Abby had a good day and a bad day yesterday (so you should be happy and sad for us).
The day was good because Abby went swimming for the first time. As I expected, cameras were forbidden in the pool area, so unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any pictures. This isn't all bad, though. I tend to view photography as compromising my ability to be fully present in the moment. If I'm thinking about angles and focus, I am not completely immersed in what's actually happening. My memory is of trying to get a good picture instead of whatever momentous occasion I was trying to record. For this reason, I'm actually kind of happy that I couldn't bring the camera. I have a great memory of Abby's first time in the water.
Abby, for her part, did very well. She was a natural kicker - gotta love those baby instincts. And while she was definitely concerned about what was going on, she wasn't overwhelmed by her fear. The only time that she got upset was when I put her onto her back with the back of her head in the water. That was a little too much for her. She also wasn't very pleased when I put her underwater for a second.
Before you condemn for being cruel, let me explain. My working assumption is that she will get more comfortable with being underwater the more she does it, and I want her to be confident in the water as soon as possible. Babies instinctual hold their breath when they go underwater. We would slowly lower her down, and when the water would get to her chin, she would take a big breath and hold it. After observing this many times, I would let her bob in the water and with each downward move and each new breath, just let her get a little farther under the water, first to her chin, then to her mouth, then to her nose, then all the way under for a split second.
She, of course, was shocked and appalled by the sensation, but after spitting and sputtering for a second, she didn't cry. She did reach for her Mommy. She'd had enough of Daddy's shenanigans.
I was very pleased with how things turned out. She seemed generally comfortable in the water, and when I challenged her, she handled it well. I will take her to the pool several times a week, and Mommy and I will take her every weekend. The pool is indoors, so we can use it in the winter time.
The day was bad because, the pool made her very, very tired. She fell asleep, but woke up too soon because she was hungry. Once we fed her, she wouldn't go back to sleep and was very fussy. We had a tired and upset little girl until it was time to feed her again (a couple of hours). After that, she did fall asleep and rested well until this morning.
Today will see a big first as well. I put the high-chair together (and yes it is safe for babies that can't yet sit up unassisted), and we are going to start her on solid foods later this morning. Her first meal will be sweet potatoes. Since cameras are allowed in our home, there will definitely be pictures of the fun on Flickr in the next couple of days.
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