wet feet

So Aidan has been hyped for the past two weeks.  Counting down with the every day question:  "how long 'til swim lessons?"   Making big plans to dive to the bottom for rings.  Praying nightly (and breakfastly & lunchly) "that I can have so much fun swimming" and "that D won't drown."  The enthusiasm has been incessant, the topic everpresent, the begging for time to "just go faster" frequent.

So we finally went yesterday for our first lesson.  And, after one turn, Aidan's begging changed direction:   "Please can we go home...let's just leave, Mom...I want to take a nap...I don't like this...the pool is soooo big."  The boy was  traumatized.  He swam perfectly on each turn, but simultaneously fought fear & panic, sobbing through all of his in-between's.

Calm finally came about 5 minutes into the drive home.  His words:  I wanted to swim so bad...but I just didn't think it would be *like that*.

Welcome to life, my love.

Welcome to life. 

Comments

[Megan]

So so true! Poor boy, hopefully he starts loving it as the summer goes on.

[Lucy]

Oh. Your little ones are going to be as profound as you are, aren't they? You are absolutely right. Life is exactly like this. Today, I completely lost my cool and while I was vacuuming up the half loaf of bread that had been scattered on the carpet and mopping up the otterpops that were splattered on the floor, and I thought a very similar thought. I wanted it all so bad. The husband, the house, the pitter patter of little feet. But, truly, no 21 year old sees the big picture - the one that contains 1,000 breadcrumbs and multi-colored carpet made so with the footsteps of otterpop stained socks. That welcome mat sure doesn't go anywhere, does it?

[michelle]

oh, what a sad and very poignant comment! Especially from one so young... I hope the lessons get easier on the poor boy soon. It reminds me of my first attempt at swimming lessons -- I was completely on board until the actual class. Then I sat on the edge of the pool and cried.

[Angie]

I think I remember Aidan having that same love-hate relationship with swimming lessons last year.

I liked your observation on its parallel to life.

[Neighbor Jane Payne]

I love how you perfectly sum up life with little snippets. And the line "praying nightly as well as breakfastly and lunchly" was just fun to read.

[Barb]

The boy really doesn't need to know yet how much of life turns out just *like that*, does he?

[Shanon]

It always sounds funner than it is! So did D drown or where his prayers answered? Okay well obviously he didn't drown, but does he like it or cry this year?

[Aprilyn]

Ahh, what a sweetheart. He REALLY reminds me of my Nathan. Everything you talked about with pre-school, and now this with the pool sounds exactly like my son. He has a lot of anxiety and we're trying to work through it with him. It's a long road but worth it. I honestly don't know what I'd do (or he actually) if he had his own room. Like mother, like son.

[kim sue]

what a cutie...hopefully he will become more comfortable in the "big world" of the pool :)

[lelly]

oh, a, i NEVER think it's going to be *like that.*
hang in there... you'll be doing canonballs in no time.

[Marie]

Too bad. Little child let-downs are so sad. I hope his next lesson isn't *like that*

[jenny c.]

That reminds me of something my Luke would say. Each year he tells me that he will jump in the water..and then when that year comes he says, umm I think I will be 5. I hope it gets better. I really dread taking my boys since they aren't too fond of the water. But, in AZ it's a must.

[Kelly]

I loved this.

It's all too *like that* sometimes. Sweet boy.

[April]

Your last two lines are equally brilliant and tender.

[Tiffany]

That is both funny and sad--poor guy.

We've been doing swimming lessons for years--we seem to be on a much slower learning curve around here. I guess it is because we're not so constantly around pools like you are in Arizona. It is such a long process for my kids...I'm sure your boys will get the hang of it all very soon.

[Katie]

Oh, no! Hopefully his fright at the pool will subside. Perhaps after a few lessons, the pool won't seem soooo big.