Ya win some, lose some

(Zach bottom row...middle)
(photo by commonmandigital.com - washed out scan by me :)

I love Zach's football picture this year!
He struck the perfect balance between tough guy and cutie pie.
This season was rough going at times.
Poppy was born right in the middle of football mania,
and promptness to practices and games was not our forte.
Six people dressed and fed and out the door by 7:30 am did not happen easily (ever).
I especially felt the parental-failure-guilt on his homecoming day.
We were late and missed the parade float down to the field.
We pulled in to the parking lot, Zach jumped out,
Dave scribbled some "Go Sharks" type message on our car windows
while I tried as fast as I could to pen a poster (baby strapped to me)
for hanging on the celebratory fence.
Unfortuanately my shark looked more like an oven mitt,
and the "bite" out of the corner didn't really translate the way I thought it would.
Sheesh.
And then.
I walked over to the fence and saw the aaaamazing creations parents had crafted.
Embarassment ensued.
Signs in the shape of helmets-made from wood-
vinyl banners, pictures from childhood...streamers, balloons, and on and on.
I had even forgotten to bring something to hang up the sign with,
so we tucked it (tried to hide it?) along the bottom of the fence.
After the game Zach wanted to find his sign.
Ugggh.
He was totally pumped to find it, wanted his photo taken with it.
Then he came home and taped it to his bed.
Shucks. Made me teary.
Somehow he saw past the homeliness of it all and appreciated our efforts.
Bless that boy.

The only thing he asked me was, "Mom, why did you put stairs in the corner of my poster?"