Park It!

The other day Brenden told me he wanted to play soccer. After checking out all of our options, we decided to sign him up at the local YMCA. We're all very excited, especially since it has practices and real games. I'm curious to see how this goes. The last time he played soccer, he looked like this:

18 months old. Craziness!

We turned in our paperwork and were headed out the door when Brenden realized that we wouldn't be playing any soccer that day. Oh the wails! The crying! The "please, mommy, please!" I decided to surprise him with a trip to the park. He was more than happy.

My Little Ball Player

I just LOVE this picture! Thank you Jennifer for using your awesome new camera to take it!

It's a Hit!

Brenden is doing so well at t-ball! He loves playing, loves seeing his friend Kendyl (his favorite girl) and is actually learning how to play.

Here he is hitting the ball. He may not get it right the first time, but he tries again! So proud of him.

T-Ball!

A few months ago my friend Jennifer, who we met when Brenden played soccer, asked if we wanted to sign Brenden up for t-ball so he could be on the same team as her daughter, Kendyl. I very ecstatically said YES and ran down to the YMCA to register him. (Thank you again, Connie and Mike, for covering the registration fees!)

Brenden and Kendyl

We only had two very short practices before his first game today. I wasn't sure what to expect, but someone said it would be much like trying to herd cats. They were more than right.

Brenden started out playing 3rd base but then he had to take a time out because he kept crying every time he wasn't the first one to the ball. Eventually we ended up back in the outfield while I tried to explain the game to him. I'm not sure he'll get it for awhile. All he really wanted to do was bat!

Each team's players batted once and that was it. It took an entire hour for one inning! Brenden very patiently waited his turn, cheered for his teammates, and was so ready to put that helmet on. It didn't take long for him to get a hit, which surprised me. He did great! He's really good at running the bases. I told Tim that I think he'll be a pinch runner.

Hopefully the next game we'll make it to the second inning. I never thought 3 and 4 year olds playing t-ball would be so much fun, or so exhausting. I'm so glad he's playing and loving it!

Soccer and a Moment of Kindness

Last summer we had Brenden in both soccer and swimming. Fall was dedicated to swimming because I was back and forth to Bartlesville so much at the dance studio and soccer didn't really fit into that schedule. In December I decided that Brenden was just getting too heavy for me to be able to carry him around in the pool. Even though he may be lighter in water, all the kicks to my belly were hurting and I think I'm getting enough of those from the inside thankyouverymuch. So now we're back in soccer and I'm really happy Brenden has good way to burn off some energy.

I tried to hype up soccer all day and I guess I did an okay job because as we pulled into the parking lot Brenden went nuts. "Soccer! SOCCER!!! I'M READY!!! Get out of the car!" He bounced all the way into the building and happily ran right over to where the balls were and went crazy with his soccer ball kicking self. I waddled just a bit slower and made poor Tim chase after him the whole time. I have a feeling that Tim will have to go solo at some point since the last class is only a month before Lauren is due. I can't see myself, 8 months pregnant, running around like that.

There is actually a little boy in the class that was in our class last summer so that made it a more comfortable for us. His mom explained that the first few classes would be exactly like what we did last summer and then they would change up. I think that's smart since it's been a while and Brenden really needs to remember how to listen before we get to anything else more complicated. He understands Red Light/Green Light, but he just wants to GO! Of course there are the kids that really don't want to be there and scream the whole time, which reminds me to be grateful that Brenden is so happy to participate, even if he's not following all the directions exactly.

Funniest moment: the coach rolling Brenden the ball, asking him his name, which he told him, and then his favorite cartoon character. I wish I could type what Brenden said but it was almost 15 seconds of blabbering that no one understood. I just sat there for a moment and eventually said, "Let's just go with Mickey Mouse." It was funny.

No pictures this time. I was trying to keep up with him, plus it would just be pictures of the same stuff. I may even take a video or two of him running like a crazy man after his dad trying to steal the ball away. Seriously, the kid LOVES to run and I guess running is more fun if you're screaming your head off.

So the moment of kindness: Last night Tim and I were watching one of the worst basketball games ever (seriously Oklahoma State...pathetic) when he turned to me and said, "Oh yeah. I forgot to tell you someone bought my lunch." Of course I had no idea what he was talking about so I made him explain. On Sunday, while he was doing his one weekend a month Reserve duty, he went to lunch with the enlisted guys. The Army pays for lunch for the enlisted soldiers at a certain place, the name of which I can't remember, so Tim was standing in line by himself to pay. As he got to the register the man in front of him grabbed his ticket and paid for his lunch. I've heard of this happening to people, and I know it was more common in Colorado Springs where there are at least 5 separate military bases, but it's not something you hear of often in Oklahoma. It made me smile and I know Tim appreciated it.

It makes me proud to be an Oklahoman. Kind of like this. :) It may be tongue in cheek but it made me happy.