Last weekend was the final day of our boy’s street soccer. My Skinny Man and myself have been standing on the sidelines watching small boys run around after a soccer ball since last October, in all weathers (rain, howling wind, snow) because the only time the games were cancelled was when the field was actually covered in snow. Our boy started off slowly, in the beginning he was one of the kids digging holes in the grass or trying to dismantle the net but gradually, with lots of encouragement from us and the coaches, he started to participate. He’s not a great team contributor yet, but he’s out there running around every week, which is all I really want for him right now. As last Saturday was the last week of the season, the coaches all dressed up in funny clothes and played silly soccer games with the kids which they all enjoyed. And at the end of the hour, all the kids got a cupcake and a trophy. Our boy was so excited with his trophy. He took it out of the box on the car ride home and examined it. “Look mummy. It has stars on it. They must think I’m a superstar!”
But moments after getting home, our boy was crying his eyes out. It turns out, in his excitement to get his trophy to his room, he had tripped going up the stairs and the trophy was now broken. And our little boy was heartbroken. So Skinny Man and I got out the crazy glue and patched it back together. The trophy is now sitting in its’ box until the glue firms up enough – hopefully it holds.
On Monday, it was the last day of the current swimming lesson session. On the last day, the instructors do fun things with the kids, based on their swimming level and size. Our boy’s killer whale class got to go down the big red slide. None of the other kids in his class wanted to go down the slide, so our boy ended up going down a few times, to his great joy. And his instructor also went down it, making “the hugest splash!” At the end of the lesson, the report cards were handed out. Now our boy has done three rounds of killer whale lessons and so badly wanted to graduate to be a shark. I told him he needed to be able to swim on his front and his back so he’s been working really hard at kicking to get there. And he did it! He gets to be a shark in the next swim session. I don’t know who was happier with that result – our boy or me. When I thanked his instructor I was told “no worries. He’s been great to have in the class.” So I’m one proud mama.
And if that wasn’t enough, this was also the week we got our boy’s preschool evaluation. It was a good read as his mum. It confirms everything I’ve long thought about our boy. He’s fun, funny, bright, compassionate, and friendly as well as stubborn, strong willed and independent. The one thing they are trying to teach the boy (and we try at home as well) is to hold a pencil towards the tip, between the thumb and two fingers as opposed to his way which is at the end away from the tip with a fist. His way makes it very hard to write and draw which he finds frustrating but he’s not willing to take instruction in how to make things easier for himself. (see stubborn and strong willed) But I must admit, it warms my heart to see others appreciate my fun and funny child.
Amongst all this good stuff, are the daily battles. Eating dinner, going to bed, listening, dealing with frustrations, dealing with the incessant “I wants”. Inevitably I end up being the “worstest” mummy in the world. It normally doesn’t last long before I’m back to getting hugs and being the “bestest” mummy in the world. It all keeps me on my toes.
I wrote this earlier in the week and was waiting to get some pictures to post along with the text. Like the rest of the world we are shocked by the news from Japan over the last couple of days. My heart breaks for all those dealing with the devastation and loss there. I'm counting my blessings and keeping those I love close.
