Zoe can (kinda)swim and Momma has a heart attack

When Joelle was visiting we stayed in a hotel in Raleigh that had a pool. Zoe hadn't been in a pool since last year. I bought some arm floaties from the dollar store just to try out with the toddler sized life vest I got a few years ago at a yard sale. Not only did she love it, but she caught on really quickly to the swimming motions (doggie paddle style). She loved to jump off the side right into the water with no one catching her!

Fast forward to a birthday pool party a few weeks later...

Zoe was down to just swimming with the arm floats and was really loving it. Now mind you, she obviously was with one of us with her at all times during this "swimming" she was doing. It was time to get out of the water and have cake, so we were all drying off. I was holding Fiona and Zoe was walking around the pool with me. Until, that is, she decided it would be a good time to jump right in - and then totally sunk to the bottom of the pool!!!!!

This is where the slow motion feeling starts and a few seconds feel like a decade...

To my later dismay, I think I instantly froze for a split second before I started yelling to the people in the pool to get her. They all had their backs turned and had no idea she was there.

My false sense of security...

I always expected if a child fell in the water there would be a lot of splashing around and loud gasping for air and everyone would definitely notice. Not even close. It was a split second of total silence and she was under. The people two feet away would never have even noticed (especially because it was a pool party and there was a lot of commotion, but most pools are like that anyway). She was quickly scooped up and was totally fine, but I was a wreck inside. I always knew you have to watch kids around water, but now I really feel the urgency of the possible situation. There is no letting your guard down. Ever. All of those people who think, "oh, they'll be fine" have just been lucky up to this point. I do not want to be one of those parents that has to say "if only I paid attention just a tad more"...