Ice? Who needs Ice?!?

No snow, no ice, green-"ish" grass, warmer weather, etc... You'd think that means it's time to move onto the next season's sport. Well Little Guy had a better idea.

 

Little Guy: Let's kick the ball.

Big Poppy: Alright, let's put your shoes and coat on and go outside.

 

We kick the ball back and forth, 10-15 minutes, before the ball gets stuck underneath the car. Little Guy goes to the corner of the garage and grabs the hockey stick.

 

Little Guy: Here you go Daddy! Get the ball.

Big Poppy: Thanks Little Guy!

Little Guy: You're wel-come Daddy!

Big Poppy: :-)

Another 5 minutes or so goes by before the ball is stuck again. I grab the stick and pull the ball out.

Little Guy: Let me see (referring to the stick).

Big Poppy: Oh, okay, here you go.

 

See below for what happened next........

Little Guy says I'm tired of kicking, let's play hockey! I don't care if the stick is too big and the blade is curved the wrong way!

  

Okay, well maybe not those exact words, but that's how I interpreted it! :-)

  

Yes, he will be getting his own left handed hockey stick (Little Guy size) next season.

I'm Taking A Shower

Last weekend Little Guy and I went to SD to visit my side of the family and watch SoyBoy play in the state baseball tournament (more to come later on that). We were staying with Ranger and FavoriteAunt and I was a little nervous about the bathroom situation. You see, their kids are almost fully grown and no one takes baths. When they redid their bathroom a couple years ago instead of putting in a tub they opted for a shower only instead of stepping over the tub to get into the shower (the shower is huge and I love that!). However, the only time Little Guy has been in the shower was a few months back. He was playing in the bathroom while I was showering. The next thing I know, the shower curtain is moving and Little Guy is crawling into the shower - fully clothed. After he felt the water splashing on him and it not stopping, Little Guy let me know his displeasure. I had visions of tears and sadness while forcing him to shower.

Friday night got to be too late and Little Guy fell asleep without getting cleaned up. That had to be wonderful sleeping for him. I mean, have you ever started watching baseball at noon with high humidity? Napping in the shade of the grand stands because you were so upset to go home for a few minutes because Mommy wanted you to nap in the air conditioned home? Making it home around 10 pm? But he did fall straight asleep despite my poor parenting skills. :)

On Saturday morning, I re-introduced the shower to Little Guy.

There were tears alright. Tears when it was time to turn the shower off. He was not a happy boy.

Saturday was much of the same. Baseball. Hot. High humidity. Napping in the grand stands. However, Little Guy was a little wiser. At about 7:30 he looked to me and said. "Hot. Go home." I asked him, "You want to go home?" "YES!"

And so we went home and he was able to shower again and I took these three quick video clips with my phone. I watch them now and still laugh. 

When we got home on Sunday, Big Poppy was holding Little Guy. All of a sudden Little Guy looked dead serious.

LG: I showered!

BP: You took a shower?

LG: Yeah. Little Guy showered!

He is too flipping cute!

Big Poppy

There is no doubt how much Big Poppy loves Little Guy nor that Little Guy thinks Big Poppy is the greatest.

The love between these two boys is indescribable. At the baseball game yesterday, the guest service attendant commented over and over again about the two of the them (and this lady takes her job very (VERY!) seriously, do not try to do anything without her permission).

Whether Little Guy wants to borrow Big Poppy's sunglasses, even though the sun was not shining (yet again)

or if he just needs someone to catch him humpty dumpty-ing into the pool

or making sure foul balls do not land on his head

Big Poppy is always going to be there.

In a few years, when you are unhappy with Big Poppy telling you no to car keys or weekend trips, don't forget how much you love him Little Guy and know, without a doubt, he thinks the world of you.

***NOTE: Did you hear a scream of "Noooooo. F----------." this morning? Not to worry, it was just me finishing up an original posting and then watching my computer shut down, without warning unless you count the pop-up that told me it would be happening in 15 minutes which was like 2 minutes before the shut down occurred. Or at least it seemed like 2 minutes and I thought I was finishing up instead of halfway through. Things seem to take me longer than I think they should.***

The Boys of Summer

Downside: Our hometown boys of summer have yet to live up to expectations this year.

Upside: Fans are still showing up for the home games.

Downside: The weather has been less than ideal for outdoor baseball due to cold and the rain.

