Mouthguards

Ross was confident he didn't want to go out for football this fall.  The sign-up form turned into a paper airplane and got tossed.  He's never shown much interest in organized sports and we've never pushed it. 

 

Last weekend he found out several of his best buds were signed up for football.  He decided to give it a shot.

 

On Monday, I picked up a new sign-up form from the school office.  I noticed the deadline was the previous Friday.  Dang.  The lady at the Parks and Rec desk wasn't terribly thrilled with me for being late, yet I'm sure she heard the desperation in my voice and saw my checkbook open.  She said she was just about to send the information to coaches and was willing to get Ross on a team.  Whew!

 

Later that day we found out he was on the same team as his two best buds.  Double whew!

 

His first practice was the evening of his birthday.  His shirt number is 8.  After practice I asked him who the best player on his team was. He quickly replied, "Probably me."  No confidence issues here.

 

I'll the let photos give you a glimpse into how it's going.

After the first practice he came home and played catch in the yard with Mike until he jammed his fingers.

 

The next day Mike was instructed to buy cleats and I was in charge of geting his mouthguard formed after school.  This was quite the procedure considering Ross stopped halfway through to pull out a tooth.  Needless to say, it took numerous attempts, a round ball point pen, a knife, the edge of a cup, kabob skewers and a popsicle stick.  Don't ask.

 

I later discovered Ross applying black face paint under his eyes.

 

 

The slightly gnarled up mouthguard.  We did our best considering the circumstances.

I realize this picture isn't my best work.  However, I love the way Molly adores him.  The framed photo on table behind them was taken 1 year ago. 

8th Birthdays, Buried Treasure and Church Cookbooks

When Ross was little, Mike and I often said, “It’ll be so nice when he’s like, 8.  We’ll actually be able to do fun stuff with him.”  The day is here and suddenly, he’d rather hang with his friends than us. 

 

On a bike ride home from the park last week, he asked me a question...

 

Mom, can I ask you a question?

Sure.

You know when I found those buried treasures in our yard?

Of course I do.

Well, was that real or did somebody put them there so I’d find them?

What makes you think someone would do that?

I just can’t figure out how you and Daddy knew where I should dig in the yard.  Plus, they aren’t in anyone else’s yard.  I just can’t figure it out.

Hmmm.  So you think someone would actually make fake rocks with treasures inside, bury them in our yard and then have you dig them up?

I don’t know, maybe?

In order for someone to do something that crazy, they would have to love you an awful lot wouldn’t they?  Like, more than normal.  Do you know anyone who loves you that much?

You do.

I sure do.

 

At this point I asked Ross to bring me the church cookbook and read a recipe to me.  Below is the recipe.

 

I couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or processing this new information. He went on to ask about all those arrowheads he dug up.  I told him those were from GG.  He responded, “What!?  GG carved all those arrowheads for me?!” 

 

I laughed at the thought and explained that the things people do for others are the true treasures in life and how I hope he is able to discover a whole treasure chest full of them throughout his lifetime. 

 

I told him to never stop looking for treasures…one of the greatest treasures of my life showed up at 9:39 on a Sunday morning when I was 26 years old.

Basketball Party

I thought I invited 10 kids to Ross’ Birthday Party.  I did a head count after the guests arrived and 11 boys showed up.  Go figure.

 

It was hotter than a ‘you know what’ and the basketball court was extra steamy.  Several kids climbed a tree, a few more wandered into the woods, one kid asked to wash his legs in the bathtub and ended up taking a full bath, Ross crabbed that the weather sucked for his party and another kid wanted to help me put the finishing touches on the cake and organize the utensils.  Ross has a large circle of friends.

 

 

It took two vehicles to drive the kids out to Mike’s parents for the party.  That’s where Ross’ lucky basketball and hoop are.  Friday night Ross got his present from Mike and I.  Air Jordan’s (or as Ross calls them, Michael Jordan’s).  Today Ross asked me if Michael Jordan was black.  I began to feel old.  In the van a kid asked me how old I was.  I told him to guess.  He responded, 36.  I laughed and said, try again.  He came back with 44.  I began to feel really old.

