Ladybug's devoted fans: her Memmie and Pappy were so proud of her at her games. I know that
her other grandparents, Nana Joan and Grandpa Gordon,
are smiling down from Heaven and are beaming
with pride!
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Unkey Wayne & Aunt Becky were ableto come to a few games early on when
Wayne had Saturday's off.
Aunt Ju Ju and cousin David came onthe day of Lauren's birthday party and witnessed
Lauren's awesome defensive skills and saw her score 2 goals.
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Lauren at her 1st game.
Mommy and Daddy love you, Ladybug!_1024x681.jpg)
Showing off her moves at practice!_1024x681.jpg)
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Here is Lauren before her very first practice. Ladybug picked out practice clothes and would only buy a soccer ball under 2 conditions:
(1.) It had to be pink, and
(2.) It had to coordinate with her practice clothing and cleats!
Good Grief, I've created a monster! Hahahaha!
Fall 2008 brought some new excitement into Ladybug's life....playing soccer for the very first time. Even as a toddler, she has always seemed to be very coordinated. I used to jokingly refer to her as "my little soccer star" when she was 1 1/2 and 2 years old due to the fact that she was so skilled at running behind her little kick ball and kicking it along the grass as she ran.
In August, I signed Lauren up to play on a local church league team with other preschool children. Their emphasis was on cooperation, sportsmanship, teamwork, and most importantly....putting God first in all that we do. Her team was named the "Jellyfish." She got a big kick out of the fact that all of the teams had sea creature names. It reminded her of her Aunt Mary in Pawley's Island!
Lauren is usually shy when in a new setting and situation. It can take her a couple of times to warm up, loosen up, and be herself. So, after getting her feet wet at the first couple of practices and first game, Lauren's ability really started to present itself! Lauren is a fast little girl and quite a good defensive player if I do say so myself! When she was feeling comfortable, we were able to finally see the real Lauren (that we see at home) play soccer! She was able to outrun players on the other team as they were dribbling the soccer ball down the field. Lauren would run ahead of them and kick the ball out of their possession and either steal it or allow another person to take it and run. She was in the middle of every play and always trying to get at the ball. Of course, it was hilarious to see those little children all in one big group attacking the ball...with the exception of the usual 1 or 2 children sitting on the grass or picking flowers...ha! At this age, the concept of playing positions was out of their realm of thinking!
Lauren scored some goals on a couple of different games. However, it was those impressive defensive skills that really shined. It was really neat to just watch her calculating her next move on the field and trying to figure out what to do to gain possession of the ball and where to kick it so that it did not roll out of bounds. I think that is smart for a 4 year old/5 year old to think about!
We are always so proud of everything that Lauren does, and it is so very exciting to see her participate in her different sporting and dancing activities as she grows. However, what is most important to me is that she is ENJOYING her activities. It would be detrimental to push her into an activity that she does not enjoy. I have decided that if she were to ever decide in the middle of a season that she no longer enjoys a particular activity, I would have her complete the season and not take part the next time the activity starts up. We do not want to teach her that quiting before a task is completed is OK. Being a parent is definitely the hardest job that I will ever have. I pray to God that I am doing everything as best as I can and making the right decisions for my child. However, when I see my sweet little girl participating in an activity (whether it be dance, cheerleading, or soccer) I am so proud to see her showing respect to others, cooperating, listening to her leaders, laughing, and making friends. All of these things are what truly make Lauren a star in her Mommy and Daddy's book!!
In August, I signed Lauren up to play on a local church league team with other preschool children. Their emphasis was on cooperation, sportsmanship, teamwork, and most importantly....putting God first in all that we do. Her team was named the "Jellyfish." She got a big kick out of the fact that all of the teams had sea creature names. It reminded her of her Aunt Mary in Pawley's Island!
Lauren is usually shy when in a new setting and situation. It can take her a couple of times to warm up, loosen up, and be herself. So, after getting her feet wet at the first couple of practices and first game, Lauren's ability really started to present itself! Lauren is a fast little girl and quite a good defensive player if I do say so myself! When she was feeling comfortable, we were able to finally see the real Lauren (that we see at home) play soccer! She was able to outrun players on the other team as they were dribbling the soccer ball down the field. Lauren would run ahead of them and kick the ball out of their possession and either steal it or allow another person to take it and run. She was in the middle of every play and always trying to get at the ball. Of course, it was hilarious to see those little children all in one big group attacking the ball...with the exception of the usual 1 or 2 children sitting on the grass or picking flowers...ha! At this age, the concept of playing positions was out of their realm of thinking!
Lauren scored some goals on a couple of different games. However, it was those impressive defensive skills that really shined. It was really neat to just watch her calculating her next move on the field and trying to figure out what to do to gain possession of the ball and where to kick it so that it did not roll out of bounds. I think that is smart for a 4 year old/5 year old to think about!
We are always so proud of everything that Lauren does, and it is so very exciting to see her participate in her different sporting and dancing activities as she grows. However, what is most important to me is that she is ENJOYING her activities. It would be detrimental to push her into an activity that she does not enjoy. I have decided that if she were to ever decide in the middle of a season that she no longer enjoys a particular activity, I would have her complete the season and not take part the next time the activity starts up. We do not want to teach her that quiting before a task is completed is OK. Being a parent is definitely the hardest job that I will ever have. I pray to God that I am doing everything as best as I can and making the right decisions for my child. However, when I see my sweet little girl participating in an activity (whether it be dance, cheerleading, or soccer) I am so proud to see her showing respect to others, cooperating, listening to her leaders, laughing, and making friends. All of these things are what truly make Lauren a star in her Mommy and Daddy's book!!
