The Test

At the pool today, Jacob decided he was ready to take the "diving test". This is a test that certifies swimmers for use of the diving board as well as swimming in the deep water. It's somewhat of a difficult task. Swimmers must swim the length of the pool and back with proper freestyle strokes, and breathing - without stopping for a break. Then immediately tred water for 2 minutes. Jacob passed the test last year, however, I think that the guard that passed him was a bit on the easy side and pushed the 2 minutes along pretty fast! So when this guard came out with an actual stop watch - I was a bit nervous. I was confident that he could do the swimming of the laps, but the 2 minute thing had me quite on edge. I walked the side w/ the guard as Jacob swam his laps (his friend Alaina, swam on the other lane with him as support). Then the longest 2 minutes of my life - coaching him and cheering him on! I tried to keep him from getting too close to the side of the pool for fear that he would reach out and grab the edge! The last 30 seconds were the worst. You must keep your head up and out of the water and he was slowly slipping! Finally the 10 second countdown! He did it! As we were walking to receive his ankle band, he said, "Mommy, my chest really hurts!". Poor guy! So now we are free to jump off the diving board and I now officially have a child at both ends of the pool!