We started off the morning happy and excited for our very first soccer game!
(If you're wondering exactly WHY Daisy seems so attentive it's because Jim has a piece of Payton's salami in his hand.)
We arrive a bit early for a change to the soccer fields. Payton immediately proves that yes, she is my kid. As we're walking across the field she finds a black cricket to check out and try to catch. (I spent many a baseball evening picking clover in the outfield.)
When we finally coaxed Payton across the field, she and Jim practiced dribbling the ball. They moved over to practicing goal kicks as I busily cursed myself for not bringing a chair ( I'm just not sure of protocol as I've missed everything soccer related so far and didn't want to look freakish with a full chair setup. Yup, I'm an idiot. Every single parent is smarter than me and was well equipped for an hour on wet ground.) Suddenly, I realize Payton is absolutely sobbing on Jim's shoulder. What in the world? I figure it's stage fright so I signal to the coach who's looking for her that I wasn't sure what was up, we'd get back to him. (I'm forever amazed at the language that's understood between parents.)
It is indeed stage fright (she later tells me that she was scared because she didn't know what was supposed to happen. Make a mental note to go over EVERY new situation with her in detail to avoid this happening again!) I let her finish sobbing on my shoulder. I then decide to see if she wants to just sit and watch with the two other girls on the sideline from her team. She's good with this plan. As we're walking in back of the goal, I clarify to her that as a parent, I can't go on that side with her because it's only for players, not parents. She of course, doesn't want to leave my side.
Now I'm really getting frustrated with her clinging to me. I tell her it's fine to quit soccer at this point if she really hates it. She relaxes and is happy to head for home. Then mean mommy emerged. I told her she wouldn't be able to do dance then because I was not going to invest in anything else if she would just up and quit one thing that she begged for half way through. Yes, mean, but effective! She decided that perhaps she could give it a try and wait on the sidelines. She ran over to the other two girls and promptly began using the blanket they had to sit on as a sort of "parachute" game. Too cute!
She finished out the game rather well!
I think they lost but P seemed to have a great time! We had signed up for a "skills" session (it was free! I love free!) for today. She enjoyed some and hated some of it. I don't think she's the next Mia Hamm but at least she's trying it. I think she's be doing straight dance when this season is over!
Oh, and I have to add! A little girl named Tori is also on her team. Payton and Tori have been in the same daycare for years. This year Tori isn't going to Brooksedge at all. So now, they both love that they're on the same team. I found that when they were on the field together, very little soccer was played. Payton helped with a goal and they spent at least five minutes hugging and high fiving so that the other team promptly scored again. I think coach Greg may want to keep them off the field at the same time!
