One Soccer Mom, One Boy, and Two Cheetahs

Many of you know we finally signed Grayson up for spring soccer. He has been pestering us to play soccer for a while. I have to admit, as a new soccer mom, I am not 100% sure that I'm ready to give up my Saturday mornings just yet. I suppose learning to not be selfish is part of this parenting contract we are in for a "few more" years.
This past Friday we went to Academy to look for a soccer ball, shin guards, and most importantly soccer shoes. It didn't take Grayson long to pick out some shoes.

"Look! Cheetah Shoes!!"

This is what we hear Grayson excitedly proclaim when he notices a pair of Puma's. Lord please help us all that these shoes will fit. Grayson was so excited about them. He just knew that these Cheetah shoes would make him the fastest soccer player on the team.... This is yet to be determined.... We got them on his feet and after several sprints in the shoe department to check for proper fit, we packed up our Cheetah shoes and moved on.
For a good laugh, picture Grayson sprinting down the isle in Academy with his "Cheetah" Shoes and a shadow about a foot shorter wearing shoes the exact same size (and obviously too big) trying to be just like brother. I probably would have bought him a pair of cheetah shoes if they had had some in his size!

I occasionally recall my mom telling me to be nice to my sister, she was just trying to be like me. I always was frustrated by this... but I laugh now thinking of how exceptionally ridiculous my sister must have looked trying to imitate someone nearly 4 years older. Sometimes watching Braxton I just have to sigh because there is no way he can possibly perform at the same skill level as his brother.... but he'd gladly break a leg or two trying.

My first experience in true Soccer Mom mode was Wednesday. All the kids that are playing for the YMCA in Little Rock were invited to the "Skills and Drills" Practice. It started at 5:45 so I picked Grayson up from extended care around 4:00. We went to get Braxton and then went home to get our clothes changed and eat some dinner. I figured this would be an early dinner so I didn't really expect my skinny boys to eat anything. Braxton met my expectations. Grayson... ate every bit. He ate his 1/2 peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chips, trail mix, and a couple other random things. We loaded up and went out to practice. I may have made a mistake by underestimating the wind chill. Braxton and Mom spent most of practice in the car watching, while Dad sacrificed and froze out near the field. Sometimes I have to admire the suffering that guys will go through to keep a girl happy (and warm in this case)
After practice as we are driving away, Grayson mentions multiple times that he is hungry. I had to laugh because he is not always a very big eater. After a few reminders that he is hungry and we haven't turned in to anywhere serving food... he exasperatedly says " Are you guys not hungry?"
Before you worry about him... we did stop and get him a taco. He ate two dinners. At age 4. If we keep up this trend I might need to take out a second mortgage to feed him as a teenager.

SUPER FLY

My children ARE superheros. From the second they get up, to when they go to bed we are either watching, talking about, eating vitamins shaped like, or pretending to be superheros. I have to admit that this is absolutely one of my favorite things and I even decided last weekend that had Braxton asked to keep his cape on when we left for church that I was going to proudly take him in like that. But he didn't. I was almost a bit sad. I guess it would only have drawn more attention to us had he been loud anyway. 

If you haven't ever seen it there is a television show called "Super Why". They are ... SuperReaders. Its a cute little show with letters and words and problem solving. It is also on our netflix (which I prefer often over television stations for the boys in order to avoid commercials that just add "needs" to Grayson's list) so the boys watch it periodically. Braxton even likes it. The main character in this show has a cape and eye mask. 

Lately whenever Braxton wants his cape he brings it to me to put on and says "SUPER FLY!" It is so stinking cute and hilarious that he thinks that is what they are saying. He will run around the house yelling it. I crack up every time. Our Little Superhero is absolutely "superfly"

Instruction for Sneaking Out of The House

Sneaking out of the house ......toys that is.....is apparently a hot topic in PreK. Grayson always sticks a few toys in his backpack to play with in after school care. The latest hot toys in his little mind are BeyBlades and apparently his little friend Ricky happens to have some.
Now I may or may not have mentioned before that Grayson is quite the scammer. I wonder after hearing this story tonight how long he has been working on getting his classmate involved in an effort to get his hands on some BeyBlades. (Grayson doesn't have any but they are on every list for times he could possibly get a gift this year) Dad asked Grayson today if he got to play with BeyBlades at school today and he was told "No, Ricky's dad caught him sneaking them to school so we didn't get to play".
As I am hearing this story, Grayson is sitting in the bath telling us how Ricky needed to change his tactics (tiptoe and be more quiet) in order to sneak his toys to school. In the back of my mind I am hearing my sneaky child (who generally tells us he is being sneaky so it defeats his efforts) planning this attempt with his friend. Perhaps I need to start being more aware of him helping others be sneaky in an effort to benefit himself since he is unable to sneak off to the store to purchase what he wants.
Once again I feel that I have been let down by our parents who neglected to tell us that four year olds are practicing their pre-teen skills and this is our chance to start figuring out how to work the system in our favor. I am a little nervous about the future seeing as it takes significant energy to keep up with the current schemes.

Our Sneaky Little Guy