"Ride" of Passage

When my niece Lizzie Gray was two years old, I remember her coming up to me and presenting me with a Cinderella toy that'd come out of a princess-themed set of Duplo blocks. I have no idea where she got that princess-themed set of Duplo blocks; I'd never seen it before, but from that moment until about two years ago, the child was obsessed with princesses. No one taught her to be. She just was, because, apparently, God gave little girls two X chromosomes and an innate love for things that are pretty, pink, and supposed to wear a crown.

Nine years later, I'm beginning to think that little boys have an equally innate sense for things that have engines and produce fumes. Jones has become obsessed with a really poorly-produced Welsh television show called "Tec the Tractor." Any other show, he can take or leave, but turn on Tec, and the child snuggles up in the nearest lap, sucks on his thumb, and stares at the 15-minute television program.

I thought his love was for Tec specifically. Turns out, it's for tractors in general. Yesterday, Jeremy drove Jones to and from the Pressley's house on Mr. Pressley's tractor. Jones was in hog Heaven. Jeremy said he laughed the entire ride back, though, to be honest, the laughter could've been because his very pregnant mama was so close to literally losing her britches, as she ran alongside to get the pictures and video posted below.  Who can blame him?

Regardless, I'm so glad he got to share this special ride with his daddy.  Jeremy's been talking about it for a few weeks now, and though it made me a little nervous (it's hilly here in the mountains!), I surely didn't want to keep them from this special memory. Heaven knows, I have very special memories of riding on a John Deere myself. I just wish someone had taken pictures of me and Papaw, as we rode along the Ohio Riverbank!

Of course, "the Mayor of Haywood County"
couldn't make it home without being stopped
at the end of our street to visit for a spell!

Name a man who is more handsome than Jeremy Pressley.
You can't; there isn't one. I think he looks especially handsome -
and especially like his Pa Frank - here.

If Jeremy's going to take Jones on John Deere rides,
I don't stand a chance of EVER being the favorite parent!

It was naptime when they got home from their first ride. Three times,
I tried to take Jones from his daddy and the tractor, and three times,
he cried. Finally, I just had to use the Band-Aid method -
"1-2-3 ... PULL him away ..."