Let me back up.
Since Jack was 2 weeks old, we have had him in the pool, learning to swim and teaching him the difference between respecting the water and fearing it. He is actually an excellent swimmer but has never been in the pool without an adult. Since he is 2 1/2 years old, this makes sense.
Today we had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It was balmy, almost too warm, outside with clear skies. We had a wonderful meal prepared by my mom and then people started drifting in and outside and the kids spent their time playing outside and throwing their pint-sized footballs around the yard.
Jack, in his white oxford, blue jeans and New Balances, decided that throwing the football in my parents pool and hot tub was much more fun than throwing it to an actual person. He's weird like that. He has a different drummer.
Anyway, I was sitting by the pool taking photos of him with my new camera and Mom was fishing the football out of the pool/hot tub for Jack with the pool skimmer. We were all talking and laughing and just enjoying the day, when it happened.
I'm not even sure how it happened, but it happened. Either Jack wanted to get the ball himself or he thought Mom wasn't fast enough with the skimmer, but as he reached and stepped out to get the ball, spalsh! He fell straight into the hot tub, clothes and all! I set my camera down and stepped over to the hot tub (I would say "run" but how do you run one step?!? I was literally that close.). Mom was there as well, as were a couple of other people (I want to say my brother-in-law and my cousin, but honestly, my focus was on Jack at that point). We wanted to grab him and get him out. We honestly did. More than we wanted anything. But he wouldn't let us.
Instead, my little Michael Phelps swam straight for the edge, just like his daddy taught him. Realizing it wasn't the edge he wanted, he then swam straight to the top step so he could get out himself. However, he didn't get out by himself because my mom was right there and she pulled him out. Which actually probably made him mad that he didn't get himself out. He's independent. And incredibly stubborn. Like his mother.
Anyway, we get him out of the water, get his soaked clothes off, and dry him off. He was crying just a little, but otherwise he was completely fine. He was so fine, in fact, that after he was dried off, he wanted to get back in the pool! What a crazy kid. I'm starting to think that he was crying because we made him get out of the pool!
So while today I am thankful for many things, the thing I am most thankful for on this particular day, is Kyle's consistent, patient instruction with Jack and Jack's quick thinking.
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