Sonics- Week 2

My sweet little #4 was out on the field for game #2 of his season.

Well...correction...my sweet little #4 was out on the field for practice before game #2.

We tried so hard that morning to keep Connor excited about playing.  We got to the field early and Matt & Connor got some one-on-one practice in before the team arrived.  Matt worked with C on the art of trying to take the ball from an opponent.  Shortly after, C's team started to trickle in.  C told us he wanted to go play with his coach & darted over to him.  The kids all stood in line & took turns kicking into the goal.  Each goal was followed with a smile and a high five for his coach/Mama/Matt.  Things were looking up.  It was approaching game time, so the kids took their places to get ready to kick the ball off.  The coaches all decided they'd play with the pink soccer ball this time.  Suddenly, things began to fall apart.  C locked eyes with me & began to walk toward me.

"Mom, why are we playing with a pink soccer ball?!"

"I don't like pink."

With something so small, it meant the world to Connor.  I tried every trick in my Mom Book to take his mind off the pink ball, but C's hiney was already planted in my lap & I knew he wasn't getting up.  Matt & I sat through the game feeling powerless.  We couldn't push C out on the field if he wasn't going to go.  We accepted the fact that we may be sitting on the sidelines every Saturday for the rest of soccer season.  We accepted the fact that C will play if/when he's ready.  We knew one thing was for sure though--we won't let him quit.

I still had the away crowd peering through me the entire time & passing judgement, but I wasn't going to let it bother me.  I blended myself in with the other parents on the team and Connor was among two other Sonic team members that were too shy/anxious to go out on the field too.  It made me feel so much better knowing that I wasn't alone.

My sweet boy still had tears when we were legally forced to part and the moment he reached for me as his Dad carried him away was the moment my heart was once again ripped completely from my chest.  I didn't make it through the morning without tears myself, but it was slightly better than the previous week.

More exciting blog posts to come as we prepare for Easter soon :)