The kids fiddled with their dinners, kicking in their chairs and waiting. Finally, the words they needed to hear: "Let's suit up!" We were headed for the game.
Down the stairs they dove , squealing "Eeeeeeee" and "Wee HOO" and began to ransack the suitcase. "Mine!"
"Wait..guys..."
"DUH! I don't wear pink!"
"MINE!"
"If you'll just..."
"I don't want your stupid hat...."
"STOP!" and I threw my body across the case. There were long johns, socks, and turtlenecks flying through the air while the kids snapped at them like starving dogs. They layered up. You could feel the excitement: tingly and giggly and good. We looked like steam engines as we puffed to the truck.
We parked and proceeded to semi-strip in the middle of the parking garage so we could adhere Thermacare heat wraps to each other. It was hilarious. We got a few extra smacks in there to MAKE SURE they stayed put:
"Yep. Here! Let me just...."WHACK!
" Oh! Good Thank you!" SMAT! " That should do it!"
" OH You're so KIND!" THWACK!
We reassembled ourselves and began to walk. The kids were skipping and singing. They began to punch each other. I didn't say a word. They were so puffed up they "couldn't put their ARMS down!" or possibly hurt each other. We made our way to the bathrooms for a pit stop where after the fact, Ben announced rather loudly that he got to pee in a trough. It was a proud father-son moment...I guess. Maddie and I have never given the thumbs up for being able to "hover"; so the experience is lost somewhat. We found our seats and stared in amazement at their FABULOUS location.
The players were HUGE! My son couldn't speak. To see Big Ben and The Flyin Lion...his eyes were absolutely brilliant with adoration...of the players and his dad for sharing this. He nudged him, hugged him and just kept saying "Wow! Oh MAN! Coooool!" He was so overwhelmed he was laughing. My daughter plopped down next to a stranger, looked him dead in the eye and said "I hope you're for the Steelers. They're better." The man high fived her and said "They sure are." She was satisfied.
If you saw the game you know there were some tense moments in the beginning...My husband glared at me when Cinci scored. I smirked but kept quiet knowing it would be short lived. Then the snow came. Maddie said it looked like one of my musical snow globes that had been shaken. The kids looked up and tried to catch the flakes on their tongues. It was too windy so when they looked back at me their cheeks were pricked and red but we were all too busy shouting and shaking our terrible towels and whooping it up to notice.
The row of guys behind us were initially a little "rough". Maddie turned around once when one guy called the ref something that rhymes with "Lucky Door". One of his buddies smacked him and said " Heyyyy! Watch it..."nodding in Maddie's direction.
"It's okay. I don't mind but it makes my mom upset. Can you use something else...liiiiiiike stinkball? Monkeybutt?" she said simply. They thought it was hilarious and high fived her. The rest of the night was full of creative put downs. Those guys were great and they were great to my kids.
The nachos showed up at the half. Maddie had navigational difficulties and dipped her mittens right in the cheese proceeding to paint her face with gold, sticky, processed cheese food. The kids were flying high. We marveled that Lynn Swan was behind us and we went nuts when we showed up on the jumbo-tron TWICE!
We made it to the fourth. I looked over to see Maddie leaning on the guy to her left. I pulled her toward me smiling. Ben's eyes were droopy and he mentioned his toes were cold. He slipped his hand warmers into his boots. We began the long trek to the car. Only once did Ben stop and fidget with his boots. He never said a word or asked us to stop. They were still flipping towels and yelling, winging peanuts at the ducks in the freezing water. We made it to the truck. By the time I got them situated, found myself in the passenger seat and closed my door, they were gone; snoring like crazy. We got them back where I stripped them down to their thermies. I pulled Ben's boots off and peeled off the outer socks. I couldn't believe it. They were singed from the hand warmers. That kid walked for at least twenty minutes on burning coals.
My husband and I collapsed in our bed. We were still punchy. He high fived me as we relived the night; giggling and smiling. It was wonderful. My kids made it magical. It was one of the best and most special days I've ever had.
Thanks for letting me share and enjoying it.
