Waterpark

One of the many incentives that Stuart received as part of his job was summer passes to the West Edmonton Mall. This allows us to visit almost everything in the mall without having to pay for it (which is good when you consider a one year old's attention span) including the waterpark.

Before I moved out to Edmonton, Stu would call me evreyday and in every conversation tell me just how wonderful this waterpark is. So great was his excitment that on my first full day in the city, he took the day off work and brought Grace and I to the park. Unfortunately, his daughter immediately after walking in became deathly afraid of water.

Despite the threat of ever lasting trauma, we kept bringing her every Friday and by her second visit she was happy to sit in the giant bathtub known as the kiddie pool.

Last week however was different.

Last Friday Grace went into the wave pool for the first time ever. After cautiously sitting in two inches of water for a while she decided to start exploring. Further and further we ventured into the pool until eventually we had to hold her. She did not like this. She wanted to walk. We backed her up, she walked into way above her head and we repeated this several times.

This week because of the water parks extended hours and because it's very hot and I'm pregnant we have been to the waterpark three times. Each time my child gets her clothes off and runs straight for the water. She has no problem putting her face in, running away by herself and having splashing fights with Daddy.

However, because I am a life guard I know how easy and preventable drowning is especially with small children. As happy as I am that Grace loves the water I do wish that she had some fear of it or at leastof sticking her face in it.

After several family meetings it was decided that come September Grace will start swimming lessons.