I think it’s safe to say we’ve got ourselves a water dog.
A few weeks ago, while we were on vacation, we realized that somewhere along the way, Harrison figured out how to hold his breath underwater. Not only that—he opens his eyes under there and is proficient at it. Like, seriously good. And true to form, this wasn’t something we taught him. That’s just how Harrison operates. For all the strides and progress he’s made, he’s a very stubborn kid to actually teach something to. He figures things out himself, and then one day, boom, there he is doing it. Holding his breath underwater? Just another thing he decided to conquer on his own.
After nearly a full week in the pool, it became crystal clear: our boy loves the water.
We’ve been toying with the idea of trying Aqua-Tots in Lexington for a couple of years. Not really as therapy, but just… something more. Something that could help him in his own way. But with him being non-speaking and unable to use his arms the way most kids can, there were always hurdles we weren’t quite sure how to clear.
But now? Now that he’s holding his breath like a champ? It felt like time. Time to stop overthinking and just jump in. (Pun not intended.)
So we did it.
We went to Aqua-Tots. And to be completely honest, I got emotional. A couple of times. In that 30-minute session, Harrison was in heaven, smiling from beginning to end. There was something about sitting there and watching him be that happy for that long that just… got to me. I may or may not have been sitting there with tears in my eyes. Jenna may or may not have photographic evidence. I can neither confirm nor deny.
We had no expectations going in. We’d explained his conditions and limitations ahead of time, and they were like, “Okay, we’ll see what we can do.” And then, just like that, we handed our kid off to a young woman we’d just met and watched her walk away with him toward the pool. That alone was new. Typically, we’re part of every therapy session. This time, we were just observers, and that in itself was different. It really just emphasized how this truly was a new frontier for us.
But as soon as Harrison saw the pool? He was ready. After over a week out of the water, he was itching to get back in.
After the session, we spoke with the instructor. She was incredibly complimentary. Said he had great breath control, strong legs, and an awesome attitude. Now, sure, no one’s going to tell you, “Hey, your kid was terrible.” But you can tell when someone means it. When they’re being genuine, and this felt like one of those moments. She herself was too happy at the end of the session for anything but that. You could tell she had been enjoying herself nearly as much as Harrison had been. She told us she knew it was going to be a good session the moment his feet touched the water. Her exact words: “As soon as his toes hit the water, I knew it was going to be good.”
One little note here: while Harrison loves going under, he also seems determined to drink the entire pool. We’re still working on that. At the start of the session, every time the instructor tried to play or get him to do anything, all he wanted to do was open his mouth. There I was, doing that half-laugh, half-embarrassed dad thing, thinking, “Oh, he’s so cute… please, dear Lord, stop drinking the pool water!”
Before she took him in, we’d told her he was great underwater. And then every time she tried to play with him, he just opened his mouth like a baby bird. I was convinced he was going to make us look like total liars.
About 10 minutes in, another instructor popped her head out and asked, “She wants to know if it’s okay to submerge him?” We both immediately said, “Yes! Please! Take him under!”
And the moment she did, he stopped with the open-mouth thing. He was still trying to sip a bit here and there, but at least he remembered to close his mouth before going under. And once that clicked, man, he turned it on. I don’t know what it is, but this kid loves being underwater.
I’ve been around a ton of kids. I was a lifeguard for years. I’ve seen my fair share of children try to go underwater, even Harrison’s siblings. It’s always this slow buildup. A quick dunk, a gasp, some bubbles up the nose, and lots of coaxing. But Harrison? He knows what he’s doing. He can go under for 2–3 seconds easily. No bubbles. No panicked flailing. He holds his breath like he’s been training for it for years. (Honestly, he can probably go longer, but Dad may or may not get a tad bit nervous once the 3-count passes.)
It’s wild to see.
Now I want to be clear: it’s hard to fully express this in text. Even talking about it doesn’t do it justice. This kid absolutely loves being in the water. He always has, but this? This is a whole new level. It’s like something clicked: “Oh! I can do stuff. I can hold my breath. I can go underwater. This is fun!”
And watching that? It hit me. More than once.
I’m also glad I was sitting alone. Jenna and I were kind of on opposite sides of the viewing room, watching through the glass, so we had different angles. But I know for a fact I was talking to myself more than once. One time in particular, the instructor was working with him, trying to get him to kick. I had tried the same thing all week during vacation. Harrison tends to favor his left leg (because of his hip), and I could get him to kick with that one now and then, but he’d keep his right tucked in.
So she’s got him on his stomach, supported on her shoulder, legs bent, feet just out of the water. And what does she do? Starts tickling one foot. He kicks it. Tickles the other. He kicks that one. And there I am, out loud: “Oh, that’s smart.”
And it was. One of those little brilliant moves where you just sit there thinking, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
But hey, this is what she does. She was great with him.
Here’s the thing I try not to always harp on, because I don’t want it to feel redundant, but it’s always there. This awareness of how limited Harrison can be in any given situation. He’s not completely limited, not even close. The kid is endlessly determined. But in the back of my mind, I’m always scanning, thinking through what’s possible. What’s reasonable.
And with water, I’ve always been very aware that he can’t use his arms like most kids. I’ve wondered what the limit would be. How far he could go. What that threshold looks like.
And honestly? Right now, I have no clue. I can’t even guess anymore. Because he just keeps blowing past every expectation.
So maybe we’re not even close to that limit yet. Or maybe this is the limit.
Either way?
I don’t care.
Because right now, my boy is in heaven when he’s in the water.
And I love seeing it.
Aqua-Tots, Day One?
Overwhelmingly, 100%, no question—a success.
You can check out a video and some photos from the session below. Look how happy that boy is!!
