First (and probably last) Trip to the Pool

Now, before you freak out and call my kids deprived, we have a decent sized blow up pool at home. Austin and Liz invited us to their community pool today and we were excited to go. Mitchell was coming with me so I figured we'd have the kids covered between us. 

All three loaded up and ready to go - even Clara's tiny feet in the bottom right corner.

We got to the pool and all four adults were busy shuttling kids and supplies from the van into the gated pool. Isaac, Andrew and Derek were in the six inch deep kiddie pool without floaties but I made eye contact with Derek and told him sternly NOT to get in the big pool til we got his floaties. He responded in the affirmative and I went to make one last trip to get the towels. As I came back into the pool probably 90 seconds later, Liz pointed to Derek splashing in the big pool. No, not splashing - drowning. He was in water that was slightly too deep, so he was bouncing up and down on his toes so he could gasp in little breaths. I jumped in and lifted him spluttering and coughing above the water line, spun him to face me and yelled in his face, "NOT WITHOUT FLOATIES!!!" As we climbed out of the pool, the "security guard" casually walked up to me and remarked that it was a good thing I saw him because a kid in his apartment complex and drowned and died the day before. Really? REALLY?! If ever I wanted to punch someone, that was the time. Apparently, he'd been sitting on a lounge chair 10 feet from Derek playing with his phone. 

So, floaties on, swim diapers on, everybody in the water. I grabbed the wrong size floaties for Bryce, but I had him in my arms, so I felt ok with it. Mitchell had Clara and Derek was fearless with the floaties. All set. I had Emeri and Bryce for a bit trying to get Emeri to laugh (she was so not liking the water, even with her super floaties and chest floatie) so we went into the lazy river part of the pool (yeah, cool pool). Bryce wanted to walk in the foot deep water, but Emeri wasn't having any of it. As I'm trying to adjust Emeri, Bryce trips and is struggling to get back up above the water. I ended up accidentally knocking Emeri on her back while grabbing for Bryce and she promptly decided she was so done with the pool. Bryce was ok, but my nerves were fried. So yes, we're done with big pools for the summer.