The good ol' hockey game

Two of my favorite things about Josiah are that he has a great imagination and he loves sports. (Just two of many things I love about him...) These two attributes combined lead to what we call his "constant commentary." From the time he wakes up in the morning until he goes to bed at night (and likely while he sleeps) Josiah has imaginary sporting events going on his head, and he commentates them off and on throughout the day. (Mostly on...) I've learned to tune him out, but since he does require affirmation that we've heard every score and player and penalty and team he's just updated us on, I've gotten in the habit of saying, "Oh yeah, really?" pretty much all day. The sport rotates between hockey, football, and soccer for the most part, but the idea is always the same. He tells us which player he is and what team he's on and what team they're playing and what the score is and who got what penalties and he insists that we tell him who we're cheering for. This does not necessarily have to be the team he's playing for, but we have to remain consistent at all times. For example, yesterday he presented me with probably the 38th scenario of the day and asked me if I was cheering for the Oilers. I distractedly said yes, and he reminded me, "Mom, you never cheer for the Oilers." I tried to think of a situation when I would, but he was right, so I had to admit I had been distracted, and of course I wasn't cheering for the Oilers. =)

Anyway, yesterday was such a fine display of his full-blown imaginary gaming, that I thought I would share the play-by-play with all of you.

As you may have noticed from an earlier post, Josiah just got new roller blades, so he was outside playing hockey while Abby and I watched from the driveway/front steps/flower beds...wherever Abby led me. This was how we watched the events unfold...

Standing proudly for the singing of "Oh Canada." (But not actually singing because he had noticed the night before at the beginning of the Canucks game that most of the players didn't sing...)

The main action of the game. Full of muttered play-by-play, "Sedin passes to Sedin. Down the ice to Naslund. Into the attacking zone goes Trevor Linden......"

The cheer. (Though at this point, he scored with an imaginary puck- he alternates in and out using real or imaginary pucks.)

Line change. That's right. I wasn't sure why he kept going to all the effort to get to the stairs for a few minutes- there's a bit of an incline there, which isn't easy to maneuver when you're new on roller blades. I asked him about this and he just said to me, "Line change, mom." "Of course", I said, trying to hide my smile.

Skating out on the ice as he's announced the first star of the game. He did this very humbly as if he's always the first star- which he is. =)

In the dressing room, where he goes after every period and at the end of the game after being announced first star. I asked him what he was doing in the garage. "Are you done playing hockey?" I asked. No mom, we're just talking to the coach. Then I hear him muttering quietly, "Yeah coach, I know. I had a good game......" Again, humbly accepting this praise. =)

What a kid! He's awesome.