Boogie Boarding Baby

After a lot of coaxing and even more forceful 'persuasion' I got Beatrice on a boogie board today. There was some screaming, mostly of the "NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!" variety, but eventually after we rode a few waves that were about 5 feet from the shore, I started pulling her further and further out to sea. She wouldn't ride unless I was on the board too, practically on top of her, but it worked. We rode about 3 great waves together which gave her some major confidence. The whole beach thing has actually changed so much since last summer. Now that she can swim I have less cardiac arrests when a wave washes over her head, so my calmness gives her a great sense of security and she acts on it. She jumps waves and splashes and treads water like an ocean pro. On the drive home tonight I told Dave "I'm really excited for B to be growing up in all of this...opportunity." I just can't believe she's 6 and has been swimming in the ocean many times, has been to Disneyland even more times, has gone swimming with sharks and has a protective wall of adoring adults surrounding her even 3000 miles away from her family. I also told Dave that if B had any personality other than the one I've come to know so well that I'd be nervous about how all of this opportunity would eventually effect her. But her personality is so adaptable that I just know she's going to take all of these early childhood experiences and turn them into something amazing in the years to come.