Like most families, there are certain activities we love to do together. I take none of them for granted because for a long time, Max didn't have the attention span or interest in participating. Now
we have Wii night, movie night and dance party night (here's a vintage 2009 version).
Max doesn't do board games, even the Lightning McQueen version of Trouble—he's just not interested. So Dave and I play with Sabrina (Pengoloo is a fave). It's always bummed me out that we don't do this as a family, like I did as a kid. One of the pleasures of parenthood is enjoying stuff with your kids that you have fond memories of from childhood.
Growing up, our family watched the Olympics together. Saturday night, I got to relive that. I turned on the short ice-dancing program. Both kids were mesmerized; Max kept signaling "more" (he can say the word, but he gets lazy). Sabrina said "Whoa!" a lot and tried to replicate the moves. The kids' picked their favorite performance (Meryl Davis and Charlie White). Then slopeside snowboarding came on and Max squealed, he was so excited.
We talked about Sochi and Russia. We spoke about the different countries the snowboarders came from, and what it means to win gold, silver or medal. We discussed how much practice it takes to do what the snowboarders did. We laughed that Sage Kotsenburg was chewing gum during a run, and perplexed the kids when we called him Spicoli. We wondered what was up with the guy knitting at the start gate (it was Finland's coach, and his team decided he should to it because it was funny).
Max squealed when it was Max Parrot's turn; he's always so psyched to know of anyone named Max, or to see it on packages (DuraMax light bulbs!), our laundry machine detergent dispenser ("max load") and pools.
"Max, would you want to snowboard?" I asked.
"No! Scary!" he said. I had to agree. Watching someone do a Backside Double Cork 1620 Japan knocks the breath right out of you.
Both kids stayed up late, so we could see Sage Kotsenburg score gold. We sat on the couch, Max on my lap and Sabrina on Dave's, and cheered.
Win.
Image: Flickr/jeffykabaruska
Exciting! My favorite was the figure skating portion because everyone is very graceful!
ReplyDeleteAnna....
DeleteI, too, like figure skating!! Scott Hamilton got me interested!! ;)
--Raelyn
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ReplyDeleteWatching the ice dancing, and seeing repeated shots of Vladimir Putin looking underwhelmed by ... everything ... made me think what a behavioral therapist would say about him. Probably that his "affect" is abnormal, and that his responses to "stimuli" are "inappropriate". He needs a positive reinforcement programs so that he'll learn how to cheer and clap "properly".
ReplyDeletePutin is...erm...an interesting character. I think he'd be more interested if HE was the one doing death-defying stunts and shooting at stuff. Though he'd probably demand that the biathlon include bears instead of targets. He's that kind of dude.
DeleteAndrew: HA! I was also thinking how underwhelmed he looked. He reminded me of President Snow in The Hunger Games. And Rachael, yeah, I'd sure love to see THAT.
DeleteTake a look at the story of Alex Bilodeau, who today won the gold for Men's Moguls. His older brother has cerebral palsy and Alex calls him his hero. If you watch a video of them together it's hard not to get all teary.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/alex-bilodeau-motivated-by-older-brother-with-cerebral-palsy/article16769006/
How interesting that you would mention that! Bilodeau also won in 2010 (but if you're a fellow Canuck I'm sure I won't have to tell you that, since it was a Big Deal, being the first gold on home soil), and here's what I wrote on Mommyish today about him:
DeleteOne memory from Vancouver will stay with me forever. In 2010, Canada won its first Olympic gold on home soil, the skiier Alexandre Bilodeau - I think it was in moguls. They interviewed the entire Bilodeau family afterward, and Alexandre mentioned that his brother, who has cerebral palsy, was a huge inspiration to him and an amazing brother during the long road to the Games. His brother, in turn, went on and on about how great Alexandre was, and you could tell the whole family was overwhelmed. The TV host poured some wine, handed the glass to the brother and asked him to give a toast. The brother said "To Alexandre - and to Canada." The Bilodeau parents wept, and my god, did Canada weep with them.
Racheal....
DeleteI love, love, love what you wrote about Alexandre Bilodeau, Friend!! Beautiful!! You have a way with words!! ;-D
--Raelyn
Sitting here watching the brothers hug after Alexandre won his Sochi medal, and crying.
DeleteEllen....
ReplyDeleteI enjoy watching snowboarding because of Shaun White!! And now, although I still like him, I've developed a little crush on Sage Kotsenburg!! The hair!! ;)
--Raelyn
Love this, Ellen, especially what you say about wanting to do the things with your kids that you enjoyed with your family growing up.
ReplyDeleteAnd what you say about Alexandre Bilodeau. There was an equally wonderful moment at the Olympics here in Vancouver with those two brothers.
Judy
Full body goose bumps from this entry :) love it
ReplyDelete