Zoë Flips Out!
Our pool closes for the season this Monday, Labor Day. I know five little kids that are really going to miss it. We started the summer pasty white and timid. Afraid of uncertainty. Buoyancy was a foreign concept. Swimming strokes like the overhand crawl, the breast stroke and back stroke were skill concepts seemingly impossible to master.
Constant exposure and repetition built confidence. Fingers loosed their grip from the reassuring security of the pool edge and children dared venture into the vast unknown. We had lessons. We played. We splashed. We lived at the pool this summer and my children have reaped the benefits.
It has been difficult to get to the pool this past week with school having started. A cool front also made it’s way into town and seems to have lingered, yesterday’s high temperatures nearing 74 degrees. But Tuesday before the cool weather arrived, we hit the pool. I’m glad we did.
Zoë, who has been struggling with a proper dive all summer long, decided she was going to try a front flip. No urging or coaching. She just stepped up onto the diving board and announced, “I’m gonna do a flip!” And then proceeded to do it. She smacked a couple of times but undaunted, kept going back. A few pointers and some minor adjustments and the girl had it down.
As fortune would have it–I had my camera. This was taken after her initial rounds of 4 or 5 practices. As you will see, her confidence literally exploded. Oh, and she’s not particularly camera shy, either.
We will certainly miss going to the pool.
Love it! I know what it’s like to have the pleasure of seeing your children grow to be brave and sassy! Totally loved the “warm up!”
How sad. Can we rewind time to relive the summer? When I was a kid I’d spend one month every summer living in a pool (8+ hours a day EVERY day)
Good Stuff!!
Happy Rockin’ Friday!!
I have been reading you now for a bit but have yet to comment. First off, excellent stupid human trick yesterday! Bravo!
Zoe has mad skillz! Good for her!
Loved the warm up, very funny!
I see a gold medal in her future.
By the way, it was 106 here yesterday. I would LOVE to feel 74. It seems like it’s been forever.
I’m nostalgic for summer already. Zoe – London 2012, that’s all I can say.
Could she possibly be any cuter?
I give it a 9.6.
What a little cutie she is! And could you send that cold front down here? It was 100 degrees today.
IMPRESSIVE! Love the proud Dad laugh in the background as well!
She reminds me so much of my little girl when she does her “I’m all that” little warm up wiggle thing.
Sweet way to end the summer!!
(btw, my kids are still begging to see your stupid human trick yet AGAIN!)
That was awesome! Clare has been working on diving and I called her to watch too.
My father-in-law closes his pool on Tuesday too. Even if it’s cool we’re going in this weekend. I’ve had to lower some standards this summer because of the cool weather–I now consider 70 degrees warm enough to swim.
Like it?! I LOVED it! Terrific job. I also loved listening to Daddy’s laugh. Good times…
That is so great. Love her “warm up” routine. She gets that outgoing personality from her mom, right?
Wow, she’s got it going on, that girl! Go Zoe!
And that pool looks fantastic and also very uncrowded. Bonus!
GREAT STUFF!
Hell, last time I tried something like that my back was red for days.
Ah, seasons changing and all that.
Man, I still can’t do a flip without breaking my backside half the time.