Upside: We have had a few decent days with the sun and even some heat (I really like that).

Upside: We have been able to make it to a few games this year.

Downside: Big Poppy does not read my mind and take charge to ask those around us to take a quick family picture of the three of us (or grab the camera to take one of Little Guy and me - I improvise while Big Poppy is engrossed in the game).

Upside: We have plenty of family and friends with season tickets that allow us to enjoy home games without breaking the bank.

Upside: We recently sat the "Legends" club for a completely different view from where we normally sit.

Upside: As season ticket holders (by proxy) we were able to purchase additional tickets prior to them going on sale to the general public.

Downside: The way the hometown boys are playing I am wondering if Big Poppy and a few of his college teammates should walk-on to the team. Despite their years I cannot think they would hurt the team currently (or perhaps this is really an upside because of league minimum wage rules for the summer play).

Upside: Foul ball landed in Big Poppy's hand. Thank you Justin Morneau.

OK - despite the win-loss record, the boys of summer are treating our family pretty darn good. Not a bad way to enjoy a Sunday (Memorial Day weekend).

Bat of a Good Time

Did you survive the ghosts and goblins on Sunday?

We barely survived with all the scare tactics of the neighborhood children.

Halloween was a little different than last years party. For the most part it had to with having a Little Bat. He sures like to climb up on everything and spread his wings to fly.

GrandB and GrandC came over again this year. We had some blood punch and zombie pizza's and dogs, but the spread was not laid quite as nicely as the previous year. However, we did have some Halloween cupcakes with bone toppings - an addition from last year (and Little Bat tried his best to eat only the frosting).

Having the trick-or-treaters come to us again this year was quite fun for Little Bat. He would get very excited when they came to the door. To each and everyone he gave them a polite "bye-bye".

Little Bat with GrandB and GrandC.

In between treaters, baseball was played (I know, we are still very disappointed about the Yankees and Twins).

Little Bat waiting for the perfect pitch from Big Poppy.

All in all in was a Bat of a Good Time.

Little Bat was not patient for the camera this time around but I was having a good time.

In case you were curious, Little Bat stayed in character all night. He decided to be a nocturnal creature Sunday night!

Got to Love October

A person really must love October. There are birthday's, anniversaries, excuses to eat candy and so much more. Anyone who does not love October must live a state of depression.

One reason to love October is the post season.

You know - post season baseball.

While we we are not quite there yet, on Sunday we made it out to the final regular season home game with GrandB and a loving family friend. We went there to watch one of our favorite teams.

It was a little chilly and Big Poppy bought Little Guy these:

However, Little Guy has to be just like Big Poppy.

Big Poppy was not wearing gloves therefore Little Guy would not wear gloves.

Something Little Guy would wear is a new hat (as you may have guessed, Big Poppy was wearing a hat).

I tried to let Little Guy know that it is OK to wear a little warmer outer gear in October. It means fall is here and post season play is just around the corner. Many a fan pulls on a hat when it comes to October baseball.

As you can see, Little Guy was over it. Watching a team lose is never fun.

I wonder who he is going to cheer for on Wednesday....

Labor Day Weekend

I know. I know. It's been a while. As Little Guy gets more and more mobile (there isn't anything he won't try to climb) I find myself running around more and needing to do some household necessities at night and for my sanity, working out in the morning (except for this morning...my throat will not allow me to breath and I'll be gargling salt water very soon).

Anyways. I wanted to give you quick glimpse of our weekend.

Saturday brought some family to town. We just saw them in July in Chicago so it was a real treat to have them with us again so quickly. While Big Poppy, Ranger, Syd and Soy went to the baseball game, Little Guy, Aunt and I stared at a blank wall.

After we had enough of the blank wall, we hopped into the car and made sure Big Poppy had some work to do when they returned from the baseball game. (Ranger was a little upset and unable to be put to work.)

There is one less blank space on our walls. And for those of you who don't know, we did not normally have blank walls. Right before we Little Guy warmed our hearts we had the popcorn ceiling changed to a knock-down ceiling. Everything had been moved out of our home. We repainted and the pictures we had just were not us (I may not have had the best taste 10 years ago when it came to furniture or picture selections). I have been slowly finding items that we like without spending a small fortune, although there is a painting I am in love with and I may have to break down and spend a few hundred dollars on one picture. I'm not there yet but I'm getting there.

