Our Little Football Fan - Opening Game

Yesterday we piled the family in the car and drove down for one of UVa's biggest college football games in recent memory -- against the #3 USC Trojans. It was a beautiful day, but that stadium is hot hot hot in late Aug/early Sep especially with 65,000 people there. Kickoff was 3:30, weather was in the 90s, and our seats are directly in the sun. In spite of the oppressive heat and my team getting crushed, we all had a pretty good time, especially Sweetpea. As we were walking up to the stadium - E on my shoulders and throngs of people all around - E spots the stadium, points, and shouts "Look, look! Over there! There it is! It's there, it's there! Over that way!"

Proud moment #1 for Daddy.

We had an extra ticket and had to get rid of it. Initially, I had E on my shoulders and walked around holding up a ticket asking if anyone needed one. It didn't take long for her to snatch the ticket out of my hands. I put her down, and she walked along with Mommy, holding the ticket up and doing her best to help out, saying "Who needs a ticket?" My little scalper.

Proud moment #2 for Daddy.

Sweetpea got lots of comments on her outfit. It was from last year, so a little small, but Mommy cleverly suggested that she wear shorts underneath, which worked out perfectly. And she wore it well.

Once in the stadium, we went to the seats, making it just in time for kickoff. Because of the aforementioned heat, it was really necessary to take breaks from the sun and hang out on the concourse. When Susan took her down for the first time, E looked back through the tunnel and said "I want to go back! I want to go back with Daddy!" Something tells me though that she wanted more football.

Proud moment #3 for Daddy.

When we were all back at the seats, E made herself comfortable across Mommy & Daddy's laps. But there was a problem. People were blocking her view. She couldn't see the action on the field. "I can't see!" Upon sitting her up, she noticed people waving their towels for a big play and joined in with some towel waving and pom-pom shaking.

Proud moment #4 for Daddy.

By the half it was pretty clear that we had to leave early. The game was getting out of hand and the heat was getting to everyone. We had gone through two shaved ices (mostly eaten by E with some from Mommy) and a couple bottles of water. Thing about those shaved ices is the syrup they put on -- pure sugar. Sweetpea was running around like a crazy girl in the picnic area within the stadium. She wanted to keep hanging from the lowest branches of the trees there and would summarily do some pull-ups, counting off each one. With Daddy's help, of course. Still, while Mommy & Daddy were dragging, Sweetpea was ready to go.

Proud moment #5 for Daddy.

E didn't get a nap so we really needed to get her dinner and get on the road so that, hopefully, she would fall asleep on the 2.5 hr drive back. We left midway through the 3rd Qtr and made the long hike back to the car. E was in great spirits the whole way back. The heat and the outcome of the game didn't matter. Which is a valuable lesson for Daddy who, occasionally, expresses some unhappiness when his team loses. Mommy gets serious props too -- she really hung in there and took most of the E duty in the stadium so that I could watch the game.

We stopped at a local establishment for some quick eats and left town. E stayed awake for a good hour-and-a-half before finally dropping off. Mommy did likewise.

All in all, a good outing. My brainwashing seems to be working. My little one loves football and loves Daddy's team. Now if I can only get her to stop calling it baseball..

Go Hoos Go!

- Rich