Schmidt… Schmitt

The 2012 Summer Olympics have been in progress in London for about two weeks now.  Though they’ve been televised for what seems like all hours of the day, they’ve really only gotten any attention of the Leatherman family (mostly the Leatherman mommy) during the primetime hours (7pm to 11pm). Since the kids’ bedtime is generally at the start of primetime TV viewing, Cal hasn’t really seen too much of them.

Now, Cal doesn’t really get to watch too much TV.  My guess is that he watches more TV than some but certainly less than most.  So it’s a treat when he does get to watch it.  Given a choice, he’ll watch “a Mickey” (“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”); beyond that, the weather, sports, cowboys, animals, Cake Boss… these all catch his attention.

During the first week of the Olympics with baths already administered, Ella in bed, Cal in his jammies and Olympic swimming events on TV, I figured I’d give Cal a choice: watch 15 minutes of the Olympics or read his standard two books before bedtime.  I barely had the options presented and he was pulling himself up onto our bed and making his dent in my pillow, eyes focused on the TV. I had my answer (which happened to be the answer I wanted and, frankly, the answer I expected).

As we watched the swimming events together, I made sure to highlight the US swimmers, saying their names, where they were finishing in their races and that we were rooting for them.  “Why <are we rooting for them>, Mommy?”  “Because they’re from the US and we’re from the US and we hope the US wins.”  To be honest, I don’t remember who was swimming during those 15-30 minutes that Cal was watching that night.  And we didn’t talk about any of them after he watched them.

Cal's First-ever "Roll"


After we dragged the kids to the bowling alley so I could test out my new bowling ball last night, Dan figured we’d treat them to some ice cream.  Cal was pretty well behaved, particularly given the prospect of doing some bowling "himself" (right); and Ella… well, she’s not even 18 months, so how much cooperation can you really expect?  With the kids already in their car seats, Dan and I had this exchange as we put the stroller, bowling gear and diaper bag into the back section of “Cal’s car” (our RAV 4):

Dan:  Is the Dairy Queen east or west of here?

Me:  Well, where’s Schmidt Road?

Dan:  We’re just past it.

Me:  I think it’s west then.

Cal:  Schmidt Road… that’s like Allison Schmitt.

Dan:  Who’s Allison Schmidt?  A teacher?

Cal:  Noo...

Me <in my head>:  Allison Schmidt… Allison Schmidt… the name sounds familiar…

Dan:  A classmate at school?

Cal:  Noo.  Allison Schmitt is a really good swimmer.  She wins.

And there you have it. Allison Schmitt IS a swimmer on the 2012 US Olympic team.  She did WIN a bunch of medals, both in individual events and relay events.  I figure she must’ve been one of the swimmers we watched that night just before Cal’s bedtime.  Wow.  If only this attentiveness and memory would be applied to where he last left his cowboy hat or "King" car.