Hot Enough for You?

So, it's about 8,000 degrees here in the Silicon Valley this week, and weirdo that I am, I really like it. I would much rather be hot than cold. S and I have been trying to find ways to beat the heat during the day (lots of runs to Target with its heavenly air conditioning), and have decided on a baby pool. We went to her friends' house yesterday where the other mom and I decided to pull out their baby pool and put our poor, flushed, overheated toddlers into it. And, it was heavenly! Not only did it cool off the kids who were adorable as they splashed around in their little swim diapers, but it contained them to one spot. That means that the mommies could sit on our asses and not have to run after them in the oven-like heat. Pure bliss. S had a great time in the pool pretending to give herself a bath.

I was hooked and decided that after naptime, S and I would run to Target (ahh, Target) to get our own baby pool. Now, when is the worst time to buy a baby pool? During a heat wave. Just like with fans -- you can never find a fan during a heat wave or a shovel during a snow storm. Yes, people, I lack foresight. In all my trips to Target, when I passed by aisles filled with baby pools, water wings, slip-n-slides, etc. never once did I think to buy one BEFORE the thermometer hit 98 degrees. Smart. So, anyway, I walk down the kiddie pool aisle, and it's completely decimated. I mean, it's like the looters have been there. I am obviously crestfallen and S is in the cart yelling, "I need pool!" because I stupidly told her ahead of time what we were buying. As I stood staring down the empty aisle, I saw a woman with the ideal baby pool in her basket. I pounced on her asking where she got it -- the poor woman must have seen the crazed look in my eyes and quickly pointed to a bare shelf and then hurried away with her baby pool tucked tightly against her chest. If she hadn't had about 50 lbs. on me, I might have tried to wrestle the pool away. Anyway, as I am sitting there forlornly looking down the aisle, I glance down, and there tucked away behind an air pump (for inflating said pools) is my jewel -- a baby pool that has been taken out of the box. I snatched it up before anyone else could wander down the aisle and get to it before me. With a little further searching, I found the box and the patch kit that comes with the pool. Aha! Mission accomplished!

$7.99 later, we get home and I decide that I need to pump up that pool right away. Once I am finished pumping it up by hand, I put it out back. By this time, it's 6pm and we're on our way out to dinner, so there is no filling it up with water. But, in her excitement, my daughter takes a flying leap and belly flops in the pool. The empty pool. The empty pool sitting on the slate patio. OUCH! R and I look on completely horrified waiting for the inevitable wailing to begin. But, it never comes. S was completely unfazed. In fact, she started pretending to swim in her empty pool. Imagine her joy when we actually fill it with water!

Today I am going to fill the pool with water, put S in the pool, pull up a chair, dip my toes in and just enjoy the arrival of summertime.