http://www.mommyq.com MommyQ

This past weekend MommyQ took her two boys to the neighborhood swim center. This is not your average neighborhood pool. It is a huge oasis with water slides for adults, small slides for little kids, picnic areas, a skate park, a chess board with 3-foot-tall pieces, concession stands and more.

The boys were lathered up with suncreen and ready to play. About 20 minutes into our adventure, my youngest who is almost 10-months-old, managed to eat a small leaf he found floating in the pool. I tried to get the leaf out of his mouth, but he had already swallowed it. Well, sort of. He started gagging so I lifted him out of the pool and sat him on the side. He coughed up the leaf, as well as some carrots (baby food) he had eaten for lunch. We happened to be right next to a lifeguard stand, so I asked her if she could grab some napkins for me to clean up the little puddle of orange. She grabbed napkins and another lifeguard who spotted a few drops of carrots dissolving in the pool.

Suddenly loud whistles were being blown and “Everybody out of the pool!” was being shouted. They closed the pool – the entire pool – due to the carrot dribbles. And they closed it for a full HOUR. Two birthday party groups and about 16 families sat in the 102 degree Texas sun, waiting for the pool to reopen. Some families left with disappointed pouting kiddos while others eagerly arrived with excited (soon-to-be sad) kiddos.

My husband was embarrassed. The pre-mom me would’ve been humiliated. The current me – a mom for close to four years now – wasn’t embarrassed at all. Like most moms, I know it could’ve been far worse than a few drops of carrot spit-up.