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February 13, 2017

Father Figures

Bo Levi Mitchell and his wife, Madi, decorated their baby's room in blue tones and elephants.

The quintessential quartet of Rob Cote, Rene Paredes, Deron Mayo and Bo Levi Mitchell each received the prestigious title of team captain in 2016.

But before the 2017 season kicks off, the true leadership of these four Stamps veterans will be put to the ultimate test.

Cote and his wife Natalie still have a couple of weeks to determine a name for their second child, who will be welcomed into the world at the end of the month. Meanwhile, Paredes, Mayo and Mitchell will all be fresh-faced rookies when it comes to fatherhood.

“It’s just one other thing that makes me feel like the old guy around there,” said Cote, the longest-tenured member of the Red and White dating all the way back to 2007. “The only advice I can give is to buckle up.”

Fullback Rob Cote and his son, Miller, after the 2016 Western Final (Photo by David Moll)

Fullback Rob Cote and his son, Miller, after the 2016 Western Final (Photo by David Moll)

Their first son, nearly two-year-old Miller, is apparently eager for the addition to the family.

“He tells us he’s excited and (that) he’s going to be very nice to his brother,” Cote explained. “We’ll see if these are all lies, but that’s what he’s telling us right now.”

As for Paredes, his girlfriend Melyssa recently underwent an ultrasound which confirmed a Mar. 28 due date. But perhaps the most captivating moment of the pregnancy thus far came in November when he and Melyssa revealed the gender of their baby via social media.

“We wanted to do a gender reveal and we wanted to do something very different or else we weren’t going to have one,” stated Paredes. “So we decided to do a football and she made the football out of papier-mâché and I kicked it. I had a couple friends (there) and then Melyssa’s family. (Rob) Maver is the one who filled up the football (with blue powder).”

When asked about the parenting style he intends to adopt, the all-star kicker was quick to respond with a specific plan of action.

“At first, I will teach him good values and how to behave,” detailed Paredes, who won’t reveal his son’s name until he arrives. “He’s a boy, so I’m not going to be too strict, but at the same time make sure he grows up to be a good man just like my parents did for me and my brothers.”

Even Mayo couldn’t help but find humour in the fact that the four pregnancies, all expected to conclude within a span of approximately 30 days, may seem more than suspicious to some.

“No, we all planned it like this,” Mayo said before letting out a laugh. “We were all surprised (about the proximity) and we all found out at different times, obviously. All the babies are supposed to come out within a month of each other, which is crazy. And looking back at the calendar, it seems that it all went down around Stampede. I guess it was that time off that Huff gave us.”

Mayo and his wife Janelle are comforted by the fact that the Mitchells, with whom they share a close bond away from football, will have just gone through the exact same process.

“It’s awesome having both of them,” Mayo acknowledged. “It’s awesome having Madison here and that they will go through the whole experience first because they’ll be able to tell us everything that goes on and how the labour goes. Honestly, it’s going to be cool. We’ve already talked about date nights and dropping our kid off over there and they will do the same. It’s almost like having a permanent babysitter.”

The college sweethearts won’t be finding out whether they will be taking home a boy or a girl until the delivery on Mar. 28, the same day Paredes has circled on his calendar. That also just so happens to be Mayo’s 29th birthday.

And last but not least is the reigning MOP, who is committed to making sure the Most Outstanding Player is also a Most Outstanding Parent with his wife by his side.

Ele-Bo-Levi-Mitchell-baby-room-2017-above-crib

Elephants can be found all over Ele’s room, including above her crib

“I think it’s kind of hard to put into words,” expressed Mitchell, alluding to the magnitude of the imminent event. “Ever since it has been me and Madi, that’s something that has always been on my mind – to start a family together. Personally, I know she’s going to be such a wonderful mother and I think we’re going to have such a great family.”

One of their most significant projects as of late has been the planning, assembly and design of their soon-to-be-daughter’s noteworthy nursery.

“The nursery we actually decided to paint blue because I’m against pink,” Mitchell offered in advance of Feb. 27, the day that can’t seem to come soon enough for the young couple. “And Madi loves blue. It’s a really light baby blue, and with her name being Ele, we decorated the whole thing with elephants – everything from the humidifier to the bedsheets to having an elephant head on her wall.”

Football is family, and the Stampeder family is about to get that much bigger.