Aqualillies

Best large.

I'm so glad I have these images from the opening day of the Annenberg Beach House in Santa Monica, because it was nothing short of perfect!

And as the gates opened for summer, the Aqualillies emerged to delight us all with their athleticism, grace and glam. When I attended the Athens Olympics, it was one of the events I most longed to see and so today's unexpected surprise left me hugely delighted.

Watching Reuben "swim" after nearly 4 years of never having been able to immerse from his shoulders up in water, watching him blow little bubbles and jump around on my knees left me wanting to press pause and cherish those moments forever. It's sadly ironic than in just a month's time, he will not be able to take a bath, let alone get back into the beloved pool for another 4 months on account of major neck surgery, requiring it to be broken, reset and held in place with a steel halo head attached to his skull and body brace for 4 months. I momentarily closed my eyes to savour, knowing I would look back on this very day in the months to come as something to aim towards once again when the inevitable bleak moments arise.

And from bouncing in the pool, came hula hoops, chalking, great food, exploring the colonial historic home so famous in the Golden Age, and looking out over this quite marvellous community beach house in Santa Monica, feeling much like a boutique hotel with an abundant of fun activities in and out of the water, on and off the beach, yet being entirely open to the public.

More Aqualillies at the Beach House

Me and the boys at The Beach House