intrigued,like Becca said, I just don't buy it anymore.
I am glad you absent blogging, that means you are busy living life.
Love to you all.
What a great picture of your kids! You are one blessed mama!
I think you are heroic taking your girls to the pool by yourself and it has nothing to do with them having Down Syndrome. I just get overwhelmed by the idea of taking Reed and Lena to the pool and they're a bit older than your girls! And, I have to confess, I was totally staring at this girl with Down Syndrome when I was at CMH a few months ago... because she was so cute!
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