High Dive

Today was a big day for mom and Jackson. It was a significant event that had two very different meanings. Let me explain...

We went to Springdale pool today with Josh's family, and Jackson, being the natural born fish that he is was excited as usual. Now, you wouldn't think a trip to the pool would be that exciting since we have a pool membership at another pool, but whatever. From the moment we walked in Jackson was mesmorized with the diving boards. Jackson hasn't yet been able to take the diving test at our pool, which has been quite a sore spot with him, so today at Springdale he walked straight up to the lifeguard and asked what he had to do to go off the diving boards. The lifeguard motioned for my baby boy to jump into the 12 foot water and swim half way down and back. Now, let me jump in and tell you that Jackson has taken swimming lessons for the past 2 summers and up until this summer has had a swimming pool in his backyard, so swimming is something he is quite fond of, anyway back to my story...Jackson jumps in and starts swimming across the pool. He gets out and the lifeguard says, "good job, you can go off any diving board you want". These are words that put me into a panic!!!!!! This lifeguard was giving my baby boy permission to jump off the diving board into 12 foot water and I couldn't be there waiting to catch him. Jackson was SO proud of himself though, that there was no way I could say no to him, so I let him go off the low dive a few times, which kept him happy for about 5 minutes. When he started asking to go off the high dive I started worrying. My husband though, pulled me aside as I was starting to ramble on about how "my baby boy couldn't possibly jump off of that high dive 10 or so feet in the air into a 12 foot deep pool of water", looked me in the eye and said, "Kym...he's not a baby anymore, he's a big boy now. I know he's your baby boy, but if he passed the test, then he's big enough to jump". In shock, I reluctantly agreed to let Jackson jump off the board, and watched in terror as my son began the climb to the top. A few moments later, there he stood, my baby on top of the high dive. I know it sounds so cliche, but as he started walking I could have sworn it was my swim diapered, bowl cut, chubby legged toddler walking toward the edge, not my mohawked, ready to be in 1st grade, boy. He jumped, popped right up, swam to the side, and did it over and over for the next few hours.

I just can't believe how big my boy is. I look at him and I truly can't believe how blessed I am to be his mama. I can't believe that my "little man" is truly that, growing into a little man. So, it was a big day for us, a wonderful big day...