To be a winner

Do you remember the first thing you won? Something you succeeded in all by yourself, with no help, or limited help from others?

I remember winning a poetry contest when I was in about 2nd grade. I wrote something about "Oreos and ice cream, such a lovely pair, I wish I could eat them everywhere!"

Ok, so I think there were more poems in it... it was a collection of poems and there had to be something else in there. Right? (I think there was a haiku requirement... "weep weeping willow, look at the soft fresh new dew, what a pretty tree"... rings a bell.)

I placed at gymnastics meets when I was a kid, winning first in one city meet at a pretty young age. I placed first on everything but the vault, which I placed third in, but still managed to pull the "all around" win. I remember the pride for that day like it was yesterday and I still have the ribbons and clipping from the newsletter.

Leif does well on soccer and his teams (both baseball and soccer) have won before. Not that they are actually supposed to know that, no score keeping and all... but tell that to a competitive nearly 6 year old. Scores are kept in their heads. And amazingly, they are very honest! When they lose, Leif declares a loss and doesn't sugar coat it. I think we underestimate our kids in this manner.

Leif had his first solo win at something this last week. We ventured to the Colorado Renaissance festival in Larkspur, CO with my sister and her family and Vargasgirl. For those of you from Washington, this is something like Leavenworth. The entire area is devoted to the Renaissance Festival and is the equivelent of a number of city blocks all in theme.

Leif is a gamer... he loves board games, iPhone games, Wii games, Leapster games... you name it. The kid loves games. At the festival were all sorts of skill games. Leif tested out many of them:

He succeeded at the rock wall only to find out there was no prize for ringing the bell...

I think the prize here is evident...


But Leif really honed in on the jousting:

While his sister watched... not thrilled that she couldn't do it.

Yes, he had to put that big stick through this little hole while flying through the air and steadying himself on a wooden horse.

It didn't happen. He got two tries for his money and walked away disappointed.

Then we saw the other jousting ring a little later and he convinced us to let him try it again. This one was a griffin, not a horse, that made all the difference I am sure.

Steady, steady...

Looking good!

He got it!!

And here is the part he was waiting for the entire day. The honor of standing on the podium while the referree announced very, very loudly to everyone around that Leif has succeeded at the jousting! Then he handed Leif a plastic knife with a sheath that has been THE object of his obsession for well over a week now. No plastic toy has EVER meant so much to him.