Swimming is our sport of choice during the year. The boys play baseball and (now) basketball, but swimming fills our nights and weekends. Swimming is an intense sport when it comes to practice and meets schedules. Swim practice is usually about 2 hours long and swim meets – well, they can last 8-10 hours (depending upon how many kids you have!). Since 4 of my guys swim – basically it means we’re on the pool deck a ton. Just a ton.

As much as I love swimming, it’s a pretty demanding spot.

It’s demanding for the athletes.
It’s demanding for the coaches.
It’s demanding for the parents.
And – most of all – it’s demanding for the siblings.

Victoria is 3 years old. She has (literally) been on the pool deck since she was 1 week old. The smell of chlorine is something that is “usual” to her.

This past weekend we had a 4 day swim meet in Boston. Of those 4 days, 3 of them were 10 hour long (and hot) days at the Harvard University pool. The first day was tough. The second day was a little tougher. And the third day was HELL. It was just brutal. Victoria had had it. Henry had had it. I had had it. Matt had had it. And – well – even the swimmers had had it.

Take a little glimpse at just an average day… keep in mind that while we were on “down time” around Boston, it was over 90 degrees.

I literally think I sweat off 5 pounds this weekend. It was just horrific. As much as I know my sons love to swim, it’s the siblings that are truly the unsung heroes. They just have to roll with the punches. They head to swim meets without complaints. They tag along without asking. They just go with the flow and it’s NOT easy.

Why?

Victoria is always exhausted after a swim meet.
Toys and books and even electronics can eventually run their course.
Sitting in the bleachers isn’t easy for adults, never mind kids.
The loudness of the meet can give you headaches.
It’s hot. I mean, real freaking hot.

It’s just a lot. I always want the officials at swim meets to give trophies to siblings, not just the winners at meets. Wouldn’t that be cool? If you’re good – you get a trophy. Or ANYTHING YOU POSSIBLY WANT ON EARTH.

Here’s a little glimpse of my girl during the meet.

She was a trooper.

And so was Henry.

Troopers. Troopers. Troopers.

Amen.

And thank GOD we have some time off till next season!