Foosball '08

Andrew asked for one thing for Christmas, a foosball table. And he got it. And now he wants to play it a lot. Which is fine, because we got it for him. But we have to constantly remind ourselves of that when we are feeling lazy and don't want to play with him. I mean, WHY get a gift like that for your kid if you aren't willing to play it?

So since discovering the foosball table on Christmas morning, I haven't played at all. I sneakily allowed it to become a "Daddy" game, and sat on the couch eating candy canes and Christmas goodies reading my new books while Jeff hiked down to the cold basement and played. Grinchy, eh? But this morning Andrew determined that it was time to teach good old Mom how to play.

And I made a fatal error.

See, I am not good at foosball. While it is hardly athletic, I excell at it about as well as any other sport/physical/coordinated activity. So Andrew takes one side and I take the other and the games begin. I talk and groan and shriek at my "players". I make them "talk" back to me. After one pitiful game where Andrew and I barely moved the ball around, I suggested that we team up against Jeff. Andrew and I on one side, Jeff on the other. While we played, I did more of the same comedy routine, which was really a bad strategic move, because my partner was laughing so hard at me he was crying, so couldn't see the table, and so was worse than usual. I did NOT have the same effect on my opponent...who soundly beat us.

Eventually, I had named the middle goalie...who, quite frankly, is the root of all Andrew and my problems with the foosball game. Seriously, could he pay attention and actually block some shots? So "Larry the Loser" was born. If Jeff missed a block, I would declare that Larry's cousins must have joined up with the other team. I would scold Larry each time he missed, and during breaks, (moving Lily out of the range of the poles), Larry and I would hold practice, where he would spin quickly and try to stop in a blocking position. Andrew was HYSTERICAL with laughter. I thought he was going to wet his pants a few times. Jeff was kind and let us win a few games. But he really could have been a bit more stealthy about it. Leaving your goal undefended? Playing one-handed? Really? Do you think it is any better for our egos to win versus you one handed than it is to lose? Come-on!

So my fatal error? Andrew had so much fun today, I'm pretty sure there will be no more couch reading sessions while the boys play foosball. I've been drafted to the team...and my contract doesn't expire for a while, I'm sure.