Hippo

"Hello little one. How old are you?"

My Uncle Nick stands over me with the sun just behind his face. It's so bright I can't really see him. I hold up four fingers and shout the number, just to make sure he knows.

"You're such a big girl! Are you going to jump in the pool today?" I giggle.

"Noooo it's too scary."

"Scary?! But, you're a big kid now! Big kids are brave, right?" I beam up at him.

"Yes!"

"Good! I want to see you jump in today, Okay?"

"Okay!" He smiles at me, pats my head and then lopes away with those too-long legs that grown-ups have. I am brave. Even so, I slowly climb down the steps and into the pool.

It is a very hot day and the water feels wonderful. I push myself away from the side and start paddling. I've never really gone swimming before, but the tubes on my arms make it feel like I'm flying. Mommy even called them water wings. It takes me a little while to figure it out, but soon my arms and legs know sort of what to do. I feel like a big, floppy fish.

I see my cousins and I start to swim towards them. We are having a sleepover tonight, and we drove a really long time to come and see them. We even stopped for McDonald's on the way. Daddy never wants to get McDonald's, and when I asked he said its because it's a special occasion. I don't know what a special occasion is, but I wish we could have one every day.

I've been extra excited for this visit because they don't just have a pool. They have a house with a staircase, and a puppy, and a PlayStation and everything. Mommy says that's not why we're visiting, though. She says its because we love them and we haven't seen them in a really long time. I don't really remember meeting them in the first place, but I think that if I say that it might hurt their feelings. Right now I don't know them, but maybe if we play for a while I will love them too. I didn't really like my brothers until they started playing with me, and now I love them very much.

When I reach them they show me how to play a game I've never heard of. it's called teddy bear! I love teddy bears. We play for a while until I hear Mommy's voice.

"Sweet pea!" I look over and I see her standing by the side of the pool.

"Come here, my love. You need sunscreen."

"OK!" I carefully turn myself around and swim towards her as fast as I can. I'm not always good at paying attention, but I try to listen to Mommy. She says that it's her job to keep me safe, and when I listen I make her job easy.

When I reach her she grabs me under the arms and swings me around a few times. I giggle and shake my head, making sure get water all over her. She laughs with me and plants kisses all over my face.

When she puts me down she unzips my swim suit. I'm really worried when she takes off my wings, but she promises she'll put them back soon.

She takes this gross, sticky stuff and smears it all over me. I hate it when she rubs my nose and ears with it, but I try to stand still because Mommy is keeping me safe.

"Perfect." She gives me a kiss on the forehead and zips me up again.

"Can I go swim now?"

"Not just yet my love. Are you hungry?"

"No! I wanna go swimming." She gasps at me, and I freeze.

"You're not hungry? Not even for a...", she leans close and whispers, "... hotdog?" I squeal and jump up and down in delight.

"Does Uncle Nick have the yellow mustard?" She looks around her like she is about to tell me a secret.

"I don't think so my love, but hey you know what?"

"What?!"

"I brought the yellow mustard." She smiles at me and pulls my favorite sauce out of the same bag she keeps the sunscreen in.

"Thank you Mommy!" I am jumping up and down with joy. I eat my yellow mustard on top of everything I can. I even asked if I could have some on my ice cream last week, but Daddy said I wouldn't like it. I'm not sure I believe him, but it's his job to keep me safe too so I listened.

"I thought you might feel that way." She plants another kiss on my forehead and starts walking over to the other grown ups.

"Stay there my love. I'm going to go get your food"

"Okay!" While she's gone I sit on the bricks and stare at bugs. There's a ladybug, a bee, and a bunch of ants walking around in circles. Daddy said ants know where to go because they can smell each other. These ones are just kind of running around. Maybe they're stinky ants? That makes me laugh. I lie on my back and giggle at my silly thought. The sky is so big and blue. I wonder if it goes on forever?

Suddenly, a shadow flies over me and straight into the pool. It's my biggest cousin. He's doing a cannonball! The water explodes around him and all over everyone (even me). Klaus is so brave. I wish I was brave... I get sad as I wonder if I'll ever feel big enough to jump into the pool like that. I watch him splash around for a bit. He's having so much fun, and everyone is looking at him and laughing with him. Maybe if I try everyone will laugh with me too? Maybe that's why Uncle Nick asked how old I am!

Now I am excited. I sit up and look at the water. It makes me nervous, but I know nothing bad will happen. Mommy and Daddy and all my uncles and cousins are here. I stand up and take a few steps back. I take a big breath, and I run straight into the water.

Splash!

It feels kind of weird this time. This doesn't really feel like flying. It feels like I am falling very slowly. Maybe it's because Mommy never brought my wings back.

The world looks funny as my head bobs up and down for a minute. I start to sink, and it makes me realize; this is what it's like to be a hippo!