Poor Mr. Waddles.  This post Valentine’s sale item made its way home to us for the low price of $5 from Safeway last year.  And poor Mr. Waddles probably thought he was going to a good home.  I’m sure as I secured him into the backseat of my Honda Pilot he was imagining a home full of sweet children who would love him and hug him and call him their own.  I’m sure he had pictures in his head of being the guest of honor at endless tea parties.  The protector of children as they slept.  The one who would receive all the  children’s affection.

But……instead he met Aaron.  Our BooBear, who has determined at the ripe old age of 10 that he wants to be a WWE wrestler.  And poor Mr. Waddles, well, he is just the perfect size to play the foe in our little boy’s dream.  Mr. Waddles has been beaten, tossed, body slammed and pinned as I counted “One, Two, Three!” more times than I’m sure he would like to remember (or can remember after so many head injuries).

I don’t know where this love of WWE came from.  John, Mark and I had never watched a single evening of Raw or Smackdown until Aaron became sure of his life’s calling.  He came to this love all on his own.  But being a supportive parent, I have learned the difference between a RKO and a Dirty Deed.  I know who Roman Reigns is and can identify Dean Ambrose.  I have watched both Raw (Monday nights) and Smackdown (Tuesday nights) and purchased the WWE subscription so that Aaron can even watch the specials.

Do I think he is going to turn out to be a professional wrestler?  Probably not.  But what is the harm now?  I wanted to be a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader worse than anything in the world when I was younger.  I had a crush on Danny White and I thought that the cheerleaders had the most glamorous, exciting job in all of Texas.  I did not become a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader…..yet :), but the dream is what is important.  I will support, encourage and praise.  For my ten year old boy, that is my job.  Enough people will tell him how hard it is to reach this dream, how less than 1% of people who want to wrestle make it, how dangerous it is and bad for his body.  I don’t have to be one of those people.  There are plenty.

So poor Mr. Waddles actually has a very noble purpose.  He is the keeper of dreams.  My son’s personal training team.  And he smiles through it all (although I don’t think he breathes). Xxoo