Since the 28thof June LD and I have been almost constantly on the go with travel and socialization of old friends, new friends, and family. I have to admit it has been a whirlwind month for myself as well. A normal trip to Iowa would mean 16 hours of hard driving and arrival at the farm in Iowa. This last trip to Iowa was a lot different since LD was with me for every moment. That meant that the trip was certainly less driver intensive but no less intense since LD was wanting for more of each passing day. I do not know how many times the Little Detailer simply fell asleep as he was talking about what he want ed to do the next morning. It was so good to view and experience the fast life of vacationing with my son.
It was less than 30 days ago that LD failed his first swimming lesson test. He was so afraid to swim in the deep end of the pool where he tested. He wanted me by the side of the pool while the instructor put him through his paces. Of course I was along side the pool but that did not help the Little Detailerout in the end(much to my chagrin!). Fear is a good tool and it is a bad tool. In this case it was a life tool that managed to let my son become a little guppy and social lite of the poolside season. Each day of our vacation LD would go through a little of the learning experience needed to over come his fear of the water. Each day he became a little more confident. Each day I saw him grow. Wow! What a powerful experience. His confidence in the water is second only to his ability to socialize. He loved all the cousins that he met in Iowa and they taught him how to do things that his Father was not able to do. Peer education was a good thing and as a Father I am well aware that I can only take LD to the well. I cannot make him drink. His cousins taught him to be strong in order to keep up with all the children that were at the house of my brother in Iowa.
The Iowa trip was also good training for his first cruise of his young life. I hope that he remembers this trip much in the same fashion as I remember the trips of my life. Although I did not ever go on a cruise with family there were many trips to different areas of the country to visit with family. Kellen did not have any fears going into the first day of the cruise. I think in part because of the inter-action of the cousin’s children on the farm in Iowa prior to getting on the ship. The ship is relatively small in size but the world certainly was LD’s oyster for he woke up as his feet firmly planted on the floor while scurrying around like a cartoon character to get his swim trunks on each day to go to the pool and the warm jacuzzi of the Lido deck.( Don’t worry folks…the water in the jacuzzi was not hot)
On the last day of LD’s month of vacation we were in a motel on the beach in Galveston with a pool. LD wanted to go swimming. It is amazing what a month of swimming will do for an 8 year old boy. This is the same boy that required his Father to be poolside when he took his first swim test. Now LD can touch the bottom of the pool with his hands as well as his feet. This is the same little person that swallowed water and coughed when he went under water. Henow can swim across a pool most of the way under water. He is the same little boy that said he could not float and would sink into his Father’s arms when he became frightened. Now he turns over on his back and plays much like a little sea otter.
It is the end of a whirlwind summer vacation for LD. In the last month there are so many first for my son. Most if not all the first were witnessed by his father. To experience the growth of my son in the past month is only surpassed by the actual birthof my son. It goes without saying that I most likely am the proudest Father that has ever been…and that was before all of LD’s firsts. Having witnessed all of these first hand with my son just makes the experience all the sweeter. The last month I witnessed a guppy grow into a tadpole. In a few years this tadpole will grow into an adult. I hope that I am there every step of the way. I also hope that my son continues to uses me as his safe haven in life as well as the pool.
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