Wherever that is... will be published tomorrow. Comments/guesses about where we are will be accepted through midnight tonight, Central Standard Time.
I think I can tell you, at least, that we are presently in a hotel. And that Emperor is lucky to be ok. He has some sort of weakness on his right side. Even when he was crawling, he'd drag his right leg like a polio victim (no, I'm not making fun of polio victims, just giving an analogy of the appearingly uselessness of that leg). He can now walk and doctors think he is just fine. But he doesn't write well. And no matter how hard we have tried, and many classes, he has never been able to swim.
Anyway. All that to say this: he could have drowned today. You know drowning really does look like just a little dip underwater. Some nearby girls rescued Emperor while I was about to dive in with my sneakers. They had to be all of maybe ten. Poor kid comes up gasping for breath etc. and is told to stay on the SHALLOW side and he readily agreed. Ok! I don't want that to happen again.
BUT it did. Again, the girls dragged the kid to the side of the pool. They were really quite amazing. Emperor felt sick from "gulping too much water" and had to lie down a bit. I was somewhere between mad and relieved. Just... whyy did you go in the deep end?? WHYY??
Well, he explained, the water wasn't any higher in the deep end, so I didn't know it was deeper there.
What, the kid thought the water would go uphill or something for his convenience?? I did make sure to thank the girls profusely AGAIN and also their mom when she arrived. I guess *this* mom can be assured her girls will be safe alone in a pool with no lifeguard. They have each other. I mean, I wouldn't do it... but then again, look what happens when I'm 20 feet away from my child. Only imagine if I were in another part of the hotel.
I did tell Emperor that really, the boys are supposed to rescue the pretty girls and not the other way around. I knowwww, he told me... but he was (at that point) too tired to argue much.
I have outlined now WHERE, exactly, he is allowed to wade in the pool. I don't get it. He is very smart, but he didn't read the depth posted at several points in the pool? I'm just glad he is ok and the girls helped him out so quickly. I have myself a feeling that is one proud mommy.
She should be! :)
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Look Out, Dad!!
My father is the purple dot above the blue weather station. He's juuust outside Milton's evacuation zone. Well! My brother and I jus...
Glad he is okay!
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not a good swimmer either. I bet he just needs a lot more practice! Hope you enjoy your trip .. And get to crawl into the pool yourself. :)
ReplyDeleteHmm.. My first post didn't make it. Anyway, I'm sure he just needs more practice in the water.. I'm not a great swimmer either!
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy yourself ... and get a chance perhaps in th pool yourself! :)
a lot of kids get fooled this way. The water level looks even right across the pool, so if they don't know or get told, they don't realise the BOTTOM of the pool is sloped to a deeper level.
ReplyDeleteI want to tell you a secret. Saving your life doesn't necessarily mean being a good swimmer. Ben had a kid who could swim the length of the pool and back but couldn't float and they flunked him.
ReplyDeleteIf you can teach him to float, it's the real life saver. From experience...my own.
Ben had a kid in his swim class, I mean. You have to be very gentle to teach floating, too, because the natural inclination is to panic. Ben got comfortable floating on a boogie board and kicking to swim first. Then later I worked on getting him to relax. It took 2 years. Something in me knew he would have to float before swim lessons.
ReplyDeleteThat leg may keep him from floating, I don't know.
Sorry to go on, but the thought of drowning scares the hell out of me. We were water babies, but every year at the lake at least one kid drowned. I know your fear.