Soccer

Z had his last soccer game on Saturday.  I have really enjoyed Z's soccer team.  He, however, has been less than impressed.  I asked if he would play again next year, and he said, "no, I don't think so."  When I asked him why, he said, "Well, it's a lot of work.  And a lot of running."  Yup, bud, it sure is.  That is why I always played defense...less running! 
He has kind of played that way.  He spent most of the time while playing not really touching the ball, he kind of trailed after the group.  He doesn't have an aggressive side at ALL (which is ok with me!), so he didn't really work too hard to get the ball away from the other team.  Even when he did get the ball, he would dribble it a few times, then kind of let another kid have it.  If the ball got kicked straight to his feet, he kind of looked at it in a confused way. 
I will give him this, though, he didn't give up.  Even if he wasn't really into the game, he would go out on the field when I told him to.  Some kids would just totally stop and come sit on the sidelines and not go back in, but Z kept up (even when he didn't want to).  He followed through, and did his part as a teammate.  He would rather have sat down and quit, but when I reminded him of what a good teammate was, he was willing to go back out and play.  I was very proud of him!
We all went to a few games, but mostly I went with him while Nate kept the little boys.  He also had some fans at different games...Aunt Emily, Papa Dan, Grandma Dorothy, and Papa Mike all made it to a game.  Emily took the great action pictures of him playing below! 

Soccer

Z has been playing soccer this fall.  It is much more entertaining than TBall was.  He is on a co-ed team that is all boys, and most of them are all 4, which is good...it is a 3 and 4 year old team, and 4 year olds have a hard enough time, much less 3 year olds.

I played soccer back in the day (most often a sweeper, but sometimes a stopper, if you know that stuff!), so Nate has happily let me be the parent in charge.  And I have loved it!  I leave the little boys at home after dinner on practice nights and go run with him and kick with him and talk with the other moms there.  Oh my, I just realized I am officially a soccer mom.  Good gracious.

Ok, back to my point...he gets a ton of running in, and is actually making some progress in the whole dribbling thing.  He is not super competitive, so he just kind of follows the other kids around and chases the ball, and he doesn't really understand how exactly to take the ball away from another kid.  But he has fun.  And after watching him compared to the other kids, I am reminded again of his amazing focus.  He listens and pays attention and follows directions.  He is not running around wild or doing his own thing.  I am so very proud of him. 

He has games on Saturdays which are pretty obnoxious actually.  They are 4-10 minute quarters...40 minutes total!  That is a VERY long time for little boys to run around.  He sometimes just wants to sit on the sidelines.  I will let him sit for a few minutes, but then make him go back in because "that is how we act on a team".  Some of the other kids just plop on down and quit, but I let Z take a break then make him keep going, and doesn't whine too much!  Again, very proud of him.  That ist totally his personality to just kind of go with the flow and keep on playing and not throw a fit.  He is a good boy!

T-Ball

Z had his first game on Saturday.  He did "well", I suppose.  He hit the ball twice, attacked the ball when it was hit to him, then stared around when he was supposed to throw it to first.  He also was the last batter in one "inning", so he got to run all the way around the bases (like a homerun).

He was ok with the whole thing...didn't love it, didn't hate it. 

The little boys did well, too, considering they were sick :)