This weekend I took Layla to see England verses Wales at St Mary's.
I had been looking forward to having some time with Layla for a while. Often when I visit my nieces, I do get distracted with little Phoebe, she's so cute! So it was nice to have some time with Layla, it reminded me of the couple of times we have had little trips before.
This was my first time watching Englands Women's Team live, though I had seen a few players previously when I watched Team GB vs Brazil at Wembley during London 2012.
Layla loves football and can often be found with a ball at her feet. She is at an age where young people form ideas about what they may want to do in the future. I think as you get to that age were you're about to / or going to secondary school (maybe you wouldn't say it allowed, maybe you don't know it), but you are forming ideas of what is possible and what you like to do.
For me its great she has something she loves. She has her favourite players: Messi, Ronaldo, Suárez and Rashford (I think).
Remember being a kid, with a simpler life and something could be your everything? I think football and her family are totally her everything. I miss the simplicity of kid life.
Football, might be a hobby, or it might be more for Layla. But its important, I think, that she sees women can play, do play and do have jobs in football.
This weekend was cool. Visiting a great stadium in St Mary's and Layla seeing how big women's football is with an attendance of just over 25,500.
I would also like to mention Portsmouth Ladies who Layla was able to mascot for earlier this year.
She massively enjoyed cheering on Portsmouth and watching her first ever women's football match, after leading the team out with Captain Nadine Bazan.
Whatever football becomes to Layla, hobby, casual interest, or job. I am pleased to have been able to share these experiences with her.