It’s three weeks into summer and I’m already so over applying sunblock.

Every weekend, we go to the pool. Every weekend, we are so exhausted by Sunday night.

It’s official: Summer is kicking our ass.

When summer first started, I felt such a relief. Relief there would be nice weather and outside time. But now, I’m just beat. Every day, I feel like I’m wading through cement.

We saw a friend at the pool today who has older kids (9 and 5). Both can swim. “I’m just sitting over here, reading a magazine!” he said. “I don’t know what to do with myself!”

Sadly, I then had to kill him in a fit of jealous rage. (I’m no longer welcome back to the pool.)

Which is sad, because the pool is so perfect to spend time together as a family and, well, speed up the day a bit. (The thing I didn’t realize about parenting is just how much time and effort goes into attempting to figure out how to get through the day.)

The pool with two small kids who can’t swim is extremely stressful, especially with a 1.5 year old who, if I don’t know any better,  is actively trying to drown herself every single second we’re there. (Does the fact she continues to throw her body in the deep end a sign of suicidal tendencies? Should I get a baby therapist? Or is she just dumb?)

However, just when I was about to give up that Sam would never swim and instead continue to sink like leaden mannequin, HE SWAM.

It was just like that.*

This is something so many other parents have said this to me: That they somehow just get swimming.

And for the past two years, I would resist the urge to put my arms around their neck, shake them, and scream: HOW! HOW DO THEY JUST GET IT??!

And then, BOOM. Sam got it!

Friends. It’s so liberating to see him swim. To lessen the fear that if he were to fall into the pool, he would be able to get to the side. Nothing but a huge, huge relief.

I love it when our kids show us a little glimmer that they are growing and learning.

As a smart friend once said, “Older kids really are the holy grail of parenting.”

*It wasn’t REALLY “just like that.” He’s been in swim instruction at camp for the past two years. I hired a private swim instructor he met with on Friday. We are at the pool and working with him on it every weekend. So yeah, not exactly “just getting it.” But maybe it finally snapped into place?