Did you think I would make Big Poppy stand there all day to finish out the space?

The weekend also consistent of more baseball on Sunday. Some of us longed around (some more than others).

There were parks to be played at.

Some of us could not get enough of the slide. And here I thought kids liked swings better than slides.

Some of us threw a fit when we had to leave the park.

GrandB and GrandC came to play with Little Guy while the rest of us enjoyed seeing Wicked. One critic was heard saying this play was better than Syd's school plays.

At in the end, when the family left, we were all sad to see them go. Once again, Little Guy had a bad night sleeping after they left. I guess he missed them already.

Weekend Recap

For me, the best weekends are ones spent close to home relaxing with those we love and love us. This past weekend was pretty close to ideal (there is always room for improvement but that would mean we would need more weekend and I don't think the U.S. work week is going to change for me).

Friday started off fairly normal except when Big Poppy left to take Little Guy to "school" (aka daycare) I was still home and not dressed for the office. I spent the morning spit shining the house and then off to yoga. Shortly after lunch, Little Guy came running when he saw me peaking around the corner and we spent the afternoon playing with Jeter.

Saturday morning was spent patiently waiting for 7 am so I could call the yoga studio. While getting ready for bed the night before I realized one of my earrings was MIA. After a CSI like search around the house, Big Poppy and I concluded it was not in our home. The yoga studio had indeed found an earring matching my description - a precious anniversary gift was safe! Big Poppy was playing in a day long softball tournament with friends. Add to his Saturday to do's was a quick trip between games to get my earring.

Little Guy and I did not go to watch Big Poppy this Saturday. Instead of going to the fun, the fun was coming to us. BabyMack was coming to play with Aunt Steffey (Mack was off to a park with her sister, brother-in-law and two nephews while MackDaddy had to work).

You would not guess it from this picture of Aunt Steffey, Little Guy, BabyMack and Jeter, but we had a great time together. The problem with this picture...BabyMack is not a fan of Jeter. Jeter could be across the room and if BabyMack and Jeter make eye contact, well, let's just say BabyMack needed to be saved from the big fluffy monster who loves to kiss everyone. (MackDaddy did share when he came to steal BabyMack from us that their cat, who is also fluffy and white, might tease BabyMack a little bit.)

After a nice long, hot, sticky stroller ride up the drive and around the lake, we took it to the deck for some cool and refreshing Popsicles (and there is no way Big Poppy, Little Guy and I had Popsicles for breakfast on Sunday too). The day was hot and sticky but we just didn't want to be inside. The ghetto pool returned for the afternoon on the deck. By this time, Big Poppy made it home (they did not make it to the championship game) and filled the ghetto pool while Aunt Steffey added warm water and bubbles. The result, a nice cool and refreshing pool for Little Guy, complete with rubber duckies.

And boy did Little Guy appreciate how nice the pool was. He snuggled right up to the side and hugged the ghetto pool.

BabyMack was not quite sure of the pool so we splashed some water on his feet or gave his legs a quick dip now and again.

Sunday was another hot and sticky day. We had a grill out for lunch (after not having Popsicles for breakfast) with two wonderful friends. Big Poppy had to rush off because of a baseball game and the four remaining stayed cool for a little while longer. Then we headed off to watch Big Poppy's game. Little Guy stayed cool with ice management. He would grab ice from the cooler and bring it to everyone. Then he got smarter and decided he would be cooler if instead of just grabbing ice, he could put it in his mouth and then give it to you. He stayed cool and happy...the rest of us didn't talk much. The heat sucked the life out of us.

Another Great Day

While we wait for the painful tooth to push through, we had a yet another great day (most days are great days, don't get me wrong, this is just a day I have taken the time to write about).

Saturday started off with me waking up and heading off to yoga. Some yoga days are better than other yoga days. This Saturday morning yoga had me worked up. I had trouble focusing and staying in the moment. Instead, I was thinking about what I needed to do, what I wanted to do and what I would likely end up doing (oddly enough, these things hardly ever align - what I want to do is much too long to really accomplish, what I want to do does not always include what has to be done i.e. I rarely want to scrub toilets yet this is something that I should do, and what I end up doing is sometimes dictate by the weather or moods of others). In yoga, we are taught to stay present and keep in on the mat...the battle between my mat and the outside world was one sided this day. The outside world won. When this happens, the mat losing, it normally spells trouble for me. I don't stay focused on much of anything and accomplish nothing.

