Pool crazy

A while back I talked about how the girls, especially Chasadya seemed to not be as comfortable in our pool as we thought she would be.  As I glanced back at that post, I realized that I need to update things, as it has changed a lot.  Because of the beautiful weather we've had this summer, we have been in the pool a lot.  Almost every afternoon that we are home we have spent at least an hour in it.  And that has dramatically changed how our girls play in it.  We've gone from being cautious, and careful to dunking, and floating like crazy.  Just the other night as Stan and I watched the girls, we said that our pool has done for our girls what several years of swimming lessons would have taken, and its only been one summer.  Chasadya has no problem dunking her head now, and can hold often hold it for at least three seconds.  She can float, with water wings, on her back and front, and allows us to throw her into the water and be submerged.  Mikaela is also putting her face in the water, and has relaxed enough to float by herself in a star shape( with a puddle jumper-kind of a cross between a life jacket and water wings) and constantly floats around while being pulled.  We recently bought another pool, as our other sprang a leak, and as we considered the cost, we realized that everything they teach in swimming lessons at $100 a session, we've been able to do for our kids for half that.  Once they need to learn more skills that a 2 foot pool can't offer, we'll put them back, but for now, when all they learn is to be comfortable in the water, we've achieved it at home.  The cost of the pool is minor when we see the pleasure and comfort the girls have had this summer.  Definitely worth the purchase. 
The other thing worth mentioning is that it has been something me and the girls have done together.  Often I don't take as much time to play with them as I should, but the pool has brought that out for us.  I seldom will sit out while they are swimming, so it is something that brings about great quality time for us.  Its been special for both me and the girls.