tree allergies

guarding has made me really start (continue...) to adore children.  two of my favorite families of kids at the pool-- the first: jayden, taylor, and devon, and the second: connor, caroline, and ethan, were both present tonight at a swim meet pep rally deal in preparation for a big meet tomorrow morning.  i laughed from the stand as six-year-old taylor and her friend "na-na-ny-boo-boo"-ed (literally! i didn't know people did that anymore) older brother eight-year-old jayden as they walked into the girls' bathroom, chanting "you can't follow us, you can't follow us"--envision if you will, taylor swinging her hips dramatically to her chant, hand cocked on her waist, and curly pigtails bobbing with her giggles.  jayden of course from across the pool deck, looking both sad and immensely small in an oversized virginia tech sweatshirt.  i later watched jayden learn to and become more proficient then myself at volleyball from his swim coach in a matter of about five minutes.  

later, still while up in the stand, eight-year-old connor runs up to me and starts bragging, through mouthfuls of ice-cream sandwich, that he "can know all the names of the lifeguards and call all of their names!"  (granted, he first had to verify that i wasn't another lifeguard who looks vaguely like me)

when i came down from the stand i went over to a crowd of kids sitting on the ground decorating "intimidating" posters for their meet, one with my personal favorite swim team chant for the 8-and-unders-- "Little teeth, small fins, little sharks will always win!" and squatting down next to four-year-old devon to comment on her poster.  i grinned at her backwards scrawl: "TA3B" (BEAT), and couldn't help but laugh when i noticed the only word on her poster written forwards and from left to right was her own name.

when i stood up i was mauled by a hug around the knees from four-year-old ethan, his mouth circled by a red stain of pasta sauce.  he pointed to the band-aids on my arm (i'd gone in for a physical and such this morning and had to get some vaccinations/boosters etc) and asked what they were for.  i told him i'd had to get shots this morning, and i hadn't liked it because i have a fear of needles.  six-year-old caroline then piped up:

"ethan gets shots all the time.  wanna know why? ethan has allergies. whenever ethan sees a bee mom has to put a shot in his leg for five minutes"

"is that the epi-pen thing, caroline?"

"yep, epi-pen shot in his leg. for five minutes!  ethan is allergic to trees, and bees, and mold, and nuts, and cats."

then ethan held up four stubby fingers for me. "i'm allergic to 4 things.  i can't smell flowers."

"is that because bees have been there?"

"yes bees have been there. and pollen."

"aww i'm sorry, you can't ever smell flowers!"

caroline then stepped forward, hands cupped around her mouth.  "can i tell you a secret?"

i bent forward and nodded, turning my ear toward her.

caroline leaned forward and whispered: "ethan only pretends he's allergic to trees."

"hey!" ethan raised his voice, just slightly.  "hey, hey.  you know what my mom says?"

"what does your mom say, ethan?"

"my mom says no secrets!"

....i love kids.