Water Babies!

One of my earliest memories is being referred to as a ‘real water baby’ while we were on a day trip to the beach. I loved being dipped in and out of the waves! My Mum loved swimming, and would take me weekly from a young a age. I distinctly remember being in a big rubber ring with arm bands on, and talking to a an old lady who I remember seemed very large, wearing a pink floral swim cap. I don’t think we knew this lady, but she would look after me while my Mum swam a length or two. Summer holidays were always spent at the beach with me begging to be taken swimming!


Even though I had an early start swimming, and love of the water, I confess I didn’t learn to swim until I was 11 and after developing my first crush I insisted I needed to learn to swim so I could visit the pool with my friends..my crush happened to be a lifeguard! 


After that, summers were spent with long days at the beach (we lived a few minutes walk away) and where possible I’d swim in the morning and after lunch, swimming in the sea made me a stronger swimmer although I still lack any sort of style! As I got older, swimming became part of my social life, and I’d meet friends after work to swim while we caught up on gossip and planned our weekend of fun. 


I’m ashamed to confess, I don’t swim for myself at all at the moment, but as I sit typing this I realise how much I miss it. Elvis loves the water, we joke and say it was because he was born in water, but he has been swimming from a young age and loves it! Boo asks every week if I’ll take him swimming, and I constantly make an excuse..I’m already focused on getting fit in 2012, and I think swimming needs to become part of my weekly schedule! Next week I’ll be brave and take Boo, I’ll forgot about my fear of being seen in my swimming costume (and being mistaken for a jelly baby!) and just get on with enjoying some precious time in the water with my water babies!


This post is written as my entry into the BritMums Competition “Joy of Swimming” Sponsored by British Gas.