A group of kids Kelly’s age were taking swim lessons at the pool tonight. Claire was very interested in what they were doing, especially when the lifeguard pulled out kickboards for them to use. It just so happened that we had also brought a kickboard. Claire asked if she could use it. I gave the okay as long as she did not interfere with the kids.

She had her wings on and started kicking around the shallow end of the pool while holding onto the board. Sometimes the board would pop out from underneath her and she would swim to get back to it.

I got in the pool to help her swim without wings or kickboard. I held Claire around her middle while she “swam”. She was doing well, but with a lot of support from me.

I had just discovered that she was tall enough to touch in the shallow end. She asked to touch while we were in the deep end. I told her it was too deep and then she asked to hold onto the sides of the pool. She started scooting on down the wall at a remarkably fast pace. Once she made it to the break for the steps in the shallow end (I was right behind her) she said, “Let me try it.”

Claire let go of the wall and completely submerged underwater. Panicking, I scooped her out and was surprised that she had held her breath and seemed to have anticipated exactly what had happened.

“You did a good job”, I told her. And then I gave her a big hug before getting out of the pool.

Fortunately, Nicole was right there when I had gotten out. As I was toweling off, I heard that little voice say, “Let me try it again.”

I turned around to see her completely underwater again. This time Nicole scooped her out and I made sure Claire did not get back into the water without wings.