Highs And Lows

As is generally the case on Sunday afternoons, Thing One had a soccer game in one place and the other two a soccer game somewhere else entirely (at least they are on the same team!) at overlapping times.  When this happens, Himself generally goes with Thing One and I with the other two.  

Thing Two was absolutely dominant in his game today.  After several years of watching his focus waver in and out and occasional silly or oblivious or "different" behavior from him on the field, he's finally got this whole soccer thing.  He can track an opponent down on defense at speed and stuff them.  He can hold his own if they need him to play goalie.  On offense, he charges and charges and charges, with some pretty decent ball handling skills, too, until something goes in.  He scored the only two goals his team had today.  A friend commented that I need to make sure that I come to all of his games, since after every single scoring attempt, successful or unsuccessful, every defensive play or stopped ball in the goal, he looked over to me on the sideline for affirmation with a huge, sweet, joyful grin.  I was jumping around and hollering like a fool, I was so happy for him.  Their team ultimately lost 3-2, but I could care less about that.

Then, after the game, he was such a flaming nightmare that he lost both cookie privileges at the grocery store and game privileges at home in separate incidents.  Hard to believe that was the same kid: the arguing and rudeness were just far beyond any possible reasonable limit.  No idea whatsoever why Dr. Jekyll turned into Mr. Hyde.

Then there was Thing One, whose game Himself was reporting to me via text.  The first two quarters weren't so hot: he missed a defensive assignment and let one goal in, then the opponent scored on a PK that resulted from a foul of his.  He apparently came off the field at halftime nearly in tears.  Then, the second half, he scored on a booming PK of his own and had an assist as well.  His team also lost 3-2, but he felt a lot better about himself after his second-half performance, and the texts I was getting became much more cheerful as well!    

The story of parenting: Up one minute, down the next.  Want to kiss a kid one second and put a muzzle on him the next.  Laugh one minute, then cry.  Emotional whiplash!  Stop the roller coaster...I need some motion sickness meds.