What happened to the days of flag football?

When did he go from this . . .

to this?

Brendan is #16. He likes to wear his long baseball socks with a red stripe on the side - very handy for locating him on the field. I can always find him on the line-up, but once the play starts going, I usually lose him. I have a hard time following football!

He's really enjoyed his first year of tackle football. Josh wasn't sure if he'd like it - thought maybe it'd be too aggressive for him. I was hoping he was right. He wasn't. Brendan's only complaint is that he wants the ball more, even though that means lots of guys trying to crush him to the ground.

One thing I have noticed since he started playing is that he's more affectionate to me. It might be coincidence. Or maybe the fact that he's playing a more grown-up sport and getting to let out some aggression has helped him realize he can still get hugs from his mom. Either way I hope it lasts.