The ultimate match up!

Look closely and you can see my two birthday presents. (No, not the helmet. That's the new one I gave Jeff for Christmas - a new one, I must mention, that already smells incredibly bad.)

Just in time for the annual Moms versus Mites hockey game, and much to AJ's dismay, Jeff gave me my birthday presents a day early: a hockey stick that shoots right, and (you might be able to tell by my chunky knees) my own shin guards.

"Dad, how could you?"  AJ asked as he watched Jeff wrap my stick with tape. He seriously believed the excuses I'd been giving him - that I just needed my own stick, and then I'd be better than him. I finally 'fessed up and told him it was just an excuse. He giggled then and all was well.

We made it to the rink. And then I headed home. To get my skates. (I'm blaming Jeff for this. He'd grabbed everything else.) Good think we only live a few miles away. I made it back to the rink and quickly laced up just as the first puck dropped.

We skated the standard 2-minute shifts. The coaches would send out five kids, and the matching moms would head out accordingly.

A season of teasing and trash-talking culminated in this one game. Surprisingly, AJ focused more on the game than on me. He'd usually say something like, "You're going down!" as we faced off, but once the puck was in play, he just wanted wanted to score.

And score he did. Thankfully. I scored once, but he scored twice. Therefore, the game was a victory for him.

Three older brothers of various kids on the teams served as referees. They were awesome. They tended to help the Mite team. For most of the game, I noticed doing double duty as goalies. Towards the end of the game, they were skating the puck down the ice, kicking it with their skates and passing to the boys to help them score. And always with the cutest grins on their faces.

It was a warm night with snow falling. The ice was a mess - lots of chips to skate through. But we all had a blast. Based on AJ's age, I get one more chance to do this. (Unless Sydney decides she wants to play.) After next year, AJ will be a Mite 2, and at that level, it's the dads who get to play.

It sounds like the hockey season comes to an end next week. Sure, now that I have some gear of my own. I suspect we just might be spending a little time at the rink this weekend.