The Puddle Jumper Is Now The Bandwagon Jumper

EVERYBODY LOVES A WINNER

There are only two sports around here: professional football and college basketball. So it came as no surprise that Zoey's preschool decided to have an ACC basketball day (I only wish they had kept the kids all day so I could watch the games on TV). Basically, they were to dress in their parents' their favorite team's paraphernalia.

Last night we were trying on her Tar Heels cheerleader outfit (because we always wait until the last minute for everything). I have already drilled it into her head that her favorite baseball team is the Yankees and have been trying all week to make her realize that she's a fan of the Tar Heels basketball program.

"Who's your favorite basketball team?"

"The Champions!"

"What? I thought your favorite team is the North Carolina Tar Heels."

"No! It's the Champions!"

She's three years old and already has a bandwagon-jumper mindset. If she ever starts rooting for Duke or the Red Sox, she's dead to me.

Although, technically, the Tar Heels are the champions, so maybe she's a UNC fan after all. And the way they've been playing of late, I feel they have a pretty decent chance of repeating.

THREE VARIATIONS ON A THEME

Zoey, in a desperate attempt to steal attention from Zed, likes to pretend that she's a baby from time to time. I'll pick her up and she'll say, "I'm a baby." Sometimes I'll play along.

"What does a baby say?" I'll ask.

"Es-es-es-es." Zed's new trick is the S sound. Over and over and OVER again.

"Zed says that! Why do you think he says that?"

"I don't know. Tell me," she said.

"I think he's trying to say BIG SISTER." And damn if I didn't win Father of the Year right then and there. She was beaming from ear to ear for the rest of the day.

Today, we played the same game. After she said, "Es-es-es-es," I asked, "Why does Zed say that?"

"I think it's because he wants my friend Sarah to come over to play."

That's my daughter. Always looking out for Number One. And obviously rooting for Number One as well.

Personally, I think Zed is trying to sing Safety Dance. S-S-S-S-A-A-A-A-F-F-F-F...

I'm showing my age.

GHS: 0