My girls, ages 3 and almost 7, are signed up for swimming lessons at our local pool. (Well, the 3 year old was until we took her out of lessons- she's too teeny and shivers with cold the entire time). I pack them up every day, and head to the pool that is in our community and I watch my oldest daughter swim. I take Cameron with me, who looks on quietly and contently from his wheelchair. I always feel badly though, because he LOVES the water (one of the characteristics of Angelman Syndrome) and he can't do the lessons. And, even though we have a pool so close that would give him the opportunity to do something (because he is so limited in skills), I can't take them all myself to the public swims because I have TWO non-swimmers, and it isn't physically possible for me. I can't handle the 3 year old when my hands are on him all the time. The odd time I can find another adult to come with us and manage her, we get to all go.

(No we don't have any type of special swimming program here, the town is too small).

I like to reminisce about when I DID take him for swimming lessons, many years ago. And I was just telling someone about it the same day that something else happened, which makes it kind of funny. 5 years ago, I signed Cameron and his sister up for the Mom & tot swimming, where the mother gets in the water with the baby, and they do a play-based lesson. I made arrangements for this beforehand. I took my daughter in, and they offered me an extra instructor to take my son. Well, my son ROARED with laughter in the water, and my daughter screamed because she didn't like the water. People were surprised that the children were siblings from their different reactions. (Guess I volunteered to take the wrong kid in!). Cameron loved those lessons, and I was always grateful that the instructor took him in so he had the opportunity to go.

Fast forward 5 years.

On Friday it was our 10th wedding anniversary. I took the kids to the pool at 5pm for the swimming lesson (where I told a friend the story about those lessons years ago), and then came home and got ready to go out for dinner. We didn't have a babysitter, so we took all 3 kids out to the restaurant to celebrate our anniversary. We got seated, and our waiter introduced himself, then said: "I know this might sound weird, but is your son's name by any chance C?????" (I forget what it was he guessed at- he didn't get it right, but it was close). Then he asked about the Hampton pool, where we live. HE was the instructor that had taken Cameron in for the swimming. He told us how much he enjoyed taking him in, and later told my husband that it was one of the highlights of his instruction days. The guy even remembered that Cameron liked deep pressure, not light touch. Wow...

The really interesting part was how Cameron responded to this young man. Usually Cameron couldn't care less about strangers. He will reach out to us, and give us smiles, but usually does this only with people he knows really, really well. He immediately gave big huge smiles to him, and reached his hand out to his on several occasions when he came to our table. And the young man interacted with him so well; it was really fun to see. I told him that it was unusual for Cam to respond to someone like that- to which he replied that he was very honored.

I wonder if he recognized him somehow- could that be possible? Did he remember what we were talking about? Or did he just sense that this was a very approachable person?

I'm not sure why he responded the way he did, but it was so refreshing to see. And I'm glad he felt honored, because he doesn't reach his hand out for just anyone to hold. But, he can't do it TOO much, or else mama might get jealous