I am one of those moms..........

So it all started one day with a phone call from my DH asking me if Drew (DS) was going to wrestle. You mean like with his little brother and occasionally his sister. Well, sure boys will be boys and I am sure wrestling is just one of those things boys naturally do. That isn't what he meant. He meant was he going to "go out for wrestling" the sign up is today he informed me. He was calling mainly because his boss is the coach and to say he is enthusiastic about wrestling would be a gross understatement. I quickly and curtly responded with an a "absolutely not". What I wanted to say was do you mean am I going to send my sweet baby boy, whom I love so dearly, and can still see his sweet cuddly face when he was born weighting 9lb 2oz, to get beat-up???? The precious son who a month earlier we celebrated his 5th birthday. The skinny little blonde hair, blued eyed boy who barely weighs 40lb. Was I going to send him to wrestling (spoken with a snarl), where boys would try to attack my baby. Ahhhh no, I think not. Now I am not sure my DH was expecting me to have the melt down I had. I think he thought I would willingly go for it, since I myself had played many sports growing up. I think he thought I would say "yes that would be great experience and will teach him alot of valueable life lessons." Yeah, well I didn't. This wasn't a sport I had any interest in letting, or encouraging one of my children to participate in.

I had a great idea on how to get my DS out of having to take part in such a barbaric sport, I would ask him if he wanted to do it. I knew he would say NO. So I asked him and he was so cute standing in the kitchen and so small. He responded "sure, and if I can't get him tackled, I will just punch him!" Whoa, I'm sorry, what? I really thought my incredibly shy little boy would say "no", but istead he was trying to come up with other ways to hurt someone else.....ah where did I go wrong?

So it happened without being able to stop it, Drew is now a wrestler. (big sigh) Wow, I can honestly say I never dreamed of it. On top of it all he LOVES it. He is learning so much and comes home and talks a mile a minute about practice. My shy little boy. I feel my attitude start to shift on this whole new sport. I find myself not being able to wait to find out who he wrestled and if he pinned(wrestling lingo) anyone. He even practices some of his moves on me. He actually caught me off guard and dropped me to the ground. The best part is watching him step out of his sister's shadow and come out of his shell.

So, I decide I have to go to his first meet, I am dying to see him. Last night was the night of his first meet, and I was going to be there no matter what. Babies still weren't 100% but I knew they would be comfy in their stroller. So we went. Drew was very shy when we first got there I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get him on the mat. Thankfully, Daddy got there and got Drew off to warm-ups. The other team arrives and the panic sets in. These aren't "little" boys, they looked like kids on steroids(maybe I exagerate a tiny bit, but they were bigger than Drew). Oh my goodness, what if he got hurt or worse yet just stood there and cried while some other child did a take down (more wrestling lingo) on my DS. I asked one of the other mother's if anyone ever gets hurt. She said "sometimes, but I can guarantee someone always cries." Oh great so reasurring thanks, I am glad I asked.

Out come our boys and they look so little. I finally see Drew, and he has the most somber look on his face. His expression is totally blank, as he watches the other matches intently. He never cracks a smile or speaks to anyone just sits quietly taking it all in. Now I was a big athlete all my life and even played some college ball. I have had some big games and nerves in my life, but this takes the cake. I am freaking out inside and about ready to throw-up. My sweet little boy looks so nervous and scared. I don't blame him, in a few minutes someone is going to try and take him down and pin him. All these moves I am seeing, I just know there is no way Drew knows how to do this. Well, too late because he is on deck. The coach has his arm around him and is talking to Drew. DS just nods and walks onto the mat. The ref has the boys shake hands and I am literally shaking(it is actually visibly on the video tape as I was filming him). The whistle blows and off they go tearing after eachother. Drew is first with his move and in the first 20 seconds Drew has this little boy on the ground! I am screaming so loud it is scarying Alice who is on my lap. Go Drew, come on Drew, you can do it!!!!! Then it hit me across the gym there was another mom cheering for her son to beat up my son! Wow, I am now one of those moms. I kept cheering though, in a packed gym I knew he could hear his mom and dad's voices. I could always pick my dad's voice out of a full gym:-) He did awesome the match lasted about a minute and my sweet, shy, son, did a take down and pinned that other little boy. Someone else's DS. I was so proud I even teared up. His facial expression still was emotionless. The ref brought them together to shake hands again and blew the whistle to signal the match was over. Drew thought that meant go and he started after the poor oponent again. The ref quickly grabbed Drew and said "No, buddy it is over, you already won!" It was the cutest thing. The ref grabbed Drew's hand and held his arm staraight in the air signifying winner. Drew's face never changed. Daddy quickly went over to congratulate him and he said to him "you know you won right, buddy?" Drew responded "well yeah of course, I pinned him." Ahhh he wasn't a scared little boy, he was focused. Maybe he isn't my little 5 year old after all, but my BIG 5 year old. It is offical I am a wrestling mom and happy to be.

Until next time......happy day.