Cooler in December

A week or so ago, I noticed that Tommy found an unusual "toy". My in-laws like to go to those local business expos and get free stuff (pens, pads of paper, funny hats, balls) to bring over to us. We have a lot of little advertising doodads around but Tommy really became fond of a neoprene can cooler (just like one of these). It is navy blue with a white "Anchor Bank" logo on it. He liked how soft it was, I guessed, and he would put his little fist through it and rest it on his forearm. I didn't notice how much he liked to wear it, until I realized the other day that he woke up from his nap...STILL wearing it! When I offered to help him get it off, he yelled at me! I asked him, "Tommy, what IS that?" and he looked at me like I must be stupid or something and said:

"Football."

?

I told the kids, "Hey, ask Tommy what that can cooler thingy is!". He had the same answer, every time!

Now, Tommy is the first sub-two year old in the house to even give a hoot about any sport. We noticed his love of sports when, during the playoffs, he watched the Yankees and Twins play. He started to actually PITCH the ball as though he were a real, live, professional pitcher...with follow through and everything! We tried to capture it on film but I accidentally erased it. It was amazing. He was REALLY watching the pitcher on the mound and copying his every move!

His football obsession is even worse. The other day, he was fussing so Matty asked him if he wanted to just snuggle on the couch and watch a show. He said "Yeah, football!". Matty told him that there was no football on today. He was SO disappointed, so Matty tried to find some sport channel on the menu. That's when Tommy discovered ESPN Classics. He made us watch some 1982 College game. If we turned the channel, he was incensed! How could we? That's FOOTBALL!

Butch has created a monster, for sure this time.

It wasn't until today that I figured out what that little neoprene "football" meant to him. At first, we thought it maybe represented the player's pads? Then, we thought that the little logo looked like some football team logo and that he recognized it as something like that? NOPE. I got it! He watches the games SO closely, that he's noticed how the quarterback has that little armband which has the plays written in it. He thinks his "armband" is that thing. He also wore it to bed tonight. Luckily, he's got teeny arms and it doesn't cut off circulation, but I think maybe Santa might bring a REAL one for Tommy this year. Instead of football plays, I think it might have some pictures or football cards inside it. It will be his favorite present and I'm sure Santa will make it JUST the right size, because I'd be willing to bet he will NEVER take it off!

(Always take pictures of your kids when they do naugh...I mean "adventurous" things. It will help to diffuse the frustration. That smudge on his cheek was my super-stay lipstick. It superstayed on him for 4 days. I finally got it off, after a bath, with some baby oil, and some scrubbing.)