Soccer Tots

The domino players in our house have stepped it up a notch or eight.  It's an intense operation.

We took the boys to Soccer Tots this weekend.  On the way over, I was holding the Mister's hand and commenting on how this day was sort of the beginning of all that is to come...years of cold bleachers and warm coffee and our boys kicking balls up and down a field.

I took care to explain to Little Guy that he would need to listen carefully to the grown-ups and participate with the other children.  Since he doesn't go to school, sometimes his willingness for group activities is a little lacking.  He assured me he would follow all the rules and directions.

We arrived with our 5-inch soccer ball, a prize Little Guy won at Dave and Buster's, and hoped the coach would have an extra "real" ball.  I'd been told that the morning would be very relaxed, so I wasn't too worried about our lack of equipment.

Well, it was so relaxed that I have not a single picture of soccer-playing.  Because there was not a single minute of soccer-playing.  I think Soccer Tots should be renamed Playground Tots.  But it was super fun!

It was basically a big family playdate at the park.  Where the activity only stopped intermittently, out of reverence for the overhead flight of an airplane or the howling passage of a fire truck.  You know how it goes with toddlers.

We really had an excellent time.

 And Buddy Boy tried to do every last thing that Little Guy did.

 He succeeded most of the time.

But when he didn't, he whipped out his scowly face, complete with heavy inhale-exhales through pursed lips.  His inhale-exhales carry great meaning.  There's the scared set, the excited set, the frustrated set, and the please-oh-please-give-me-that-thing set.  We've become very attuned to his breathing around here.

Little Guy conquered the balance beam.

 And Buddy Boy mastered going down the slide all by himself.

After a little high-flying swing time, our morning was complete.

Soccer, schmoccer.  There's always next year for the real thing.

I've got a few ideas for posts swirling around in my head...Air Travel with Young Children, Storage Solutions in Small Spaces, How We're Curing Our Picky Eater, Baby-Led Weaning: An Update, and Helpful Household Tricks.  Which should I write first?  Let me know in the comments if you have an interest in any of them!  And if they all sound horribly boring, well, no need to let me know that.  ;)