All Kinds of Olympics!

Last year Aaron became interested in football for the first time in his life.  Many of you may remember reading some of my football blogs last fall and winter.  Seeing football through Aaron's eyes was - well - interesting.  I was never more aware of the length of a football game than I was when watching it with Aaron, who talks and talks for a majority of the game.  Football games are long...........very, very long.  But it was very, very educational to listen to Aaron talk about the four rounds that comprise a football game;  the refs in their jailhouse suits;  whether the liquid that the players had squirted in their mouths was indeed mouthwash;  which team we were voting for...............among a few of the many insights that Aaron shared of his understanding of football.

And when the football season started, Aaron said the same thing that he said the other night when he saw that the Olympics was nearly ready to begin.  Aaron saw the Olympics commercial on TV and became very excited. "The Olympics is coming out?!"  Whereupon he clomped down to Gary's study and exclaimed, "Dad!  The Olympics is finally out!"  Aaron makes it sound like the Olympics is the next blockbuster movie that he wants to see.  In fact, one night after Aaron again told us that the Olympics was coming out, Gary asked him if they were coming out in 3D...............and that comment was totally lost on Aaron as he walked away, happy in the knowledge that the Olympics was coming out.

He doesn't quite understand what the Olympics really is and what they actually do in an Olympics.  He asked one night, "What do they do on the Olympics?  Different kinds of sports?"  We've been trying to explain what the Olympics are for and what they do, including what sports are competed in during these summer Olympics.  It's all very new to Aaron, so we've been smiling a lot at his comments.  The opening ceremony was of no interest to him, but he's watched some of the competitions and of course, has a lot to say about what he observes.

He was intrigued last night as he watched some of the gymnastics.  During the floor routine on the mat, Aaron asked why the gymnast was bouncing............and while watching the pummel horse routine, he wondered why they were spinning.  "Is he dizzy?"  Aaron asked.   He thought the different swim strokes were amazing.  "What?!  They just keep on going?  When are they gonna stop?!"  Finally that meet was over and Aaron asked, "Did the U.S. become first?"

Today he watched a little while he ate his lunch.  More gymnastics came on and he wondered out loud, "What kind of Olympics is this?  Is this the pole kind?"  Gary knew that Aaron meant parallel bars while I was still scratching my head on that one.  When he saw the rowing teams, he was so surprised.  "HUH??  In the Olympics they do boating?"

Yes, Aaron, in the Olympics they do rowing.  He was still trying to absorb this news.  "I never knew they did boat!!"

Finally he asked, "So there's all kinds of Olympics?"

There are all kinds of Olympics, Aaron.  And I'm sure we'll be hearing all kinds of insights!