Tales from the sidelines

As of April, I was an official soccer mom. I was pretty excited about it actually. Jack wanted to play soccer and Ryan picked tball. It seemed easy enough, just ask your kid what they wanted to play, show up at sign up day and wait for a call in a few months. 

Soccer started off great for Jack. He was excited to play, even in the cold April days that we had and always participated  and generally was doing great! The biggest fear back in those days was when Ryan had to potty and we had to find a suitable place nearby. 

Then something seemed to happen when the games started. He stopped playing. He wasn't into it AT ALL. Sure he looked cute as a button with his little shoes and visible diaper line but getting him to play was not happening. I don't know why he was over it before it even started but there isn't much I can do about it. I'm not going to make my crying 3 yr old go play if he doesn't want to. It's super frustrating to say the least but he's really little and doest get it yet. Ryan always seems to be the voice of reason and tells Jack that he needs to get you there and at least try. 

That is up until tonight- Ryan's first tball game. In his defense he has only had two practices but as we left jacks game early to hustle over to the tball fiend I thought to myself. I'm so happy he is more mature and can really enjoy the sport tonight. He was excited and wanted to play, right up until he didn't. At one point the coach put a pink helmet on him to bat in and that was end of story I think. I thought he was lovin it and when I took a closer look a breakdown was brewing. Awe crap! Not another one! He lost it and was crying and not wanting to play and here I was thinking this would be epic game night and neither kid was cooperating! Gah!!! 

In the end Ryan went back to playing in the outfield, but stood very close to me. Luckily in tball the parents are allowed to be out there with them. 

I think the kids were tired!?! We leave quite early in the morning for daycare and I know it's a grind. Plus the double header for them to be hanging at the park for a few hours!? I don't know? It's supposed to be fun they said! I hope they come around to have some fun. Maybe next year this will just be a memory? I am counting on it. But they still look darn cute in their uniforms. 

it takes a village

I was at lunch telling a friend about what was new with the boys and telling that how grateful I was to our awesome daycare lady and how she is working so hard with Ryan with potty training. And then in the next breath I said that my amazing neighbor found Jack his Halloween costume, I just haven’t made the effort to go out and she came across it and it worked out great. And then i said it really takes a village. 

And even though I knew how true this statement was, IT IS TRUE!  It takes a freaking village!  And it’s a good thing!  I’m so damn lucky to have a village of willing participants to help with the kids. People that not only help but lovingly help and really enjoy spending time with them. 

No parents can do it all alone and you will kill yourself trying to get everything done and be everything to your kids that they need. And isn’t it wonderful that they have all of these people in their lives that provide all kinds of different learning’s and different ways to teach?

If I did the whole feeling emoji thing on facebook (and I don’t), I would be feeling grateful with a smiley face with heart eyes because I am so grateful for all of the people that love our boys and enrich them in ways that we can’t. I know that I have guilt when I’m not with the kids. I feel like working full time, the time I do get with them is precious. But, I am also fully aware that taking time to do things for me makes me a better mom.

I just thought it might be a good reminder to anyone who needed it today, because even thought I knew it, it was a good thing to re-learn today at lunch.

photo credit