Skipping Rocks: Older and Wiser

Last night I got to take Nolan to the Cardinals game. Chad and I both had tickets from work, but Chad is a little nerdier than I and he actually brought clients (boo Chad). So Nolan and I hitched a ride with Chad, or should I say we hopped on the awful Metrolink with Chad (I'll spare your the part about us getting on the wrong train coming home and having to sit and wait for an additional 20 minutes for the right train, I mean that would just put a bummer on the entire post yes?). Anyway, once we got to the stadium Nolan and I embarked on our journey. We went to the kids area and had some "dinner" (a soft pretzel and cheese totally covers all the major food groups in my book), then we went and watched a little band play in the courtyard, then we met Fredbird, then we went to 2 different gift shops, then we got ice cream and THEN we sat down. I might mention that we finally sat down in the top of the 7th. When I was kicking the people out of our seats they were giving me a look like they thought I was certifiably insane as most of the game was already over. But I'm a rule abiding Cardinals fan and I wanted MY seat. Moral of this long story is Nolan and I had SOOOOO much fun. He was digging every second of this experience, dancing and clapping and acting goofy...it was awesome. Here is proof we actually got to our seats. Also note that I can get Nolan to do just about anything now if it involves the number 4. "Hey buddy why don't you sit there for a picture, that seat has a 4 on it!" (insert kid hopping right up and smiling, ahhh I love child psychology).

I skimmed right over the most important part of this story. NOLAN MET FREDBIRD! I know what you're thinking, wow cool so does every other kid that goes to the Cardinals game. Let me give you a little history. Nolan has met Fredbird a few times before. When he was a baby, no big deal. When he realized there was a 6 foot bird chomping down on his head…HUGE DEAL. He did not like him at all, and that is putting it very nicely. But tonight as I stood back from where Fredbird was standing trying to ~~bribe~~ negotiate with Nolan to go up and see him something awesome happened. Fredbird saw what I was trying to do and saw that Nolan was intimidated. So he left his area (where there was a line of people mind you) and came over to Nolan and knelt down on the ground really low and put just his hand out for a high five. It was like his peace offering to Nolan. He then proceeded to take off his hat and try and put it on Nolan's head etc. At first he was still apprehensive...

And then we got it, the money shot. I mean thumbs up and everything! I will confess…I almost cried. Make fun of me if you will but this was a HUGE moment. I couldn't have been more proud.

Oh wait there's more! Nolan even threw me a bone on this particular evening and let us go back and take a picture TOGETHER with Fredbird! For those counting at home that is two separate encounters with the friendly bird. We have definitely turned a corner in the fear of characters arena!

(on a totally unrelated note, do my shoes look a little too similar to Fredbirds? Fashion faux pas…or awesomeness…I can't decide.)