Water babies

As a child, we spent every free minute at the lake. I learned how to ski when I was barely out of diapers. I could slalom before I was 10. Sophie, on the other hand, has spent little time in natural water. And what time she has spent, has been ocean. So when we were offered an afternoon at the lake during our visit to Kansas, I jumped on the opportunity to introduce her to one of the joys of my youth.

I knew she loved swimming and brave little thing she is, I really wasn't worried she would be too timid to try something new, but I was overjoyed with just how much she reveled in the experience. She watched her cousin tube first and then gamely jumped on with me. The very next run, she was ready to go solo. She would have stayed on it for hours if we'd let her. She had a grin cemented on her face the rest of the afternoon. 

Meanwhile, this old gal popped up on one ski on the first try despite not having set foot in a boot in more than 7 years. 

I guess it runs in the family.

Swim Test

Just yesterday I was saying that I couldn't wait until Sophie was independent enough at the pool that I could sit on the side reading a book while she ran around swimming and playing. 

As the saying goes, be careful what you ask for.

Today, after no more than a couple practice runs, Sophie tried for and passed the test to be allowed to swim in the deep end of our pool. The test included treading water for a minute and swimming the full length of the pool without touching or stopping. I was completely unprepared for her to do this. Based on friends' kids, I thought she would be 6 or 7 before she even attempted it.

But today she did. And then she spent the whole afternoon jumping off the diving board completely ignoring her mother. So much so that I actually did read a few pages of the book I had optimistically brought. After a while I found myself watching her longingly and wishing she would ask me to swim with her. She never did. At the end of the day I had to lure her off that diving board with the promise of froyo and Don Pablo's.

Kids grow up, it's the nature of the little beasts, but why does it have to happen so damn suddenly?

Beachisms

Despite repeated tellings that Myrtle Beach is the city rather than just the sandy place with the water, Sophie insists on referring to the beach itself as such, always asking when we're going to "the myrtle beach." 

At first a little irritated by it, now I kinda hope she doesn't stop.