One Little Rockstar Step (feat: Vilebrequin)

First visit to one of the Bel-Air pools for the summer… Rockstar is NOT a water person other than his bathtub, I got him to agree to a “swim” because we already had brunch at his favorite “Smoothie Restaurant” (his words) where he habitually scarfs a large chunk of Kings’ grilled salmon steak with black pepper (yes really and loads of it) sauce and saffron rice, working it off with not one but two bike rides.

I note with mixed feelings that his Vilebrequin trunks from last year still fit (fine they did used to hang on him a bit)… Vilebrequin did a mean marketing of mini-me trunks, if you buy the grownup pair (which is like HKD 1,800 – I got them for Kings’ birthday or Father’s Day or something) then the matching kiddie version is available for (I think it was) between HKD 400-550. The salesgirl explained, unnecessarily, that after they started highlighting the kiddie ones (which are just so cute) sales of the grownup ones really took off because of all the mums who went nuts like yours truly.

Kings… Doesn’t wear his. One day at the same pool last year, we heard “Twins!”

So cute right…

A handsome, very buff, tanned European man saunters over. He’s wearing the exact same Vilebrequins and comes over to show Rockstar, who is sitting at the edge of the pool watching his dad do laps. As he proceeds to pose and preen for my stone-faced son I detect a vaguely effeminate air which I initially chalk down to say, Latin dancing class his girlfriend wanted to take, until his partner joins us. Equally tanned and buff and with an indulgent smile on his face at his other half’s antics.

When the couple moves on after complimenting my taste in outfitting my child, I sneak a glance at both my men. Their expressions are identical.

Which Mummy can resist? <Swoon>

Apparently this passes for a valid reason why my husband doesn’t wear his. My guffawing (male, British – Vilebrequin is French) ex-colleagues would pronounce, “Sounds about right!” but I am peeved. Wasn’t that quite an indication I have good taste? Humph!

But at least Rockstar still wears his.

So anyway. “Achievement.” Rockstar hated swimming lessons, we dropped out (from the lessons the Bel-Air club provides in our development pool) last year. After the second lesson he decided he loathed the heated indoor pools and everything in them including the swim coach. It was like towing about a speaking stone statue perpetually stuck on ‘no’, “nononoNONOnonoNONONOnononononoNOOOOOOOOoooooNO!NO!NO!!!” Zero cooperation from the Rockstar. “Mum. It’s time to go.” “Mum, look at the clock.” “Ten o’clock. Class is over.” “Why isn’t everybody leaving?”

Sigh. Except I don’t think I can let this one slide. My mum taught me to swim (well I don’t know anyone from Penang who can’t swim at least fairly well ) when I learned to walk. I never did it competitively, it was about safety. I don’t know about Hong Kong (though I did hear a local radio station government public service message reminding parents not to take too many children at a time swimming this summer – the cabbie translated it for me), but I did read about child drownings massively outnumbering say, gun deaths in the States sometime back. We get neurotic about candy and additives and their veggies (or maybe locking up a firearm) – but it takes just 5 unattended minutes, head submerged in a body of water, to be deadly. That’s like your average phone or text message or how long it takes to read all your Twitter and post a few replies.

So here we go little lap pool. (And “Teach your child to swim” book purchase through the summer book club in his school.) With my hands under his arms (and lots of Ra-Ras) Rockstar kicks his way to laps. 3, 4… He gets compliments from two separate passing dads… 6 laps. Time to go. “2 more,” Rockstar insists.

Then “DADDY!!! I SWAM EIGHT LAPS!!” He comes running back into the apartment. We go out on the balcony to erm, better appreciate just how far he swam.

“Can we go tomorrow?”

One small step. I feel like Mr Armstrong.

So I bought an OndadeMar bikini from Shopbop.com.

Heee 15% extra off for another day with offer code! My friends have been going nuts! This is what you have virtual shopping apps and the What’sApp for!