Our First Soccer Experience

I debated to title this post "one of my most embarrassing days as a parent"  but i was told once that your kids should never be labeled as embarrassing to you as a parent.  that is r.e.a.l.l.y hard sometimes.  so i will just say that today was tough on all of us. and they left many people questioning my parenting skills.

started out great.  matt went to the gym with me.  lately it seems he spends all his mornings working on house stuff (since we have 2 different construction jobs going on at the same time).  so it was great to work out and spend time together without kids on a monday morning!

I had a meeting at the school for Fundraiser with all of the Homeroom mothers.  We have over 800 kids in our school so its busy!  I've been working on getting my stuff together for days/weeks.  I have had my fair share of public speaking lately - honestly, i'm a bit tired of it.  So I'm speaking in front of 50+ women in the library at school explaining what they had to do with the Fundraiser.... and Mati Claire walks up to me - interrupts - and tells me everyone that Mattox went potty in the floor behind the shelves near all the books.  

...yeah.  its like that.   #1?  #2?  who knows? my mind races.

I fast-forward through my speech.  Find Mattox.  He is D.R.Y.  all over dry!  so I asked the 10 little girls playing around him "did he pull his pants down and go?  or what?"  And I hear "No, we think its just water.  Someone spilled their drink." 

seriously?

Well too late now... the meeting was over.  I now have 50+ women who think I raise my children to interrupt speakers and pee in the library.  After asking every child there and interrogating Mattox - he in fact did NOT go potty in the library.  But then had to explain to the principal that it was not urine on her carpet but another child's drink (and not my child).  

...

Mattox has been asking for months to play sports.  First up this year:  soccer.  I'll be honest:  I'm not a soccer fan.  I am looking forward to spring's baseball/T-ball instead.  Mati Claire does not have an athletic bone in her body and has never asked to play (so therefore I did not push the subject either).  Mattox on the other hand is a typical boy.  

I signed him up for Mighty Mites (the 3 year old soccer team) with high hopes.

I had a vision in my mind of how today would go.  I am surprised and found myself very excited about today, despite my lack of interest in the sport.  I was genuinely happy to watch Mattox and looking forward to it.

I packed our chairs, the cold juice boxes/water, snacks for the other kids, planned for Mati Claire to do her homework while we watched, diaper bag, milk for Merritt, extra clothes/socks (uniforms have not come in yet), all the soccer gear and ball.... packed it all in the big 31 bag and planned to really enjoy our first family (minus Matt who was sleeping) soccer experience.  Was laughing about how today was my first day as a "soccer mom."

What in God's name was I thinking???

I know Mattox is my shy child.  It takes him longer than any other child i've ever seen to warm up to social situations if he ever does at all (he usually leaves the event with his head still buried in my shoulder 2 hours later).  Birthday parties, school, swim lessons, and obviously sporting events now.

I gave him a good 15-20 minutes where I went "easy on him".  I stood with him (also holding Merritt in 92 degree Mississippi heat).  I tried talking to him.  Showed him some of his friends that were actually participating.  I expected his shyness as I'm used to it now.  In the meantime, I find ants all in our bag by our chairs = I can't put Merritt down in the grass.  So I was forced to hold Merritt through the next ordeal.    Why didn't this mom of 3 realize that they do make strollers, right?? Back to my vision ----> I was supposed to be sitting in the chair holding her in my lap while watching him play.  

Back to reality----> After 30 minutes of him not saying a word and s.i.t.t.i.n.g on the ground refusing to do anything - I decided I couldn't play nice anymore.  I told him I wasn't paying for him to sit there.  We can go home and sit if he wants to.

Don't get me wrong - I know he's 3.  I'm not forcing him to do anything he doesn't want to do. Trust me - I'd be perfectly fine if he didn't want to play.  But melting in the heat for someone who claims he wants to play but won't....i think not.   He WANTS to play - but was refusing.  

I told him we were leaving early and going home since he wouldn't participate.

Then it started.

A 3 year old tantrum that could possibly break the definition of that word.  More like psychotic.  He took a "terrible 3's tantrum" to the next level that I haven't seen in a long time!  I think they heard the screams and yelling from MANY fields down the road.  As any normal mom knows...I became "unglued."   I carried him (and Merritt) kicking and screaming back to the van while forcing Mati Claire to carry all of our stuff.  By this time I am DRENCHED in sweat and I man-handle him into his car seat.  How do you get a very strong boy into his car seat when he's acting like this??? It took me at least 10 minutes to get him buckled into it.  I PHYSICALLY can not get him in his car seat - all the while everyone is listening and watching me yell at and spank my child.  Crazy I tell ya!  he flipped out! 

On the way home - he won't stop talking back and screaming/yelling at me - kicking the seat -  our "conversation" (if you can call it that) consisted of this:

Me:  "Hush, Mattox!"
Mattox:  (screaming) "I want to play soccer!"
Me:  "Be quiet, Mattox!"
Mattox:  (yelling)  "I want to play soccer!"
Repeat this sequence 38 times.  Mati Claire counted how many times.  No lie.

Luckily for me I carry a wooden spoon in my van.  Luckily for me Daddy was waking up by the time we got home.   Not so lucky for Mad Man.  

Mommy doesn't drink anymore, but I sure could use one tonight.  Lawd help me.  At least I have 7 more days before we try this again.  

Day 1 in the books of being a "soccer mom" and I'm not entirely positive there will ever be a Day 2.