Alice

 We began the summer, a month ago, as denizens of the baby pool. Which you quickly corrected to "the kid-sized pool." After a first foray into the big pool in which you accidentally stepped off a step without your floaties on and dunked under water, you informed me that you didn't like the big pool. You liked the kid sized pool. Which was okay with me.

I'm not sure what changed. Maybe it was swimming lessons at JCC day camp. Maybe it was the afternoon at Gas House Beach when you and I went in together, and had fun dunking slowly and popping up, catching our breath with the cold salt water closing over our shoulders and the leaping back up laughing. Whatever it is, there's been a complete turnaround. 

One afternoon you determined to put on your floaties and we tried the steps to the big pool. You were careful going down the steps. You looked up at me, beaming. "I didn't go far underwater!" you said. I asked if you wanted to try floating. You did. You launched into my arms and we floated together, and then you wanted to float by yourself. And now you love to swim! "Kick kick kick!" I said, laughing, moving a little further away, offering you a kickboard if you wanted something to hold (like me, you often feel more secure with something in your hands, like a car or a stick). You paddle-kicked over to a floating foam rubber ball you wanted. Then we decided to paddle-kick across the width of the pool. "Will you go with me mama?" you asked, and I promised you I would. And you did it! I couldn't believe it!

You can spin yourself in a circle! You're practicing keeping your mouth closed, but you are usually grinning so big your mouth is open, so it's hard. Yesterday you wanted your dad and me to fetch diving rings from the bottom of the deep end. My ears don't like the pressure, but your dad gamely dove down, rising up underneath you like a Leviathan.

On our first couple of days of loving the big pool, you and I would go to the kid sized pool to take breaks. On one of these breaks we broke out your mermaid Barbie. She has pink and blue hair, and I got her for you after you seriously coveted some other mermaids belonging to some baby friends. This time I asked, "What is your mermaid's name?" Without a moment's hesitation, you said "Alice!"

Alice, you have informed me, is good swimmer. You also are good swimmer. And so yesterday, we didn't even go in the kid sized pool. You, Alice, your dad, and I romped in the big pool the entire time. At the end, you wanted to take your floaties off and didn't want me to hold you, which fills me with terror as you haven't technically learned to hold your breath and swim and stuff. But you also wanted to go off the big diving board again.

My fearless water baby. So brave. You seem to have just made up your mind that now you know how to swim. And you almost do! I could not be more proud of you.