Water Baby

True story- It's been so long since I blogged, that it took a bit to get in to my blog again, AND the format has changed, so i'm sort of confusaled by it.

I have a bit of a story to tell, it involves a boy, a beautiful outdoor pool, and a wonderful milestone.  So you might know the boy.....  

So here is the milestone.  Our little man is  JUMPING OFF THE DIVING BOARD AT THE POOL.   Yup, he's 3 yrs old !!!  I think he's a superstar, it's crazy he can do this !

It started the first time I took him to the Brock outdoor pool.  We were in the kiddie pool, and he asked if he could go on the diving board, which is in the part of the pool that's 10 feet deep.  I was like.... no hun, you're not old enough.  He looked so sad that I thought, well, I'll ask the lifeguard.  So I find Mr. 20 something lifeguard and say, " my son is 3 1/2- he wants to go on the diving board, is he too young?"  I'm getting ready to console him when Mr. 20 something says , "he's good to go"  WHAT???  Do you see this precious young thing, my sweet little boy?  3 1/2 years, did you think I said 13 and was referring to another child?  Hmm.  Clarified with him.  Nope, he means this small child.  Ohhh K.  So Dylan is crazy excited that the cool lifeguard said yes.

We are at the pool alone, so I don't have anyone I can panic with.  Instead we head over to the deep end,life jacket on, and I tell him, "mommy will catch you at the bottom"  He answers back with "i'm not scared".  I almost told him right then and there that someone might poop their pants with fear, and it for sure wasn't going to be him.

So in the water I go.... up the steps to the diving board he goes.  No fear, no hesitation.  With the biggest brightest proudest smile on his face he walks to the end of the diving board, like he owns the place, and jumps.  Straight off.  Down into the water.  I won't lie when I say I was really scared and really feeling like my heart was beating crazy fast.  This is my only boy, my precious baby who is submerged in 10 feet of scary pool water, about to pop up.  So up he came-- I grabbed his hand and he doggy paddled to the side.  It wasn't water splutters or fear that came out of his mouth, it was the same word over and over and over again.  Again, again, again again.  

So what did I do?  Yup, I was really nervous, but like the good mommy I am, I cheered for him, told him what a good job he did, and said how proud I was of him.  He didn't need to know that I almost threw up from fear.  

It actually was a pretty special moment because I had just witnessed his first ever time when he set a goal, he  tested his limits in a safe way, and came out of it feeling such a sense of pride and accomplishment.  It was one of the most amazing moments of his young life.  I was really excited to see that sense of pride in mastering something new.  I'm sure we will see it again as he grows up, but not with such childish, uncensored joy.  It was pretty neat.

So that day, he jumped and jumped and jumped until his little arms could barely pull himself out of the water.  There were no cameras, no moment captured, just the memory of his face.  And actually, I think the memory is better then any photograph could have shown.  

But today we were back with Daddy, and the camera.  So here is my baby... taking a risk, excelling, and marveling in his sense of accomplishment.

 Again again again !!!!!

PS.  If you know that Lady with the baby, would you please coach her in less obvious ways to stare?  Cuz she was really getting on my nerves.