Mike usually takes Henry to soccer while I stay home to put Anne in bed, but last night Hank asked me to take him so that he could show me his budding skills. I packed up a lawn chair and my knitting bag, and off we went.
Mike had drawn me a map (because he's so cute) and so I pulled into the small roadway next to the giant community field with confidence. I spotted the building marked on the map, and parked in a lot nearby, next to the field.
"Mommy, Daddy doesn't park here."
"That's ok, Honey. We can park somewhere slightly different."
*skeptical face*
Henry decidedly does NOT like changes to his routine.
We unload and head to the field. Mike had drawn me a map of this too, since it's divided up into many, MANY smaller playing fields, but I figured Henry would lead me to his since he's been going to soccer for a full month now. Needless to say, I figured wrong.
"Hank Honey, is this your field?"
I stand analyzing small galloping children wearing similar jerseys to his.
"Um, I don't think so, Mommy."
"Well, what about that one? I think this other group is finishing up, so maybe that's where you'll be when they're done?"
"No, that's definitely not it." *concerned expression*
Sigh.
It took us a solid 10 minutes to figure out where he needed to go, and I pitched my lawn chair and took out my knitting with a sigh of happiness. There were TONS of parents there, both moms and dads, plus smaller children in abundance. I even saw a family from our parish.
The drills begin, and I spot Henry bounding happily after a soccer ball. Tremendously cute.
About 10-15 minutes pass successfully. Then I hear their coach yell:
"Water break!"
Henry comes running over with a beatific smile. Uh oh.
"Hank, where's your water bottle, Honey?"
I had given it to him when we got in the car back at home.
"In the car."
Fabulous.
The car is a solid 10 minute hike away, all the way across the mammoth field and several in-play soccer games. Sigh.
I begin my hike immediately, and hurry back, where Henry is waiting for me very impatiently.
"What took you so long Mommy?" *accusing stare*
"Honey, the car is kind of far away. I went right there and right back. Go ahead and go back to playing."
Happily, the rest of practice passed without incident. By the end, I could see that my normally Energy-Knows-No-Bounds Henry was actually *tired*. The hike back to the car clearly nearly did him in. He didn't even have the energy to pepper me with questions on the drive home. Poor thing.
So, overall, soccer is a success. Hank seems to really like it, and it's a nice community program. Obviously, I need more practice as a soccer mom, but we're getting there.
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