To say the boys are competitive would be a bit of an understatement. They are wildly competitive! I wish I could blame their father, but I fear it's a trait they were doomed to inherit. It definitely runs on both sides of the family. At least, I can say that they are rarely if ever poor sports. We've tried to teach them that you always give 110%, but it doesn't guarantee you'll come out on top. Yes, it's awesome to win, but it's being a gracious loser that really shows what you're made of. Luckily, we don't have to show that side often! Ha! See...competitiveness is in our blood!
January seems to be a highly competitive month in our household. Why? That's when our Pack holds their annual Pinewood Derby. It's a chance for young and old testosterone-fueled boys to plan and plot while daydreaming of trophies and more importantly bragging rights! I can't say I completely understand the fascination, but the energy is contagious. I'm not necessarily saying that is a positive. I don't enjoy surrendering every inch of my kitchen table to the building of 4 cars every January. Yes, FOUR cars! Why four? Well, each of the boys builds a car for the race that must be surrendered at check-in. Then, they each build a "fun" car. You see, the fast cars aren't the most eye-catching. They typically are low profile wedges of wood that produce little drag. The "fun" cars allow the boys to show their personalities and add character.
Last year, the boys were rookies at the event. Baylor isn't eligible yet for the real competition since he's not old enough to officially join Scouts, but he is allowed to race in the sibling category. In two years of competing, he has landed squarely in the middle of the heat. His cars serve as guinea pigs. The boys can see what works and what doesn't which allows them to form strategies for future derbies. In 2012, Jaxon's car performed well enough to take home the First Place trophy for the Tiger heat, but the older more experienced Scouts dominated in the Finals.
This year, the boys set out to improve on last year's performance. Ok, that's sort of a given, but I'm not going to lie. I was nervous! Anh spoke of nothing but total domination for weeks leading up to the race, and I was afraid the boys might be devastated if they walked away without a victory. Grandfather was the one who constructed the boys competition cars last year. Anh only helped with the "fun" cars. I wouldn't say is particularly handy with tools. So, I had serious concerns about how these new cars would perform. I felt it would be wise to prepare the boys for a possible loss, but Anh had a much different approach. Needless to say, I was a ball of stress at the Derby. How would the boys handle disappointment after such a grand prediction.
Well...I guess I'll discover the answer another year. In 2012, Jaxon won...He won BIG!
Jaxon's car won the Wolf heat by a wide margin. As we sat patiently through the remaining heats waiting to race in the Final, we saw that no car had matched the track record set by Jaxon's car. Barring a catastrophe like a wreck, we all knew Jaxon would take top prize, and that's exactly how it played out. Jaxon was the Superstar! He walked out of there with two trophies and bragging rights for the year.
Of course, Jaxon also strolled out of that cafeteria as everyone's target for next year. He's public enemy #1 in their eyes. At least, he's got some time to enjoy the victory before the pressure to defend the title sets in. Enjoy your time at the top, Son! You certainly earned it!
