And so it begins: Soccer edition.

So I had the pleasure of taking all three of the girls to their soccer stuff today. We missed the very first weekend of soccer for the littles because we were away. Then Miss-D's first weekend of soccer got canceled for snow. Then we had the great swine-flu panic of 2009. So despite the fact that we should be three weeks into the season, we just got started today!

Of course, everything is FUBAR because for some reason they're trying to jimmy the schedule around to make up the games that we missed for the flu panic. Why, I ask you? They are 3 and 5. If they miss a game, who cares? *sigh* Perhaps this is why they don't put me in charge of such things?!

Anyway, Daddy-J opted to go skiing at Snowbird today (wonder why I don't get that option? hmmm... NEway). So I was solo with the girls. Miss-D's game started at 9:00. Ordinarily, that would not be a problem, but since we've been on Swine Flu Vacation for a week, the girls have been sleeping in. I had to wake up M-Moo so she could get dressed to go.

It was a tich chilly this morning, but Miss-D played well. She's much more aggressive this year, really going for the ball, and got some good kicks in. I didn't see much of what she did last year, which was pretty much running along with the pack! They jiggered the system this year so that the field is much, much smaller and they play 3-on-3 instead of the 4-on-4 we had last year. Everybody gets much more of a chance to play, which is nice.

The coaches (they're on the field with the kids at this age) were both great and I think we got through a whole game with no tears, which for girls at this age is definitely a rarity!

So then we had about 1.5 hours to kill before the Start Smart soccer class started for the littles. We killed time at the playground, but by the time class started, we were a little wasted, I think. It still went well. K-Wiggles had a little trouble working out that she could really do the drills with any old ball and didn't have to have "her" ball for each skill session.

Miss-D was a great "parent" for M-Moo so I could help K-Wiggles (it's supposed to be one-on-one, but obviously Daddy-J wasn't there).

All-in-all, an auspicious start to the soccer season. I couldn't help thinking, though, as I was standing watching Miss-D's game, that this sideline-mom thing could be a significant chunk of my future. I could sure think of worse things for the girls to get involved in!