the babies go swimming

Several weeks ago I met a lady in my apartment building who had a baby just month or two older than abby.  We met outside one evening, while my girls were running off energy for the day and she was letting her baby "get some sun".  

I've since really felt compelled to get to know her a bit more, so I organized a little swimming outing for us.  (This is AFTER I checked it out first the week before.)  Talk about paranoid - this little baby had never even been outside of our apartment complex and she was five months old! But anyway, I thought it would be a fun and easy way to get to know each other.

Baby's mama asked me to give her an English name - such a hard job, if you ask me!  I want to choose good names and not weird ones (like the people here who are named Quasar, Money, Apple, Star...etc.  Um....try again).  Her Asianese name sounded somewhat similar to Madeline, so I settled on that.  I like the name Madeline.  Plus, it makes me feel all organizational, what with the "two straight lines" and all that.  

Here's little madeline and abby, chillin out before their spa experience:

She just looks so different than abby!  I know I'm stating the obvious here, but I just get so used to abby's look that it's sometimes shocking to observe other wee ones:
The spa attendants were amazed by Abby's brilliance.  "Look at her!" they exclaimed. "Look! She's so smart!  She's unsure and uncertain about where she is so her hands are clasped together! Wow! Have you ever seen such a smart baby!"
"And look, now that she's been in for a few minutes and knows its safe, her hands are unclasped and she's relaxed and happy! It's so amazing! She's so smart!"  Ooooooookaaaaaaay.  They were trying to be supportive - and I really appreciate that - but it was a little overboard. I think she was just holding her hands together because that's just what babies do.  

The ring around the neck...tsk, tsk...I just don't know how comfy that can be.  
When a whimper rose up from her little baby spa, I checked to see what was up.  Sure enough, her chin had fallen down below the ring.  Good thing she didn't fall through!
Um...madeline wasn't such a big fan of the baby spa experience.  
Do you not think this is such a cute picture?  Do you think it's a little strange that I think a baby's bum is so cute?  Do you think it's a little strange that I put it on my blog?  Do you think abby will totally hate me when she's 14?  Hmmmm...it's possible.  I'll delete it before then.  
Another quick break to adjust the freaky little blow-up ring.  Seems to me if you have to keep adjusting it, maybe you should think of a better banfa.  During the break, abby chilled on the side of the pool and crossed her feet.  I think this is the quintessential picture of baby-life:  kick back, relax, and let people take care of me. 

Me and Abby, my friend, the nanny and madeline: (yes, my friend has a baby-nanny AND a house helper.  I'm not quite sure what exactly she does all day, but that's not really my business)
Note to self:  don't take madeline to baby spa.