Today did not start off well. I was sick as can be most last week, and wasn’t feeling any better today. As such we decided to abandon our plans with the New Jersey Autism Warriors for a Digger Land USA event we had pre-paid for. Something we had all been looking forward too, especially the NinjaBaby.
After the NinjaBaby’s initial disappointment (including falling back to sleep after two fits) we offered him the choice of going to nearby SixFlags or the condo complex pool. He chose the pool!
So I and a friend (K) took the NinjaBaby to the pool today. We fully expected him to spend most the time in the baby pool, because that’s what he does. He usually spends most his time in the questionably warm (yea, yea, I know the physics: smaller/shallower body of water in the hot sun and all that) baby pool with the other little kids, most of which are smaller than him, or just doing something to cause trouble.
Sometimes he will go onto the steps of the big pool. Occasionally he will venture around the rim, holding onto it the whole time… But today was different.
Never once did he say he wanted to go into the kiddie pool. He started on the rim but seemed willing to go further than usual. After some prodding he decided to go away from the wall with help, which is not totally unheard of, but fairly rare these days.
To escalate things even further, he decided to float near the steps. he had his hands on the steps but feet floating behind him… Then he decided to go further… And FLOAT…. In the pool… Alone…
I think it would have been essentially dog-paddling except his Puddle Jumper (Coast Guard approve Life Vest) kept him upright so he just kinda paddled around standing up, while not actually able to reach the ground.
We are so super proud of our little NinjaBaby, and he is so proud of himself. I’ve posted some pictures.
-R
I am so #Happy that #NinjaBaby is swimming away from the edges. He still won’t go in any #pool except the condo complex pools for some reason.