No Fear

Mia and I went to the pool yesterday and watched in amazement as this 2-year-old girl jumped off the diving board - again and again. It was so funny to watch. She looked so tiny getting up on the diving board. And, then she'd do this grand belly flop as her dad scooped her up and swam her to the ladder.

Mia has always been great in the water - she'll go under, jump off the side, etc. But the diving board? No way would she do that - or so I thought. The next thing I know, Mia's saying "I do that!" and wiggling out of my arms to get out of the pool. She walks up to the diving board and climbs up. I asked the dad of the other 2-year-old girl if he would catch Mia since he was already in the deep end. (In hindsignt, I had no idea who he was so it probably wasn't a good idea to trust him with my baby jumping in 11 feet of water, but he seemed to be doing a good job with his daughter. I think I was still in shock that Mia wanted to do this; my brain was clouded.) Mia gave her usual "no, mommy do it." So I got in and started treading water in front of the diving board hoping I could catch her and swim to the side. The skills I learned as a lifeguard were rushing through my mind just as she walked up to the end of the board and jumped. Just like that. No hesitation. I couldn't believe it. I was in awe. As we were swimming to the side, she said she wanted to go again. So, she went a few times. Of course, when I wanted her to do it later so I could have a friend take a picture for me, she stood on the board crying about how she wanted to get down. So, that's what we got on film :) Figures.