Remember when you were a kid? And on the last days of school instead of doing anything that resembled schoolwork, you took inventory? And turned in your books? Played mind numbing games to pass those empty last days and hours?
That’s where I am.
Except I’m not in school.
Like a rock star, her arrival is signaled with squeals of joy. Like a paparazzi clamoring for a shot, a pose, a one or two line blurb to use for copy.
“MOMMY!!!” “MOMMY, guess what!” “MOMMY, look.”
They do not tire in their quest for a moment, a glimmer of attention. It is understandable, I get this. Her busy schedule keeps her away from the house more than she would care to admit. It’s the nature of her job. And quite frankly, I’m sure the kids tire of my constant badgering–Stop that!, No!, Get that out of your mouth!, Do not hit your sister!, No, you may not put the cat in the dryer!, I don’t care if he’s wet, I said no!, And don’t even think of using Mommy’s good……towels! Ugh!!
I could go on.
Yesterday, we went to the pool. Maura met us there after her shift. The kids went ape crazy in an effort to display the fruits of their labor having toiled at the pool countless hours this summer. Shout’s of, “Mommy, watch this!” and “Mommy, Look! Look at me !!” echoed throughout the pool deck. With pride, we took it all in from our lounges near the shallow end of the pool. Then Zia offered…..
“Mommy. Do you want to see my most spectacular (she actually used that word) jump from the diving board?”
Maura: Well of course I do.
And off she scampered.
Beaming, I watched as my little girl climbed the steps to the diving board, skipped to the end, bounced twice and plopped into the water.
Maura: Isn’t she supposed to be wearing her bubble?
After about a second or two, Zia’s little head pops up.
Me: Yes, she has it on.
Zoe: Uhm, Dad, no she doesn’t.
Me: Sure she does. (Looking towards Zia) Doesn’t she?
I looked down at my feet, and sure enough Zia’s bubble lay there in a heap.
I began a slow trot towards the deep end where Zia’s little head was just bobbing in the water. A tiny cough. The lifeguards were standing at the board watching the scene unfold. One of them asked, “Isn’t she supposed to have her bubble?”
Me: Uhm, yeah. She can’t swim.
In a spit second the other guard tossed his shirt and dove in to save my now sputtering little girl.
Safely at the side of the pool I asked, “Zia, did you forget something?”
Zia: Yeah. (smiling ear to ear) Let’s do that again! But this time (pointing her finger up as if to remind herself) let’s use my bubble.
And she did.
Later Zane made the observation, “I’ve never seen the lifeguards have to jump in and save anyone……That was cool!”
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.
