He Fell In

Years ago before we lived here, we looked at a house. This house had an inground pool. But, there was no fence around that pool. Zachary was a baby at the time,and I was terrified about this pool. We were in the process of scheduling inspections, ect. and all I could think about was this pool! I did research on fences, main drain covers, you name it. Daily nightmares of a silent drowning haunted me. I drove Darrin CRAZY with the constant questioning and statistics.
That house didn't work out for other reasons.
Then, we happened upon this house. Which, of course, has an inground pool. It's fenced in but not really to MY standards so anyone who knows me knows I am MILITANT about safety around the pool, and the yard that has the pool in it. Our first year here, I made the kids sign a CONTRACT detailing the pool rules. This will be our third summer enjoying the pool, and although my anxiety about it has calmed down a bit, it is still in the back of my mind. Nightmares only happen maybe once now when we are in the process of opening the pool.

Today I was vacuuming the pool and Nathan was with me. He was standing RIGHT NEXT TO ME. He had a life jacket on because that's my rule with him. He is not allowed in the pool area without his life jacket. Why? Because he could accidentally fall in. And that's what happened.

He had a little fish net and was helping me skim the bugs from the deep end, and reached a little too far. He fell in, face first. I grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him from the water. Poor guy couldn't catch his breath for a second and when he did he just screamed and cried. One of the things I am good at is "mommy emergency mode" I was very upset, but so was he, so I flipped the switch and just talked calmly to him saying "its ok, just wipe the water from your eyes" and "you're ok" over and over. When I started saying "wow Nathan, that water was cold, huh?" he then smiled and said he wanted to go inside.

My child was right next to me and yet fell in. In the deep end. Maybe my fears (of unknown origin) all these years prepared me for something like this. He always wears a life jacket in the pool area unless Darrin or I am trying to teach him something in the water. He is always at arms length. My "eyes are peeled" (the kids love that saying, btw) when he is out there with us. You just never, never know.

PSA here: Please, please, please. DO NOT allow your young children that cannot swim out of your sight for ONE second near water. Don't let anything distract you. If a friend is over, say "I am listening when you are talking to me, but I am watching my child so don't think I am ignoring you". If they can't swim, invest in a life jacket. $25 bucks can save your child's life. If you have a pool or spa, invest in locks for doors that lead out to the area. Help them at a young age learn how to get to the side of the pool if they fall in. Nathan will be learning that over the next few weeks. If it can happen to militant, contract making me, then it can happen to anyone.

Now that he's asleep tonight, the image of that split second I saw him in the water, face down with his curly locks floating from his head won't leave me. It probably won't fade for quite some time. That's ok though, the image will prevent me from ever becoming complacent. I can hear Darrin snickering now "yes, like that would ever happen!"

Thank you God for the way things turned out today.