Vicarious Living

Jon and I enjoyed watching the Beijing Olympics this year and like everyone else was following closely Micheal Phelps, the swimming star who broke tons of records and won 14 gold medals. I also followed his mother closely in the crowd as she would get so overwhelmed with suspense that she had a little fan and a daughter on each side holding her up. She cried every time he won and I thought "that is one proud mother!" I think that I would like for Ben to win some Olympic gold medals. Jon agreed and we have been discussing at length which sport we should introduce him to in the next couple of months (from what I gather major athletic stars begun training very early). Our criteria is it has to be a safe sport (no diving or gymnastics), preferably a winter and summer trainable sport considering our climate, one we both like watching and one whose equipment and coaching won't require us to remortgage our house every few years, unless of course Ben shows some early natural and astounding ability and we get a NIKE sponsorship before he starts school (he could probably go on Ellen too!). We later read that Micheal Phelps has size 14 feet. Ben's uncle also has size 14 feet and with the way his tootsies won't stop growing (he is in size 5/6 now which most 2 year olds wear- he looks like a hobbit) he is well on his way. We think this is the swimming secret; gigantic hands and feet...they are like flippers. So needless to say I am signing Ben up for swimming lessons in the fall for him and Jon to take together. I think he will enjoy this as he really likes baths and he will stay in his grandparents pool until he is prunier then a prune, his lips are chattering and purple and I have to drag him out crying. Well see how this "living through our child" goes...if nothing else he will be a good swimmer and have fun summer jobs life guarding. If he doesn't win a gold for the best country in the world to dedicate to the best parents in the world it will be okay. I will be fanning myself and crying overwhelmed with pride the first time he rides a two wheeler as well.