I'm a fish!! But Sully is not

One of my absurd phobias has been to get water in my ears, be it pool water, lake water, shower water...no water in these ears!  Why?  Well, I had 4 ear surgeries and countless ear infections growing up, so many that I could walk into the ENT's office and know what instruments they were going to use and what meds they would prescribe!  Ridiculous?  Yes, I know.  So, around 13-15 years old I stopped swimming.  I loved the water, loved the pool, loved swimming, but because of the ear issues I just stopped.
J realizes that I have this crazy phobia, I would get so upset if water accidentally got in my ears, freak out upset.  Dramaqueen much?  So, one day we were walking around our apartment pool and I said, "You know, I might just be feeling brave and would put my head under water if we got in"  What does J do?  Dig out our bathing suits, drive to Walmart and buy sunblock (because, let's face it, I'm blinding white and just don't tan...thank you Irish ancestors).  Great, I've now opened my big mouth and will have to live up to this statement of bravery.  What have I done now?  lol.
Bathing suits on, sunblock slathered, we jump in the pool.  It's a hot 88 degrees or so outside, but the apartment pool is an icy 70 degrees according to J's watch.  We inched around the pool trying to get used to the hypothermia setting in and finally the time came for me to put up or shut up and know that I'd never hear the end of wimping out.
HOLY COW that water was COLD.  So cold my lungs instinctively forced all of the air from my body as soon as I stuck my head under water, successfully I might add!  So, I was not able to swim that day, but J was proud of me for trying.  lol.
Well, we waited several more weeks and I decided I'd try it again in J's aunt's pool.  So, off we go, armed with floats and the Amanda-required sunblock...gotta keep my pasty white skin, as I prefer white to lobster red.  The water was too warm for a polar bear's likings, so perfect for us!  We warned J's brother and sister-in-law to not splash me, that I was working up the courage to swim underwater again.  I remembered loving to swim, but just couldn't get past the fear of water in my ears.
Finally, I looked at J and said, "here goes nothing" and dunked under water and swam all of 3 feet lol.  Disappointed that I didn't make it any further, I was determined to keep trying.  We swam pretty much all day Memorial Day and then went back out the next day.

What did I do?  I swam!  I went under water and swam further than 3 feet!!  Several times!  J was so proud of me he video taped it!!

Sorry it's sideways, can't figure out how to fix that

I loved it, I am so excited that I'm going to spend as much time in the pool as possible this summer!!  Now, Sully on the other hand...I got him on the float and he was rather unhappy with me.  J's brother swam under the float and scared Sullivan, good thing I had my hands on him, that baby was ready to jump and doggie paddle (hehehe) to safety.  Later, he kept coming to the edge of the pool looking at us, so what does any good mother do?  I grabbed him and plopped him in the pool with us.  Well, Mini-Schnauzers can swim, but apparently don't like it.  He stayed away from the pool after that lol

See, not a happy camper lol