One of the items on this year’s bucketlist was to teach Athena how to swim. I can proudly say that I can cross it off my list as she’s almost as comfortable in the water as I am. Just a few months ago, she was too scared to put her face in the water in the pool. Now, she’s diving, doing handstands and going down water slides. Today at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort & Villas, it really hit me how far she’s come.
We’ve been at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas for the last few days but we’ve been busy with tours and activities so we didn’t spend much time onsite. Today, we decided that it would be a relaxing pool day for our family. From 10 am until 5 pm, we didn’t leave the pool other than to eat.
As soon as we stepped foot in the pool, Athena started swimming under water. I put the GoPro under at the same time and caught her with her eyes open and she was smiling. She looked so natural like she’d been doing it her whole life.
I took a few adorable shots of her like this before asking her if she could do any stunts.
Proudly, she said she could dive to the bottom and do a handstand. I was doubtful and sort of laughed but I said, “Ok. I’ll video you while you dive down to the bottom of the pool.” She pushed off the side and touched the bottom with both hands before flipping over and coming back up for air.
She didn’t need to plug her nose or wear goggles. She just did it! I don’t even like doing flips under water because some water goes up my nose. Where did this kid come from? It was one of the proudest parent moments for me yet. Hours of pool time really paid off. She was a confident swimmer.
We spend the rest of the afternoon practicing our synchronized swimming routine, being mermaids and racing around the pool. Gone are the boring days of sitting on the stairs because Athena can’t swim. Gone are the days of floating around while Athena uses a Puddle Jumper. It’s really fun to play games with her and “Daddy” in the water.
When we travel, we like to be active and see as much of a place as possible, but this trip to Phuket is almost a month long. After two weeks of exploring and moving around, we took some time at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas to enjoy the pool and relax. It’s the perfect little getaway in Laguna to make us feel like we’re at home.
It’s moments like this that become so deeply ingrained in my memory that they find their way to my soul. My baby is becoming a little girl and she’s a super cool one at that. Life is good.
Awesome Athena! She’s just like her mommy.
Awesome Athena! She’s just like her mommy.
Yeah Athena! You’re a little mermaid now!!
Yeah Athena! You’re a little mermaid now!!
You always find the best resorts when you visit a new place. You must research for months in advance. We stayed at an Outrigger in Hawaii last year and it was my favorite place yet. I’ll have to try this one next.
Vicky
You always find the best resorts when you visit a new place. You must research for months in advance. We stayed at an Outrigger in Hawaii last year and it was my favorite place yet. I’ll have to try this one next.
Vicky
How nice that you have captured this memorable milestone. Outrigger has a reset right next door to where we stay in Fiji. I love going over there for happy hour! They make it fun for kids of all ages!
I stayed at the Outrigger in Fiji a few years ago and loved the property. That’s what made me choose it during this trip. I hope to visit one in Hawaii soon too.
How nice that you have captured this memorable milestone. Outrigger has a reset right next door to where we stay in Fiji. I love going over there for happy hour! They make it fun for kids of all ages!
I stayed at the Outrigger in Fiji a few years ago and loved the property. That’s what made me choose it during this trip. I hope to visit one in Hawaii soon too.
Oh if only my parents did that to me…perhaps now I would be swimming…at 67! Nice one.
Oh if only my parents did that to me…perhaps now I would be swimming…at 67! Nice one.
Looks like an awesome pool. I’m a swimmer so have always loved hotels with great pools.
Looks like an awesome pool. I’m a swimmer so have always loved hotels with great pools.
What an amazing thing to be able to learn new things and reach milestones in such incredible places around the world! So fortunate to have such great memories and stories at such a young age! And she’s definitely a little fish! Will be waiting to see when she starts diving in!
Congrats! How fabulous is the GoPro for being able to capture these amazing memories underwater!!
Congrats! How fabulous is the GoPro for being able to capture these amazing memories underwater!!
Sounds like a great day! I am jealous of her water confidence. After many months and lots of money for lessons my son is still a very cautious swimmer. I have always been a nervous wreck in the water so I have tried to make him the opposite with lots of water time.. hasn’t paid off yet, but hopefully soon!
Sounds like a great day! I am jealous of her water confidence. After many months and lots of money for lessons my son is still a very cautious swimmer. I have always been a nervous wreck in the water so I have tried to make him the opposite with lots of water time.. hasn’t paid off yet, but hopefully soon!
Wow, what a sweet post. It’s amazing to see through your blog how much Athena has grown. She’s such a cutie! And a better swimmer than I am! 😉
This is just too sweet! I can’t think of a better place to learn to swim. I, absolutely, love Thailand and Phuket is beautiful. I bet your sweet baby is happy she had the opportunity to do this at the Outrigger.
This is just too sweet! I can’t think of a better place to learn to swim. I, absolutely, love Thailand and Phuket is beautiful. I bet your sweet baby is happy she had the opportunity to do this at the Outrigger.
Yay Athena! How great that your family is spending quality time together in beautiful destinations around the world and Athena can learn and grow along the way. So very cool!
Yay Athena! How great that your family is spending quality time together in beautiful destinations around the world and Athena can learn and grow along the way. So very cool!
Aww – Athena is too cute! What an adventurous young girl she is becoming. You have imparted her with so many adventurous characteristics, which is a fantastic thing!
Aww – Athena is too cute! What an adventurous young girl she is becoming. You have imparted her with so many adventurous characteristics, which is a fantastic thing!
She looks like a little fish now! I’d love to be swimming in the pool at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas right now!
She looks like a little fish now! I’d love to be swimming in the pool at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas right now!
Isn’t Thailand just the best country for travelling with kids??
Isn’t Thailand just the best country for travelling with kids??
This is awesome, Lesley! I love it when kids hit big milestones while traveling–so exciting, and it makes for such awesome memories. You’ll never forget when/where she learned how to swim! Our little guy is almost there–I can’t wait! And man, you have me wishing I was in Phuket at that pool with you! I might just have to come and stay for a month too! 😉