This post is being written about 11 weeks after the fact, but because it was Carson’s first road game, I figured it was better late than never (written 11 weeks late, but I set the post date to be closer in line with when we the events occurred…)
OK, now that we have the formalities out of the way.
Everyone said I was nuts to take the kids to an away game, but for me it is easier to take them on an adventure like that than be stuck at home finding ways to entertain them all day.
I enlisted the help of our trusty babysitter, Miss Header, and we took the family bus to Notre Dame. The weather forecast said yucky rain and chilly temps like all day and we contemplated not going. But – again the fear of being stuck home all day overcame me, so off we went.
The kids had fun on the bus but the closer we got to South Bend, the yuckier the weather got. But an old friend of mine graduated from ND so I was a tailgater on a mission – and off we went, weather be damned.
Carson was on a mission too – he refused to be carried as he walked the length of the stadium from the bus to the tailgate lot. Here he is in all of his raingear glory. We heard lots of “oh, look how cute…oh wait, wrong team” because the ND fans noticed his Michigan hat. LOL.
I waited until he was asleep before I cracked open a beer. Notice the rain has stopped…thank goodness.
Miss Header and her Goose.
Miss Header and her sleeping Goose.
Me and my boy…this kid was BEYOND engaged almost the entire game. I don’t know if it’s because our seats were way closer to the field than they are at home, but Carson was pointing and yelling and clapping like he’d been doing this forever. There were some college-ish-age kids in front of us and they kept getting and giving high-fives and knuckles from Carson, and at one point said “he is the COOLEST kid EVER!”. I know.
It only looks like he’s about to punch this guy…he really just has a fist full of pretzel and had just taken a bite.
Doing a little mid-game prayer?
Hooray!!
Oh…the suspense is KILLING me!
“Yeah, that’s right. We won. And now I will walk out of this stadium like I own it.” (Alternately titled: Carson again refused to be carried…which made me nervous with all the people pouring out of the stadium.)
Yeah, so this is the toilet paper dispenser in the bathroom. And I am not lying when I tell you that Mallory almost wouldn’t wipe herself after going potty because she didn’t want to use Notre Dame toilet paper. I successfully explained that Notre Dame toilet paper is OK to use on your bottom. Phew.
So – all of my fears about the weather sucking and the kids being idiots were for naught. By the end of the game, we were sad we didn’t have sunglasses on, and the kids were fantastic. Oh, and Michigan won!
Rick’s sister & her husband flew up for the game so we saw them briefly after the game (I hope Nancy has pictures?) and Eddie’s dang gum Arkansas accent never ceases to crack me up. I don’t know if it’s the accent or because he’s as big as a bear, but both of my kids were cool with giving him hugs and talking about the game.