Boys vs. Girls

Point Guard.
Defense strategies.
Offensive plays.
Pressing.
In other words, gibberish. I'm GREEK and these terms are Greek to me.

But to my husband, they are words in the lexicon of his passion: basketball.

He always tells me that he could have been a pro basketball player but other things got in the way. So he put his hopes in his kids. That was also thwarted when we ended up with two GIRLS.

For the past couple of years now, my husband has been hinting for a third child. I think he really thinks the third time will be the (boy) charm. Quasi-statistically speaking, the odds are stacked against him. For the most part, two girls in a row, means yet a third girl. We've known many families where this is true, and they had to get to numbers four and five to get the boy. Okaaaay??

All of his close friends have boys except him. (Cry me a river.) He wants another little man around the house. To play sports with. To watch sports with. Baseball. Basketball. Football. Even soccer. Who will do all of these things with him?? Who can HE bond with?

So Joe urged Isabella to try out for sports in school, all the while crossing his fingers and toes that she would LIKE sports and be interested in something besides...ballet. And wouldn't you know it. Isabella made point guard (I NOW know what that is) on her school team! Joe was a very loud presence at every game - you know, the sidelines coach, much like a backseat driver. He was thrilled to be on this ride...even gently coaxing Isabella into going to 'shoot some hoops' and 'get some pointers.' Isabella at times seemed disinterested, and other times she went begrudgingly. She got annoyed when Joe tried to point out a play or a slick maneuver while watching games on television. Then the season was over. And that was the end of that.

Here I sit, three months later, writing this as I listen to Isabella shouting at the TV. Bulls are in the NBA playoffs and Joe is still at work. She RACED to finish her homework so she can watch this critical game - if the Bulls lose tonight, 'it's over mommy!"

Whaaaat?

"Where's papi?" she chirped. "Doesn't he know the game starts at 7:30??" So I texted Joe and told him that he needs to come home to see this: Isabella has taken his place on the couch, relaying his comments, mimicking his body language and really, truly interested in basketball. Every commercial break she is running into the kitchen to grab a snack and alerting me of the latest score.

I've never seen Joe get home as fast as he did tonight. And although he hasn't said anything, I know, deep down, he is as content as any father with a son. And he would have been even if our girls showed no interest in sports - it's just that this makes it all the more sweeter for him.

-Cathy