You Better Know How Much I Freakin' Love You!!!

The three youngest kids and I went to a public pool with some friends today.  I was thoroughly basking in this stage of life I've reached, where all of my children are confident swimmers and I don't even have to get in the water if I don't want to.  (Woohoo!!!)
I still put a swimsuit on today, so that I could have the option of getting wet, or maybe get just a little sun on my whiteness--but definitely with no intention of actually swimming!
Well, our time at the pool went pretty-much as planned.  The kids were in various places (along with about 500 other people), but I could easily keep an eye on them as I went around to spend a little time with each one.
We were wrapping things up and I had let them know we were leaving in about 10 minutes.  I had spent most of my time with Chase, since he's the youngest and the two girls were mostly staying together.  Even though he's 8, we had wandered over to the shallow ("baby pool") area and were hanging out there.  It was still deep enough for him to swim in, and I could walk around in it and stay cool, so it was great.
I reminded Chase that we were leaving in a few minutes, and I told him I was going to go a few feet away and sit on a lounge chair until it was time to go.  I walked away but he soon joined me and asked the dreaded question:  "Mom, will you race me across the pool?"
"WHAT?!?!?!?!"  I started laughing, and told him I wasn't going to swim today.  Simple.  Not happening.
Then came the begging.  And then even some tears.  (Now, I have to say right here that I'm a firm believer in not giving in to kids because they cry--not that I don't have my weak moments though!  But there's a difference between spoiled crying and just very disappointed crying.)  I quickly came to realize that I had just crushed what he thought was a fun and fabulous idea.  He had no reason to expect that I would be anything but as enthusiastic about it as he was.  And now I had completely squashed his excitement.
I was so torn.  There's nothing I hate more than unnecessarily disappointing my children (regarding my time spent with them, NOT things; they're disappointed every time we go to Target and I won't buy them stuff, but that falls into a whole different parenting department).  (Sorry, had to specify.)  I want my kiddos to always know that I love to be with them, I'll do just about anything crazy with them that they want, and if I don't have a really good reason to say no I try not to.  But I can't even put into words how much I DID NOT want to get wet from head-to-toe today.  My hair was somewhat decent and had managed to stay that way, I was nice and warm (the water was not!), and I was looking forward to heading home in a few minutes, happy and dry.
I contemplated my situation, as my little wet boy stood there looking at me, his tears blending in with the pool water on his face.  Finally I stood up from my lounge chair, put my face right up to his, smiled and said, "Alright!  But you better know how much I freakin' love you!!!"
The smile I received in return was worth it all.  I accepted it as payment in advance.
Well, another demand was added to the request:  This race was to take place in the baby pool.  Again, WHAT?!?!?!?!  (This time I was smart enough to just think it, not say it.)
Yep.  He wanted to race there.  Why?  Because he's eight, and 8-year-old boys sometimes get excited over strange ideas.  That's the only explanation I can come up with.
I wasn't about to shatter his whole world yet again, so in we went.  (My loss of dignity began with the birth of my first child, so I've learned to do my best to disregard the judgments of others.)  I tried not to give thought to the adults who I could be sure would notice this full-grown woman swimming across the 18"-deep pool.  I was doing this for my little boy, and for this moment he was all that mattered.
So, five races were held.  He planned it all.  His excitement grew with each race.  The water was freezing, my mascara was about an inch below my eyes by the time we finished, and I did catch several odd looks from people glancing my way.  But my little boy was as happy as could be, and I'm pretty sure when we left the pool there was no doubt in his little mind that his mama ABSOLUTELY FREAKIN' LOVES HIM.