Go Dolphin Mermaids!

Madeline is a little soccer player and Rob is her head coach! She and her teammates -- an adorable group of four, five and six year old girls -- named themselves the Dolphin Mermaids. What else?

Every Tuesday night, Coach Rob races home from work to get to the soccer field and teach game basics; they practice passing and talk about teamwork. Thankfully the league's not very competitive -- there's one little girl on our team who almost always picks the ball up with her hands whenever it rolls her way. And since it's family night at Chick-fil-a across the street every practice night, we often come home with face paint and balloons.

Saturday is game day. Madeline puts on her YMCA-issued pink jersey and matching pink soccer socks. Her shin guards are so tiny they look like they were made to protect my hand from a ping pong ball. She runs her heart out and all the parents cheers like mad even when she kicks the ball in the other team's goal.

Super fan!

Charlie gets so excited cheering for his big sister on the sideline. "Goooooo Miiiimiiiii!" he yells. One time he even ripped off his shirt like a Packers super fan. Or maybe he was just hot. Rob even bought him his own "soccer uniform" that he puts on every practice and game. He can't resist the action and so usually, Rob holds him in his arms as he runs around the field, coaching and refereeing.

At the end of the game, all the parents make a tunnel with our arms that the girls from both teams run through. They love it!

So does this officially make me a soccer mom?

Playing with the coach's whistle

Rapt with attention. Or are they looking for bugs in the grass?