The Olympics

This year's summer Olympics has proven to be very fun to experience on many levels with Ella.  First there was the fun in explaining to her that they only happen every 4 years so we got to count by 4s as we figured out how old she'll be at the next several Olympics.  Every few days, she says to me "Will I really be EIGHT when the Olympics come again?"  I think the idea of being as old as 8 kind of blows her mind.

Then there was the fun of watching the Opening Ceremonies together.  We promised Ella she could stay up to watch the parade not really realizing that it would be hours into the whole extravaganza before the parade of athletes started.  But she waited patiently with her globe to look up all the countries as the athletes marched in.   Once they started, it was a lot of fun to try to find all the countries on the globe especially the little ones she'd never heard of.  And, bonus, I felt all smug and mom-of-the-year-like for the great educational experience I was giving her even if it was 3 hours past her bedtime. 

Ella, globe, and the aptly named Kenya Lily Te

(don't ask, I still don't get her naming choices either)

We've had fun watching the competitions in the evening and the recaps over breakfast.  Ella says her favorite sports are the swimming and the gymnastics.  I haven't managed to catch the nutso synchronized swimming yet with her but I think she'd dig that.  She also likes soccer and quite enjoyed the US Women's big win over Canada. 

We turned on the games one night to see the Italian women playing volleyball and when I told her it was the Italian team, she said "Oh, goody, I hope T is playing!"  T is our friend who just spent the last year studying in Italy.  She is talented in many many ways but I am pretty sure she is not an Olympic athlete except in Ella's eyes.

Today I told Ella that the Olympics will be over soon and she said she was very sad about not watching them again for four more years.  "When I'm 8, right, mommy?" It's hard for me to believe, too.