A Determined Child

If you recall, at the end of last summer, Chick Magnet tried desperately to gather the courage to jump off of the diving board at a local pool. He didn't even dare look at the high dive! He was too afraid of it. I posted about how many times he walked out on the diving board like he was walking the plank. And how he stared down at the water, crossed his arms, and reluctantly turned around and marched off the board - defeated. He even had chanting from onlookers to encourage him, without any success. He swore then, that when the pool reopened next summer, that the first thing he was going to do is jump off that diving board! It must have been festering inside of him all year, because that is exactly what he did! Once he was giving the "all clear" by Mom to enter the water, he headed straight for the regular diving board and jumped in without hesitation. Day two rolled around and he decided that the high dive was not so high. Trying to block out how much I hated the high dive when I did it last year, I gave him the "OK" to go ahead and try it. I grabbed my camera and marched right along behind him to the diving area. There he was in his dry suit, about to make his grandest of entrances in to the pool. What a photo op for me! He climbed that ladder, marched himself chin-up and chest-out to the edge, and jumped without even a nanosecond of hesitation! I was so proud (and scared)! In that moment, I realized that all his talk of bungee jumping and skydiving will materialize in the years ahead, against my wishes, of course! When I found out I was pregnant with him - a little boy - I told Bikeman that if he ever wanted to break my heart, all he had to do is pick up rock climbing, skydiving, or bungee jumping as a hobby. Oh, CRAP! Am I in for it!!!

Couldn't leave out my oldest and youngest! Brainiac jumps off the high dive, too, but admits it makes her a bit nervous. (Thank the LORD! At least SHE has some caution in her being!) Mellow Boy remains almost overly cautious which is FINE BY ME!