Ethan and the Soccer Sharks

Along with school starting, Ethan also started soccer- and in a real league this time. The benefits of that are that he has actually practices each week as well as games. There are also only 8 players on each time and 4 play at a time so everyone gets lots of playing time and there aren't millions of little kids all fighting for the ball at the same time.
Ethan is really funny to watch play. He spends more of his time and energy jumping up and down and cheering for his teammates than he does actually running after or kicking the ball. Don't get me wrong, he gets in there and takes his turn, but then he stops and bounces for a while before he remembers to chase after the ball. Oh well, he's just 5 and it's hilarious to watch how happy he is. That's his cute coach in the background- she has earned serious brownie points in my opinion for being 5 months pregnant and volunteering to coach.
After they got slaughtered 13-0 in their first match, they worked on defense a little more. I'm not sure this red-rover line thing works but they sure do love it and they're working as a team.
One of the best parts of his team is that all but one of the kids go to his same morning kindergarten and 5 of those 7 are in his class with him so he's been able to make friends easily at school recess and at soccer.
Isaac spends most of the games eating snacks and then running around on the playground. They play the games at local elementary schools so everything is fenced in and I can just let Isaac run off without worrying about him. Fabulous!
It took until his third game but Ethan finally scored a goal! He was so excited and ran right off the field to get a high five. It's been interesting to watch him play with the others and see how the team evolves. Ethan really loves defense and spends most of the game angled towards his own goal and he runs back full steam to play goalie anytime the other team comes his way.
Miles isn't so lucky. He doesn't get to crawl off and play but there's plenty of grandparents to hold him and lots of toys to drop in cup holders and pull out- over and over again- he's slightly obsessed with this activity.