Big Man On Playground

Big T was the Big Man on Campus Playground today.  It was pretty cute actually.  When we first got to our local park there were quite a few kids there, mostly younger than my "Big" Big T.  Pretty much as soon as we arrived, Big T took out a few of the select Hot Wheels that he brought along with him, and pretty much as soon as he did that, he was swarmed by some other car enthusiasts.  This at first made him pretty anxious, screwing up his face and high-tailing it away from his pursuers.  But seeing as they were younger than him, they didn't get his blatant oh-so-subtle hint and kept on going after him...and if they did understand, they didn't care.  Gotta love their persistence!

Perhaps it was the 'ol "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" attitude...or perhaps Big T finally stopped freaking out enough to recognize that these kids weren't trying to take his cars from him but just wanted to compliment him on his fine taste in automobiles, but he finally stopped and basked in their admiration of him and his stuff.  He told them what makes and models his cars were...told them how many he had at home.  He let them marvel at his brand-spankin' new Lightening McQueen runners and "Oooh" and "Aaah" over his McQueen t-shirt.  A couple of them came over with their Mom, wanting to know his name and if they could show her his stash and maybe even check out his bike.  He was very patient and sweet to all the 'lil guys and let them hold his cars and tried to teach them all about drifting, etc.  Things every wee lad should know.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who worries thinks about and hopes that their kids will have the confidence they need to deal with their peers and all that's coming their way when they get to kindergarten and beyond.  Big T is usually pretty confident in social situations, but he does have moments of angst, which always sort of breaks my heart.  I think we'd all like our kid to be popular, but also kind. 

Today my baby big boy was both. 


"So this is a Mustang, a Corvette, an El Camino ..."

"This is the way you drift ..."