Football Fanatic

Anyone who has spent any amount of time with Connor lately knows that he has a profound obsession with football. It all started this fall when he attended a few Houston Texans football games. He just fell in love with every aspect of the game: tailgating, throwing/catching/hiking the football, watching the cheerleaders, seeing the pregame activities in the stadium, and of course cheering on our team during the game.



Soon Connor began acting out the entire games at home. He starts by doing his warm ups -- push-ups, sit-ups, running and catching the ball. Then he has to run to another room (his locker room) to change his jersey. Next he has to be introduced as a "football gamer" as he runs out of the tunnel (just like the real players do at the game). He runs out proudly with his arms high in the air. And then, it's time to play. He'll lean over and hike the ball, run, throw, catch, tackle, and sometimes even fumble the ball. He also likes to huddle and call the plays. And sometimes he runs the plays in slow motion, just like on TV. I tell you, this boy LOVES his football.

Playing Connor's version of football is very tiring. It's more about the performance than the game itself. But he loves it so much that he requests to watch "nighty night football" every night before bedtime instead of any other cartoon or kid show. And as he watches the game, he will act out the plays he sees on TV. If a player gets hurt, Connor will hold his side and want to be carted off the field. If one player holds out a hand to help another player up, Connor will request that we do the same. And of course, after a touchdown Connor will do his touchdown dance just like the players sometimes do.

For Christmas, Connor received probably the most appropriate gift from his MeMe and Grand Daddy. To celebrate his love of football, MeMe ordered him his very own Houston Texans football uniform complete with jersey, pants, and a helmet with a chin strap! And Grand Daddy got him not one but two footballs. I wish we had his reaction on video -- his eyes popped and he just yelled, "OH MY!" He was so, so excited. Probably the most successful gift for a little boy in the history of Christmas gifts.

Our only problem? Football season ends soon...


Here's Connor opening his 2 new footballs from Grand Daddy.


Trying on his very own football helmet.


Making his football gamer face. (That's what Connor calls the players--gamers.)


Posing like a true football gamer.


Connor wore his helmet and uniform the rest of the day, as well as the following day, and the day after that.


He even has to wear his helmet with his pajamas before bedtime. We're going to have a tough time getting him to wear normal clothes again.