Avery's Soccer Season

This spring's soccer season has been extremely wet, which has led to many of the kids' practices and games being cancelled.  Phil and I are horrible parents, as we usually cheer and then proceed to enjoy our free Tuesday nights or Saturday mornings.  Worst. Parents. Ever.

 

 

 

 

Kayla's Soccer Season

Kayla's soccer season had been pretty nonexsistent up until this past weekend, and not just because of all of the wet weather.  Kayla attended one practice, participated for about five minutes, and then proceeded to tell me for the next several weeks that she hated soccer, she was scared of her coach, and that she didn't want to play.  As a last chance effort to salvage the season and my hard-earned money that was already spent, I took her to a game that actually hadn't been rained out.  I had already warned the coach ahead of time not to give Kayla much attention; no amount of pressure or positive encouragement was going to get her out on the field until she was ready.  And boy, was I right (moms know best). 

 

The game started with Kayla barefoot with her back turned to the field. 

After about 10 minutes, she turned around and started watching the game.  The next 25 minutes consisted of Kayla demanding that I put her socks, shinguards, and shoes on....and then she would take them off.  Then she would ask for them to be put on.....and then she would remove them and throw them on the ground once more.  For any parent who has stuffed their kid's legs into shinguards, knee high socks, and narrow cleats knows how much of a pain in the a*# this was.  But I just kept my mouth quiet and let her deal with her own internal struggle.

After I had her gear donned for, like, the fifteenth time, Kayla randomly hopped off the bench, grabbed her pink ball, and ran out onto the field (mid-game, mind you), and presented herself to Coach Leann.  I was grateful that Coach Leann didn't bat an eye and just told Kayla to go chase the ball.

 And thus, my soccer star was born.

Here are a couple of videos of Kayla playing in her first game ever (keep in mind, she participated for five minutes at one practice, although she does enjoy to kick with us in the backyard).  Once she got the hang of the game, meaning she realized that she was allowed to take the ball from other kids, there are NO HANDS in soccer, and when you have the ball you are supposed to kick it into the goal, she did okay.  We can't wait until her next game to see the Kayla Jean Domination that we all KNOW is inside of her.



 

 

 

Annual Well Visits

The kids had their annual check-ups with our favorite physician in the world, Dr. Dino.

 

Here are their stats (I'm just practicing for their future basketball trading cards):

 

Avery: 5 years old

Height: 44.0 inches, 71st percentile

Weight: 40.0 lbs, 44th percentile

 

Kayla: 3 years old

Height: 39.25 inches, 91st percentile

Weight: 34.0 lbs, 79th percentile

Random Spring Photos

Kayla wearing Avery's cowboy boots and playing with her gazillion Barbies that she got for her birthday.

 Barbie and Transformers meet again.  Just like in 1987.  All we need is some He-Man and She-Ra dolls and it'll be my childhood all over again.

 Complete with a cheerleading outfit and backpack, she looks like she could be headed off to school.  Too soon, Kayla.  Too soon.

 Avery getting comfortable at the public library.  Call me a snob, but...I just feel like these books are so....germy.  It's not like you can use a Clorox wipe on paper.  Am I right????

 About twice a week, Haley will go nuts scratching at Avery's door at night until we let her in.  Avery is about the only person in the house that is nice to her.  This is her way of paying him back, I guess.

 Kayla and I enjoyed a shopping trip one day.  We hit up TJMaxx...

 ...and a jewelry store (to clean my rings, I swear!!!).

 We drive Avery's friend down the street, Milo, to soccer practice.  I laugh every time I see Kayla desperately trying to play with her big brother and his friends...it reminds me of my childhood (and a portion of my adult life too, haha).

 

 He doesn't get his handwriting skills from me (according to every single cashier that feels the need to comment on my super cool, albeit illegible, signature).

 Kayla is getting slightly less lazy....errr, I mean STRONGER, as she can now ride her bike for the distance of 1-2 houses before quitting.

 A trip to the grocery store.  Avery and I both have bruises on the back of our ankles from one particular wild child with a shopping cart....

 Yup...she's packin' heat.  Not sure where she learned this from.  I guess this is what happens when your son gets about 20 guns (no exaggeration) for his 5th birthday...

 The kids and I fooling around one weekend while Phil was out of town.

 We like to send pictures to Daddy while he is gone so he misses us.

 A trip to the movie theater to see the new muppet movie.  We made it about 10 minutes into the movie before Avery got really scared by Kermit the Frog's evil doppelganger (check out the previews).  At least we got our money back.

 Avery thinks he is going to see Spider Man in the movie theater.  Ummm...maybe in about 8 years, kiddo.

 Kayla and I again trying to make daddy miss us.  I don't think this picture helped our cause.

 This year, you really have to take advantage of dry weather when you can.

 Avery showing us his boo boos on his fingers.

Another Avery Pirate Birthday Party

Avery's friend, Avery Tucker, turned five 2 days before Avery did.  This past weekend, he had his party, which was a Jake and the Neverland Pirate-themed party.  His dad even built a pirate ship in the back yard!