::water babies::

It's about that time again...for the three H's--hazy, hot and humid. O's first trip to the beach is already in the works. After our monthly stop at the bank, we visited a baby store in Georgetown called Piccolo Piggies. They sell adorable baby and kids clothes and toys, including swimsuits by Archimede and Lilly Pulitzer.

Archimede is a Belgian company that offers children clothes in amazingly fun graphic prints. They developed the original "buoyancy swimsuit", which features removable floaties in pouches around the body of the suit. The floaties keep your child afloat while she learns how to swim. As she gains confidence, you can remove the floaties one by one. I bought O the two-piece "comfort swimsuit", which features a "double protection" bottom piece that is waterproof and leak proof. It essentially eliminates the need for diapers in the water. Don't worry, I am as skeptical as you are, so I will test it out around the house first before we venture out to the pool.

To complement the new swimwear, I bought O her first pair of sunglasses. They are by Teeny Tiny Optics. We gave O's friend S a pair of green ones for her trip back to the Turkish Riviera. We can't wait to see some pictures!!! The shades are 100% UVA and UVB proof, which will protect your baby's developing eyes from retinal damage.

Obviously, all this swim gear isn't going to magically give O the ability to swim...but she damn well will look good trying!!!