His most recent decision...

Gabriel LOVES sports. I think it is clear within the first few minutes of meeting him.  If there is a ball within 100 yards of him, he immediately spots it, seeks it out and claims it has his own (at least to play with for as long as he can). 

Most afternoons after school and homework is done, Gabriel goes to the backyard and practices playing some sort of sport that involves a ball. In fact for the last 8 months to a year, Gabriel has repeatedly been telling us that when he grows up he is going to play sports in college and then become an Arizona Diamondback followed by an Arizona Cardinal football play and then he'll play for the Suns. Jarrett and I smile and secretly hope he actually does it, we may be able to retire before we are 110.

So back to the backyard.  In the last few weeks we've noticed that Gabriel has been adding in some unique exercises to his normal routine.  Usually throwing the ball up and then trying to run and catch it himself, the other day I looked in the backyard to see Gabriel hula-hooping and holding a ball.  I watched for a few minutes and smiled as I then saw him begin to hula again, followed quickly by tossing the ball up in the air, while still hula-ing and quickly move across the yard to catch the ball.  Honestly, although he didnt' see me watching him, I have to admit I was impressed.    No more than 15 minutes later after several practice attempts, Gabriel burst through the back door and declared that I needed to come watch him perform his new trick.

I obliged and to the back yard we went.  Moments later I was bursting out in laughter as I watched my son hula-hoop and throw/catch balls in his baseball glove all at the same time.  Then later that evening when Dad came home, he insisted on putting on a show for all of us again.  We thought it was pretty funny and impressive.

And just this past weekend, all of us were in the car driving, when suddenly and out of the blue Gabriel confessed, "Mom and Dad, I'm not going to go to college and play sports, instead Mom and Dad, I'm going to join the circus so I can do my tricks and make people laugh." 

Until next time,
Angie