I could hardly wait for 11:15 this morning so Camille and I could go to our first Starbabies class. We signed up at the Chatham County Aquatic Center after a friend recommended it. It’s a swimming class for children ages 6 months to 36 months, and since Camille seemed to enjoy splashing around in the pool last summer, I thought we’d give it a try.
Instead of packing our usual diaper bag, I decided to use a little beachy backpack she got for her birthday. As a joke, I showed her how to wear it … but then she didn’t want to give it back. So I let her wear it even though it threatened to drag her down because she enjoyed it so much. She marched around the house like this while I finished gathering our things.

The aquatic center was great, although a bit overwhelming for her at first. It was pretty loud, with a college swim team using the lap pools for a rowdy practice. After singing a “get to know you” song, the teacher told us to get in the pool.
I held Camille’s hand and asked her if she wanted to get in the pool. She shook her head no. Definitely not.
Hmmmmm.
Luckily, she didn’t fight and let me carry her into the warm water. The teacher led us in various songs and activities to encourage babies to be comfortable in the water. At first, Camille didn’t know what to think. She complied, but seemed a bit reserved.
But about halfway through the class, she decided the pool was fun. She really liked the activity where she sat on the edge of the pool, I counted to three, then plopped her into the water with me. Repeat. Eventually, she’ll learn to jump in that way. She didn’t mind the droplets splashing in her face, and she gave me a big, toothy smile every time she hit the water. After that, she was loving every minute of it. She kicked, she floated on her back, she played with pool toys, and she had a great time. So did I.