Well guess what. This Saturday was a day perfect for accomplishing nothing.

After a late morning nap, Little Guy had decided Saturday would be a great day to wake up 1 1/2 hours earlier than normal, Little Guy and I headed off to Aunt Steffey's. Aunt Steffey's niece is in town for the week and Saturday was earmarked as water day. Our dear friend PG, who has a birthday in a few days, Steffey, her helpful niece, Little Guy and I made plans for grilling, water and fun. The day was not a disappointment. Little Guy's ghetto pool was filled. The slip-n-slide was secured. Tubs were commandeered for even more "pools". Fortunately or unfortunately, little pictures were taken...too much fun was being had splashing around and laughing with joy.

Aunt Steffey's water park closed for Little Guy and I around 3. A nap was in order after all that time in the fresh air. Besides, we had to replenish our energy for a game with Big Poppy, GrandC and SmileyG.

At the ball park, Little Guy was able to watch one of his favorite past times.

Our seats were up close and personal (and better yet, bathrooms with limited access!).

Little Guy's cub of ice might have been empty but GrandC's heart was as warm as ever.

And my boy's were happy to see a win that keeps the streak alive.

All in all, it was another great day.

Family Weekend

The Fourth of July holiday has always been one to spend with those who you love to have a good time with. Last year Big Poppy and I were very lucky to head back to my home town to visit family and friends. This year we hopped a plane and headed the opposite direction to meet up with some very special people in the windy city.

Our flight was bright and early on Thursday (6 am!) however, the unnatural hours did not slow Little Guy down. He flirted with the ladies on our nearly private flight (bonus) and waved to the little dog also on board. The flight is a quick one, about an hour, and as we waited for the car to arrive, well then Little Guy decided it was time for nap.

Wait a moment Mommy, this camera is not allowing the ladies to see me smile.

It was a quick car ride from the airport to the hotel. Little Guy and I grabbed some breakfast while we waited for the rest of the family to arrive and then we would be off to the Cubbies game. It is a good thing that Ranger, Aunt, Syd, Soy, Little Guy and I are not Cub fans (but who wouldn't like to see a game at Wrigley Field). While the game went into extra innings, the Cubs did not come out on top. Not that Little Guy would know. One moment he's in a rally cap and the next he snuggled up for nap.

Our weekend was fun with time at Shedd Aquarium.

To help defray the costs of vacationing in the windy city, we decided to put the kids to work at that the John Hancock Observatory.

Little Guy really liked the views. I had nightmares of the glass breaking.

At the end of a long day, Little Guy enjoyed eating a little food, using the left overs for a facial and sipping on some milk in the nice, cool AC.

At the Field Museum we entered a shrinking machine to see what it was liked to live underground. Some bugs make for good transportation.

Some people (Aunt) would make fun of how often Little Guy and I liked to eat. It's hard work growing up and we need lots to keep us properly fueled for the day ahead. Little Guy sometimes had difficulty deciding on what he wanted to order.

But the concentration involved in reviewing the menu options might run in the family.

Hmmm, this type of concentration on a menu, we are a focused group.

GrandB made one of her famous bibs for the Fourth of July.

But after a long day out and some time in the sun, all Little Guy wanted when we got back to the hotel was something cold and tasty. Strawberry daiquiri anyone? (Without the grown-up spice of course.) He was a BIG fan and would fuss voice his desire for more whenever I took the straw away - I didn't want Little Guy to get a cold headache from too much too fast.

All in all, it was a great vacation...except maybe for the return home. A three hour delay after you arrive at the airport is not an ideal way to end a relaxing and fun trip.

Just Like Daddy

With a puppy (he will always be my puppy) named Jeter, it seems fairly obvious baseball is an important part of our life. Sports in general are a good outlet for us while playing and going to games together is a way we enjoy spending time together.

Little Guy already has quite an arm on him - or at least that is what others are saying. With a little help, he is also getting a pretty good baseball swing. Little Guy is becoming just like Daddy - a love of playing sports.

Don't take my word, look for yourself.

Or, it appears I am unable to load the video of Little Guy swinging the bat. I've tried three times now all with the same message. Take my word for it, with every swing, Little Guy would laugh and laugh and laugh. The neighbors were really enjoying the BP in the front yard.

Tapping Home Plate

This Bat Might Be A Little Big

I Caught the Ball