Sock Hop

My girl went to her first Sock Hop on Friday.  She did her hair herself and I told her I loved the curl on her face. 

Player of the Week

Luca started kindergarten and really the only thing I hear about consistently is soccer at recess.  I'll ask about what he's learning, what his teachers shared that day, who he ate with.....all questions are usually answered with a quick nod or shrug.  But soccer?  He'll give me a detail or two about that.

The first thing he'll say when he looks out the window in the morning as we're getting dressed is a quick comment about how the weather will impact his favorite recess game.  Snowy days are fun, but he can't play on the fields and he is always a bit bummed about that.  One day, he came home with a scratch on his arm and he told me he got shoved hard into a tree during an aggressive soccer game.  I told him the boy who did it sounds a bit out of line.  Luca quietly agreed but said, "He's really good though.  I don't like him very much but I need him on my team."  Spoken like a true athlete. 

We've never signed Luca up for soccer and V and I had no expectations driving out to the fields on this gorgeous Saturday morning.  The kids ran to the field and the game began.  Luca scored goal after goal after goal.  He was more aggressive (in a good way) than I have ever seen him be.  Ever. And the kid is usually a competitor. The other parents who have had their children playing since they were toddlers probably (this is the suburbs....this is what people do), were laughing saying, "WHERE did this kid come from?"  V and I said, "He's never played before!"  But then I realized, actually, he plays 30 minutes every single day at school.  Every.  Single.  Day. 

There are no coaches at recess.  There are no intrusive parents.  There are no cameras.  Just boys playing and teaching each other.  Just kids learning the hard way...getting slammed into trees....having to navigate sportsmanship on their own - having to negotiate who plays where and why.  Luca was fantastic today...and it's because he was allowed to just be a kid and learn to play on his own, the way we should let kids do more.  It just reminded me as a mom to let them grow up, fail, succeed, triumph, crash....all on their own.  We often think everything has to be so carefully orchestrated for children but they are capable of so much on their own.  At the end of the game, I squatted down next to him and said, "Luca....I had no idea how good you are."  He smiled and said, "Yeah.  I'm pretty good." And by God, he is.  He earned "Player of the Week" today and took home the ball that bears the title.  He was so proud. 

 

After one of his goals, his buddy came up and casually looped his around his shoulders and gave him a squeeze.  They walked that way a few feet and then quickly ran back to position. 



When his face isn't set in deep concentration, as it is during the game, it looks like this.  I'm going to venture to bet that the kid has a fun season. 

High 70s

Just a beautiful spring day...

with two cuties.

Nana and I took these three to see Charolotte's Web at a local theater.  They had a blast!

First Lost Tooth

Luca lost his first tooth!  It was due to a recess mishap; he was kicked in the mouth by one of his best friends as he was swinging.  It resulted in two loose teeth.  The first one fell out and the fairy came.  We are awaiting the second one to fall too.