The Eve of Her Birthday

It's taken me a lot of thinking for the past couple of days. Do I want to write about it? Put it out there? But then I think, it could save someone.

I saved my child's life.

The day before Thanksgiving, we were in the front yard just hanging out. We were all taking pictures, even Ivy. She loves taking pictures with our cameras. It was time to go inside and since we were at the front, it was the best option. Ryan went inside and Ivy took off along the driveway to the back gate. And I followed. She was fighting the gate and couldn't open it and started to get upset but she let me open it for her. And that was when she started to have a tantrum. She didn't want me to go into the back yard with her. She didn't want me to close the gate. And she didn't want to follow me to the back door, which I found to be locked and knocked. She started to run along the side of the pool to the back-back yard. She turned to look at me and she veered left and slipped into the pool. One of the things that I am always afraid of when we visit just happened.

And I ran.
*Jump in here*No*I won't make it in time*

Somehow, she grabbed the side of the pool and looked straight at me. A look of shock. And she slipped under. I can still see her little body sinking below the surface of that cold water.

I was able to reach and grab her left arm and get her out of the pool.

Five seconds. Five seconds.

She was standing and crying. Breathing. She swallowed no water. She held her breath. She is fine.

And my mind starts playing the should've-could'ves and what-ifs. It could have so easily ended very badly.


Ivy has so bravely retold the story and replayed it in a much lighter point of view. She's called me Diego because I rescued her. And she will pretend to fall and say "grab my arm and pull me out!" Later that night, she asked to see the moon and stars and she asked me to take her. So I carried her outside in the back to look at the sky and she laughed "but not to go swimming!"

I hope that she is not traumatized by this. I want her to not be afraid of the pool. It's not something to fear, it's something that we have to be safe around. Summer isn't the only time to be alert around a body of water.

Tomorrow is her third birthday. I hope we can make all her wishes come true.