Olympic Nostalgia

I’ll admit, I was never a huge Olympic fan or follower. Not for any particular reason or stance, it just didn’t pique my interest. That all changed in 2010. In 2010, the opening ceremonies were on February 12th. We watched it with Ella and she was hooked. She instantly loved the Olympics and referred to it as “Fun”. For the rest of the month, all I’d hear is, “Watch Fun?” or “Watch Hockey?” – her other fav. I even chronicled it all back in the day. 

But, if you’ve followed us for any amount of time, you’d know that the other Gutt girl made her debut on February 13th. Because Lily’s birth went so quickly, the room wasn’t set up for the nice, tranquil experience like Ella’s was. There were no dimmed lights, no soothing music. Basically, no parts of it were calm, soothing or relaxed. The television was still on when Lily came into the world and as women qualified in Freestyle Skiing on the moguls, Lillian Caroline took her first breath. Perhaps that’s why when I watch it now, my knees and uterus hurt. Ha!

Nurse Sue measures brand-new Lily…Olympics on. Nana meets Lily…Olympics on.

We watched a lot of Olympic coverage in the hospital and once home, it was on constantly. Ella loved it, so it provided a nice diversion for her while I cared for Lily in the first days. More importantly, it provided a nice diversion for me in the wee hours of the morning when it was dark and cold and everyone but Lily and I were sleeping. I’d bring her downstairs so Loran could get some sleep and while she cried and cried and I paced and nursed with her, we’d watch the overnight coverage – ie: the odd sports or random “other” country pairings. Lily and I got acquainted with biathlon (skiing with guns!), cross country skiing qualifying races, curling qualifications, and loops upon loops of speed skating. It really kept me going during those first weeks where sleep is hard to come by and the nights feel so long. Olympics helped get me to sunrise, where hope returns, where knowing that other people are also awake helps you power through another day.

Honestly, I was pretty devastated when the Olympics were over that year. Most of that devastation was possibly due to hormones and lack of sleep, but I possibly watched the closing ceremonies with a box of tissues. Lily probably cried too, but only because she was two weeks old. Suddenly, the overnights became a sad time of infomercials and replays of the news. Our regular daytime rotation of Sesame Street and Dinosaur Train returned. But for 17 days, we had the Olympics with it’s ups and downs, tears and medals, diapers and nursing, and it was bliss.

This year, I have the nostalgia. It brings me back to those days. The girls aren’t very interested in sitting down to watch Fun with me, and it’s not on the television constantly like it was four years ago. But in my heart, the 2010 Olympics will always have a place.

Although, you have to admit, the Olympics in Sochi are pretty hilarious. Unprepared, disgusting yellow water, stuck bathroom doors, Bob Costas’ eyes…I’m sure by typing this, Putin is shirtless and yelling Russian curses at me while putting me on some long list of internet enemies. eh.

This totally makes my eyes hurt. Poor Bob.

Bob Costas' eyes in various states of redness (via Getty Images, @stvnmacias, @dkitendaugh).