Wow Mommy!

It's nice to get some appreciation for my mediocre athletic abilities, even if it is from a 4-year-old who doesn't know the difference between "junior varsity" and "varsity."

I know the difference, as it's a line I rarely crossed in high school. I played enough sports to learn the rules and get the basics down for basketball, volleyball, track & field, and soccer. I managed to squeak by with a varsity letter for long-distance running, although I've never been a runner (or jogger) for fun. Walking is more my speed.

My dad and I spent many memorable hours in the driveway working on basketball skills. My brother and I played badminton and croquet in the backyard. I had a bicycle through high school, but haven't been on one since.

Then I married into a family where golf and baseball are important.

And now there's Niranjana. Active and rambunctious with a definite "sporty" leaning. And having been in the "Niranjana Fitness Program" since September, I have a bit more stamina for backyard play than I did a year ago.

So it's with a certain sense of inner athletic fulfillment that I whack the Little Tikes baseball, send it soaring 20 feet and onto the roof, and hear my daughter sincerely exclaim "Wow Mommy!"