Max: Soccer Practice Day One

As previously stated, Lyla started a ballet class a couple weeks ago and Max has been eager to start soccer ever since. He felt very left out the first week we dropped Lyla off at ballet. No matter how I laid it out for him, he simply had no understanding that I have zero control over the start dates of these activities, so I consoled his sadness with ice cream like a good mother. After weeks of asking and begging about playing soccer, the day finally arrived. Max was giddy with excitement. However, his glazed eyes after school made it obvious a nap needed to be first priority upon arriving home. He resisted, per the usual, but eventually surrendered to his siesta. 

I think we are slowly phasing out naps all together, because typically when I enforce nap time it has a negative impact on bed time. It's a matter of picking your poison --- surviving the 5pm witching hour or battling the hour long bedtime negotiations. They are equally as evil, in my opinion. Anyway, nap time was necessary today because 1. Monday's are hard and 2. He needed enough stamina to last him through his first soccer practice. Well. The hours passed and Max kept snoozing, so I eventually had to pack up the soccer gear and load him up in the car in a half-awake fog. He was furious over it. 

He screamed the entire way to the soccer field. It was super delightful. I am completely aware it's uncool to wake someone from a nap, but I felt he was being slightly dramatic. Especially considering he was so excited for soccer only hours before. Anyway, that's just life with little people. He exclaimed he no longer wanted to play soccer whatsoever and demanded we go back home. I had flashbacks of Lyla playing soccer and was fully convinced we were on the road to a repeat experience. We sat in the parking lot watching the other kids as they arrived. I explained to Max that we needed to go introduce himself and meet his teammates then if he still wanted to leave after that, we could do so. He still was not happy with me, but he agreed to the terms after a ten minute snack sesh in the car. Food is happiness. Oh crap. I consoled his sadness with food once again, this might be a problem. 

We finally ventured onto the field and Max immediately reverted back to his normal self. He was noticing all the other kids and pointing out all the soccer gear. I was relieved. He headed right out to the field and followed instruction seemingly well. Victory! And not to mention, he is the cutest little soccer dude ever! I'm excited to watch his progress over the next several weeks. 

Most parents, me included, were openly applauding their children and giving them direction during practice, but I was laughing as Lyla was screaming at Max louder than any other parent out there. "NO HANDS MAX. I SAID NO HANDS!" I had to remind her to chill out a couple times, although I was still laughing inside my head. I guess she thinks she is the soccer expert after that one time she "played" soccer. She's hilarious.

I really did feel bad about waking this sweet baby...

Meltdown phase replaced by curiosity.... 

aaaaand it's go time!