Hotty Toddy Vols in the Potty

Note to Reader: This was a tough year for Tennessee Football to say the least. With that having been said, there is nothing so exhaustingly wonderful as arguing the validity of your sports team with a 2 year old.

We niece and nephew sat this weekend and while it is generally an excellent means of birth control because we are so exhausted when their parents come to retrieve them that I need a hot bath and a good long nap, this time felt a little different. Although the Hub and I aren’t quite ready to have a few of our own, their parting was a little bitter sweet. They are at such fun ages with the “Ninja” being a wise old “two and three quarters” according to her brother “Godzilla” who is himself the seniorly age of 4 and a half.

Additional Note to Reader: These are obviously not their real names, but are the nick names that they were given before they were born, and even before we knew weather they were boys or girls. Even more humorous is that these nick names stuck and are still the names we often call them today… unless they are in trouble.

So there we were, the Ninja and I snuggled on the couch with the Leapster, the Hub in the Man chair and Godzilla playing at the coffee table. With the DVRed . Duke vs. Georgetown basketball game playing on the television, out of the blue, Ninja looks questioningly at the game on TV and then up at me and says “what’s this game, football?”

“Nope,” I say smiling down at her big curious eyes, “this is basketball. Do you like basketball?”

“Ummm…” she says really considering the matter. “It’s cool” she says with a shoulder shrug fairly nonchalantly, like she might be leaving something out to save my feelings. (Let’s not forget, she’s two and three quarters.) “But,” (pause for effect) “I think I like football better.” At the end of her statement, she clicked her tongue happily, like she hadn’t a care in the world, like her foot ball team hadn’t been the 4-7 Tennessee Volunteers. Still not taking her eyes off the television screen she asked “Do you like football better?”

Now I know, in hind sight, this is the moment I went wrong, but without hesitation, I found myself trying to explain to her, the two and three quarters little girl nestled in the crook of my arm, why, “no, this season I think I like basketball better than football. This season, my team, the Vols didn’t play so good in football, so it’s been more fun to watch the Vols basketball than football.”

“Oh,” she says returning her gaze to the Leapster in her lap. “Well at my house we’re Hotty Toddy,” (pause for effect) “ and that’s always fun!” And then before I know it she’s rubbing the success of her stinkin’ Rebels in my face, telling me all about her cheerleader outfit and how “Godzilla even haves a sweater to wear when the games are here.”

Then, in a minute we’re back and forthing…

“Volls!” I say wuth a tickle

“Hotty Toddy!” she says with a giggle.

“Vols!!” I say again.

“Hotty Toddy!!” she says with a laugh

“Vols!!!” one more time for kicks.

“…IN THE POTTIE!!!” she says squeaking with delight at her since of humor.

I can do nothing but collapse with laughter. Here I am a grown woman, completely schooled by my two and three quarters Ninja niece in pull ups. There’s always next year and there’ll be a head to head battle on 11/14 in the ’09 schedule, so all you Hottie Tottie better look out!

Till next time,
Bon Voyage!