Big Milestone

HUGE Milestone for Michael this evening.  He swam for a few seconds (like maybe 2) unassisted!!!

We were going swimming, and I would hold him under his arms in the beginning and he would kick.  Then I started holding him with one hand (open palm under his chest to keep his head above water, but giving him the ability to paddle arms and kick legs).

He's been struggling with me.  At first I though it was because he was afraid of the water, but I quickly realized that he wanted me to let go (he would try to pry my hands off him).  It's the same thing he does at dinnertime ... puts up a fight when I try to put a spoonful of food in his mouth, and then insists on doing it himself.

So, he fought for independence the whole time we were at the pool this evening.  Kept trying to get me to let go.  He also used to like climbing up the steps, then walking toward me and having me catch him and leap into the pool with him.  Not anymore.  He wanted to walk into the pool himself (of course, I did not let him).

However, I did figure, maybe it's time to let him get his head completely underwater so he's used to it. So when he was struggling for me to let go, I told him "Michael, Daddy can let go and let you swim by yourself a few seconds, but you gotta be ready.  Are you ready?"

His response "MMMMMM" (and more struggling to get me to let go).

"Okay.  One ... Two ... THREE!" and I let go.

He pretty much immediately sunk, head completely underwater, and I noticed his feet kicking vigorously and arms paddling, in a bit of a panic.  I scooped him up after 1 or 2 seconds and walked him to the top of the steps.  When I was carrying him, he was still kicking his feet and paddling his arms, didn't know he wasn't underwater anymore.

I sat him down on the edge and he had the widest saucer eyes and looked to and fro frantically, like "oh my goodness, I don't believe what just happened!"  He was definitely startled, but he wasn't upset, scared, or angry in the least bit.  I was SO PROUD of him, he went completely submerged, tried to swim, and he didn't even cry.

Parental observations, Dad's mental snapshot for a moment in time:
  1. Michael seems really calm in the water.  His only sense of franticness comes from not having independence or not being able to do things for himself (basically the same things that make him frantic and fussy on land).  Even when I'm standing behind him, holding him so he's submerged to his neck in the water, he's not the slightest bit afraid or nervous.  He's just as relaxed as he would be sitting on the living room couch.
  2. Michael's hair looks really adorable and funny when he completely dunks his head in the water.  Looks different than when he's getting a bath and his hair washed, also looks different than when he's drenched his hair by splashing.
  3. Once he got over the startled/astonished reaction and on high dry land, he seemed quite satisfied when I gave in and let go for 1 - 2 seconds.  Kind of like "I got to do what I wanted to, and it wasn't quite what I expected, but that's fine."

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