Cannonballs, Watermelons and Strawberries, Size vs. Age

We took the kids to the pool yesterday and the six-year–old that Mama has watched for most of his life was with us. I had almost forgotten what good buddies the two of them are. Anyway, he was doing the customary “trick” dives for his age bracket. He started his competition with a well executed cannonball. Then he upped the ante with a brand new invention – the watermelon.
I am afraid we could not judge him on form and execution because Mama and I had no idea what we were looking at. It was like a face-first cannonball. The splash was impressive. His red face was a little frightening to Mama, but he seemed no worse for the ware. So the five-year-old brother to our normal charge (the baby girl) suggested other foods or fruits he should try, a mushroom, a potato, a banana and a strawberry.
For some reason the idea of a strawberry struck his fancy so he put his hands up over his head, wrists together, palms open above like a couple little leaves and jumped into the pool. Mama almost fell out of her chaise lounge which was set in the 6” deep area of the pool. That would have been terrible because she was not prepared to get that wet. It was a “sunning” day for her if you know what I mean?
To kids, especially Elementary School age, size really does matter. I sometimes forget just how very important the matter is. An increase in age is easily verified by an increase in stature. With the six-year-old now having completed kindergarten and on his way to the first grade, the relative age of everyone that looks “childlike” is measured purely by stature. I have not quite figured out when this comparison is abandoned because I find adults still remarking, “He/She is only ten years old?” or ten months old whatever the case may be.
While at the pool he saw another family coming to join in the water fun and remarked about the children in tow, “I’m older than any of them because I’m bigger.” I guess everything we needed to know we really did learn in kindergarten.
I love how wonderfully simple life is at that age.