"I Go Swimmin!"

Dear Tattered Angel,

At long last, after countless times of pleading through tear filled eyes, you finally recieved the wish of your heart to go to the local indoor children's aquatic center and go swimming.  To prepare for our adventure today, it became necessary to gather together all of our swimming gear from body boards, arm floaties, and beach towels.  Following such a long gap of an unused swimsuit, our concerns that our little daughter had grown to much in the past few months had been confirmed upon trying on your princess swimsuit.  Luckily, knowing how much you love to swim, grandma before learning of your pending surgeries had purchased you a new swimsuit sized for a growing girl to have plenty of time to enjoy it.  Retrieving the new swimwear to begin dressing our excited toddler, we were quickly faced with difficulty of fitting you into your new swimsuit in an effort to be ready to leave on time.  Anticipation to splash, kick and swim in the cool refreshing water was creating a little monster of excitement.  Attempting to hold you down as we fitted your swim diaper, plastic liner and finally your bran new swimsuit, needless to say required patience and continued prompting, "Do you want to go swimming?  Then you need to hold still."  With every prompt to hold still you replied, "I go swimming!"

Finally ready to make our debut at the swimming pool filled with splash centers, and water slides, we loaded you and your siblings into the car to make the short drive.  Once at the swimming pool, standing in line to pay our fee to enter, you informed every person who made eye contact with you, "I go swimmin."  With fees paid, making our way to the side of the pool, we stripped layers of over clothing covering you and lowered you with kicking legs into the water to set on the side of the pool.  For hours, you walked, swam, kicked from the side of the pool, pleaded with your older sister to take you on the slides, and splashed water throwing it everywhere with no concern of who was on the receiving end.

With the night slipping away the time came for the pool to close and us to shower and dress for the drive home.  Taking you from the waters of freedom, I was met with a toddler who refused to leave.  Continuing to plea,  as I lifting you from the water explaining we will go swimming another day, I was greeted with an ongoing emotional debate from my toddler daughter, "I swimming now!"  Finally with negotiations completed for another day of swimming you hesitantly agreed to leave somewhat willingly from the pool making our mad dash to the changing rooms.

With the weightlessness the water offered, no stares or prying questions had to be answered regarding why a two year old would be in a cast or how you had developed a limp, or had we taken you to a doctor. Often times in stores as I would carry you with your casted body in my arms, I would be greeted by a look of disappointment and sutle anger as other parents only explanation for a young girl to be a cast like this had to be abuse or lack of a watchful eye.  Sitting on the side of the pool, I was no different than any other father or mother watching their playful child as they enjoyed the activities the splash pool offered.