What a difference a year makes!
The Monkey and I went to the local swimming pool today. Monkey-dad had been telling me how the Monkey could go under the water for a few seconds...and how he knew how to blow bubbles, etc...so this was a much anticipated pool trip. The Monkey was very excited to show me his new tricks.
We finished our lunches and wandered over to the shallow end of the big pool. I'm eased myself into the water, preparing to do the ole parental kid-catch when the Monkey leaps in feet-first...stands up (he's now head and shoulders out of the water -- when did this kid get so tall???)...then immediately plunges his whole self down...kicking his feet and flailing his arms like something between a dog-paddle and a kung-fu match. He comes up for air...gasping and blinking the water out of his eyes...and he went right down again. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. ...for the next 10 minutes.
Now, make note here: he's not just "putting his face in the water" and/or "blowing bubbles"...this kid, for all intents and purposes, is swimming. Underwater. Granted, he's not going very far or very fast, but make no mistake -- he is swimming....and with exactly none of the trappings of his poolside peers (goggles, noseclip, etc.). It was awesome!!
I can't say enough for Monkey-dad working with him on this. I wouldn't have known where to start. Also, I think I'm probably far too afraid about things like...I dunno...his life...to have trusted myself to teach him... Parenting is definitely a team sport. Way to go Monkey-dad!
So I told the Monkey at the pool that I was maybe not going to be able to call him Monkeyboy anymore...that maybe I would have to call him Fishboy instead, given his cool new skills. He thought that was pretty funny.
Later, we were making dinner and he was so tired from our afternoon adventure that he couldn't function. I had him on my lap trying to soothe away his uncontrollable exhausted tears... I told my little Fishboy again how very proud I was of him...
He looked at me and grinned...then got a little shy and said, "You can call me Monkey now."
I just hugged him tight. He'll always be my Monkey.
7 comments:
Aw. Three cheers for Monkeydad! And Monkeyfish! (And monkfish - I hear it's pretty tasty.)
Monkfish might be tasty but it is ugly.
Yay for Monkeydad! Mr Mister is great for those things too, I am with you on the fearing for her life thing. It's our job.
That is absolutely the sweetest thing. Poor Monkey Boy, so tired from his big swimming day!
I'm so impressed. When I was his age I was deathly afraid of water. I wouldn't go more than the first step or two into my grandparents' pool to play with by red little rubber band-powered paddleboat. Not sure where I got this phobia, but I still don't enjoy swimming very much. I'm not afraid of it, I just have other things I'd rather do.
Obviously, this bodes well for the WaterMonkey. And think of how much safer you and Monkeydad will be around bodies of water with a toddler who can rescue you if you're drowning!
Aaaaw, Aquamonkey!
One of my earliest memories is screaming and flailing while my Mom tried to teach me to put my head underwater ("BUT MOM I CAN'T BREATHE UNDERWATER - WHAT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS?!?"), so I'm glad to hear you've missed that.
I think everyone should continue commenting until we have officially exhausted every variation of water-related-Monkeyness.
My contribution: Mermonkey.
:D
We haven't discussed space monkeys, have we? Isn't that what they call the brine shrimp you can order out of the back of comic books?
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