Swimming

I have to say, these "free" swimming pools we have are truly awesome. Michael and I spent 5 hours there yesterday with friends, and his sitter took him again today. We are just soaking up the sun.

Typically Michael just plays in the knee-high kiddy pool, but occasionally I bring him in to the big pool for a swim. He is scared of it, clings to me tight and uses a lot of energy in just staying alive. It's at that moment when I finally get him out of the pool that he breaks into tears--and no, he's not sad that he had to get out, rather it's a release of the emotion that he couldn't manage while he was in the pool. It's sad to watch that.

But yesterday we had a breakthrough. We finally bought Michael some floaties (which he believes he magically transforms into the Hulk with them on. I mean, look at those muscles!) During our 4th hour at the pool, Michael asked me if he could go in the big pool! Away from the stairs, I let him go; he floated, he realized that he wasn't dying and it was a huge breakthrough. For the rest of the hour, he would jump in the water to me, swim to the stairs by himself and do it all over again. I was all smiles. He was all smiles. It was another fabulous Thursday.