did i mention that dalton is playing tiny tot soccer?

First rule of soccer...NO HANDS!  So funny that I was able to catch this on film!

Second try to take the ball down at practice...much better foot work this time:)

Score...during practice!

Some game time action...

Well we aren't really sure if we are or we're not?!?!?  He wanted to be on a "team" so we signed up with the YMCA to play soccer...it's all he talks about for weeks!  A couple of his play date pals are on his team, we get the gear (shin guards, jersey, soccer cleats, soccer ball) we go to the practice which is the 30 minutes prior to the game and he has some interest and of course all of his family other than his out of town family were there to cheer him on and then when the game starts he plays once maybe twice and then "no thanks I don't want to play!"  And then the whole week after the game he says "I don't want to be on a soccer team"...everyday he tells us this...we think he will change his mind so we invite his Grandma Wanda to visit so she can watch him play!  He doesn't change his mind...then it's like do we make him play something he has no desire to do because we signed him up for it when he is 3 years old...do we force him to play like some of the other parents are doing while the kids are crying, etc.  We decided...NO!  We skipped the soccer game that next Saturday and decided that we would continue to ask him if he wants to play and if he does he does and if he doesn't he doesn't!  Our plan so far is working...the third Saturday he wanted to play soccer so we go...we don't invite the whole family...just mommy, daddy and Dalton!  If you haven't noticed he's not really big on lots of attention or big gatherings of people...partially why he's not cRaZy about soccer...YET!  Practice was great with the help of his play date pal Wesley and his mommy who is one of the coaches...they always tried to include him!  Then the game started and the I don't want to play soccer started again...so we told Dalton it was fine if he didn't want to play but he would need to sit and watch his friends play and cheer them on...good sportsmanship lesson!  They continued to ask him to play he continued to scream "No!"  Then mommy reminded him about the donut he had asked to have after the soccer game...and that if he doesn't play in the soccer game he doesn't get a donut!  Well...all of the sudden a soccer star was born...he got to throw the ball in, kick the ball, run with the kids, get high fives from the coaches, thumbs up from mommy and daddy on the sidelines and he even took the ball all the way down to score and stopped right in front of the goal...he still thinks that he scored!  We haven't told him any different he's only 3 right?!?!?  Was it wrong to bribe him with a donut!!?!?!?!  I don't know but he got in there and played without tears and had a great time and has been talking about playing again this Saturday ever since!  We even went and at sandwiches after the game and daddy was telling him how proud he was of him and Dalton says "I'm proud of you too daddy!"  and of course daddy asks why and Dalton says "because you cheered me on you too mommy"!  I thought I was going to shed a proud mommy moment tear right there in the restaurant!  

WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU DALTON THOMAS!  Stay tuned to see how well the rest of the season turns out!