Activities

In the midst of the move, we decided to take on just a few more things. We signed Declan up for soccer and he was originally pretty excited about it but it tapered off as the weeks went by between sign ups and actually starting. We thought it would be a good way to get him active and involved and around some other kids. Declan hits the cut off for kindergarten on the exact day of the cut off. We've gone back and forth on whether or not to send him and I think we've decided to wait. I thought soccer may be a good way to get him into a group setting (which he doesn't prefer) and to give him something 'of his own.'  We made sure that he and his cousin Danielle were on the same team, got him cleats and a soccer ball and he practiced and kicked around the yard with Isabella and Ryan. Last Saturday was the day. He was excited. He got up and we got him all dressed and ready. We got to the soccer field, unloaded the eleven people that came along and he decided he was cold. Once Declan gets something in his head, it's takes a miracle to change the subject. He was cold. He wanted to be held, he asked if he was going to be cold the whole time (Hello, nerves) and he froze. Ryan took him to the warm up circle, he tried to coax him along. Frozen.

Doesn't he look thrilled?

 



Mom grabbed his hand and they walked around kicking the ball...actually...mom walked around kicking the ball. He gave the ball one swift kick straight to me and then followed it. Straight up and into my arms. He was pretty much done.

And I love a dad who grew up playing sports, yet sat there and held his own son when he was just too scared to play. No pressure, no worries, just wanted his kid to do what he felt was right in his own time. Our kids are lucky.

 



They broke into teams, Ryan took him to the circle. Frozen. The kids started running, kicking, falling all over each other. Declan ran too. Straight into Ryan's lap. He remained there for the next forty five minutes.

Just about the time they were wrapping up practice, Ryan got up and was kicking the ball around with Isabella and Danielle's cousin, Marlon. Declan hopped up, ran over and joined right in. Then, he didn't want to leave, he wanted soccer to start over, he asked when he could go back.  You know, the polar opposite of how he was just moments before. Typical. We'll see how this Saturday goes.

Before Isabella's spring break, they had a Spring celebration at school. It happened to fall at the same time as Quinn's first ballet class, so mom took Declan to her Spring fling while I took Quinn to ballet. Then after I got home, I headed over to the school to help out with their class party and egg hunt. For the spring fling, the first graders held a 'store' and the kindergartners used their 'money' to buy goods or services. Declan even got a little baggie of money from Isabella's teacher and they were able to 'shop' that morning.

After that, they stayed for the Spring Bonnet and Hat parade. Each year the kindergartners decorate their own spring bonnet or hat and parade around the school while the other grades stand in the hall and watch them. Isabella, the little crafter that she is, had fun making her hat. She sewed the little bunny that stood front and center and then I manned the glue gun while she made the placements.

Then we proceeded to hide over a thousand filled eggs for three kindergarten classes. On a small playground there are obviously not enough hiding places for a thousand eggs, so in the end they all went up and where they landed, they stayed.

And to add to the craziness, I mean fun, that is Springtime around here, we went to the Civic Dance Companies Princess Tea party. The company puts on a little Princess themed performance for kids and in conjunction with a little tea party it makes for the perfect afternoon for some ballet loving girls.

 We were quickly approaching the hour of naptime, so Quinn was in somewhat of a trance. She loved the ballerinas but would give zero attention to anyone but hers truly...her ballet teacher.

 



Isabella, on the other hand, loves all things princess-y so she was more than happy to pose with the different princess'. Her favorite was Ariel.

 

I think between me, Kelly and Jenn, watching our little girls be so enamored by the ballerinas, you can't help but wonder if that will be them some day...