Peanut has a beloved article of clothing that if given the opportunity to wear it everyday she would. I have been forced to hide it from her so she does not wear it 24 hours a day causing it to stand up on its own.

One day, I was cleaning out the girls’ closet making room for winter clothes. I came across a Cincinnati Bengals cheerleading outfit that we had from last year. We never got to wear it, so I pulled it out and decided to see if it still fit. Peanut happened to be standing by watching me go through this chore, so I pulled the uniform over her head and realized that it was rather short. It didn’t look like a dress anymore, but a shirt.

Peanut was thrilled when she found the Bengal tiger sewn right on the front it. Immediately she squealed, “Tiger!” I made over how pretty she looked and she immediately wanted to go show Daddy so he could make over her, too. I took her upstairs to his office and she walked around saying, “Tiger shirt, Daddy, Tiger shirt!”

She was hooked.

She wore the Tiger shirt all day long, but fortunately she let me take the shirt off for bedtime. However, the next day first thing in the morning, she woke up saying, “Tiger shirt, Mommy, Tiger shirt?” I had to explain to her that she couldn’t wear the shirt today because it was dirty. She didn’t like that answer, but dropped it for a couple hours. Then, she brought up again. And again. And again. And again. And, well…you get the point.

Every single day she asked about the shirt. She always thought about it. I got tired of hearing about it, but I didn’t want to give it to her because I was hoping she would forget. After all, it was way too small on her and it wasn’t practical for her to wear it everyday. She isn’t the neatest eater after all.

Cincinnati Bengals first game came and they lost in the last moments of the game. People were fuming that they should have won the game, but they just couldn’t pull it off. Peanut saw the game on TV and noticed the Tiger on the field and asked to wear the shirt, but I wouldn’t give in. I still didn’t want to make a habit of it.

The following Sunday, however, Peanut broke Twindada and he found the shirt and she happily sported it for the day. I admit that I was really annoyed because she was starting to bring it up less and less and I was hoping that I could finally put it away in the outgrown clothes box. I obviously didn’t win this battle.

Peanut loved to see the “tigers” while watching the game and sporting the too short, tight fitting cheerleading smock. I must say her enthusiasm for something she knows nothing about is quite endearing. She recognizes a football. That is about it. However, the strangest thing (ha, ha) happened while she was wearing the Tiger Shirt.

They won.

Twindada and I laughed that the shirt must be lucky. Twindada declared that Peanut was to wear that shirt during every game day. Peanut was thrilled that every Sunday she was finally allowed to wear her shirt.

The following weekend came and the Peanut wore her precious shirt. Bengals won again.

The weekend after that, Peanut was napping, but she was wearing her shirt. The score was tied and they had to go into overtime with the Cleveland Browns. Peanut woke up during overtime and the Bengals pulled it off.

Every time Peanut has worn her shirt they have won with the exception of one game – game 6 with the Houston Texans, but there was a logical explanation. Peanut napped during the entire game. It has come to our attention that the lucky Tiger shirt only works when she is awake. Our friends and family have told us that Peanut has a nap reprieve every Sunday due to this technicality.

Peanut will continue this season to sport her lucky Tiger shirt. We hope that it continues to bring our team some luck as they are having a good season. It has been awhile since they have had one, so we are enjoying it. We have been so inspired by their winning attitudes this year, that Peanut & Jelly Bean went as Bengal cheerleaders (in 2 appropriately sized outfits).

So, now I will close this post with words from Peanut & Jelly Bean.

Peanut, “Goooooo Bengals!”

Jelly Bean, “Who Dey!”