 

After the party I got into my minivan of hot, sweaty 8 year olds and noticed the odor.

The conversation went something like this…

“Whew, you guys reek.  Someone has major B.O. in here.”

One kid responded, “It’s me.”

Another kid says, “No, it not you, it’s me.”

The arguing continues for a while until I tell them, “Fine, you guys all smell terrible, are you happy now?”

That’s when Ross tells me his armpits stink too and asks if he’s going into puberty.  I ask him what his armpits smell like and he tells me, “sort of like cake”.

I think it’s safe to say were not there quite yet.

 

 

 

 

Maisie was exhausted.
 

She passed out on the Mule.
 

 

 

 

 

How's it Going?

You may be wondering… so how is school going?

 

The first day was interesting.  I’m not sure Maisie spoke. I unpacked her backpack and opened her Hello Kitty lunchbox to discover she didn’t eat her lunch.  Huh?

“Maisie, why didn’t you eat lunch?”

Maisie with a sad face, “I didn’t know.”

“Know what?”

“I didn’t know where to put my lunch, so I got a ticket for hot lunch.  I had a cheeseburger.”

 

I sent a note to her teacher explaining Maisie needed clarification on the lunch procedure.  She took cold lunch the second day of school and came home telling me her sandwich tasted gross.  It was her favorite, a purple jelly sandwich with the crust cut off.  She said tasted like rocks and wieners.  I wasn’t about to argue with that sort of logic, so she's going sandwich-free today.

 

Ross’ first day of school went well, however he was extremely thirsty throughout the day.  I’m guessing he took 5-7 minutes after school to describe just how thirsty he had been.  He wasn’t sure if it was due to nerves, thinking so hard, playing at recess, the humidity in the air or what.  All he knew was his thirst could not be quenched at school.  Luckily, his teacher allows water bottles and now he is able to get through the day less parched.

 

The first school day was quickly overshadowed by the fact that Ross punched the neighbor kid in the face while at the park after school.  He hit him full force across the jaw.  Mike and I looked at each other with quizzical looks as Ross told us how frustrated he had become with this kid and he began to cry reliving the event.  We tried not to act shocked so I asked Ross if he remembered to tuck his thumb when he threw the punch.  He said he did.

 

Meanwhile, Molly and I are busy prepping for Ross’ Basketball Birthday Party tomorrow.  Stay tuned…

 

Were making a Grasshopper Poke Cake I found on Pinterest.  I had a red velvet cake mix in the cupboard that needed to be used.  It expired in March. 

 

Although expired, Molly approved.

 

Red cake with Green Mint Frosting.  Grasshopper cake?  I'm guessing 8 year old boys won't notice.

 

So glad to have a helper in the kitchen.  This is her favorite place to be.  I'm wondering if she was an oceanographer in her last life.  She has an obsession with water.

 

 

First Day of School 2013

 

Maisie’s the middle child so I didn’t have any anxiety sending her to kindergarten.  She’s been talking about it constantly and couldn’t wait to go.  After parking her bike in the bike rack and heading toward the front of the school, I realized I wasn’t ready.
 

I wasn’t ready for her to turn to me and say “uppy”.  I wasn’t ready for her to hide behind me as we walked, holding onto the back of my shirt for dear life.  I wasn’t ready for her to tell me she was too scared. 

 

Oh how I wished she was 6 months old and I could wrap her up in a tiny pink blanket, take her home and nurse her to sleep.  But she’s 5 and that would be weird. 

 

I swallowed the enormous ball in my throat, bit the insides of my cheeks until I could taste blood and pulled her close to me.  I couldn’t come up with any great words of wisdom… in moments like those, who can?  The best I could come up with was “you’re gonna have so much fun and make so many friends, you’ll do great.  Remember, you’re smarter than a cookie.”  With that, I held her hand and walked her to the kindergarten line.  I placed her hand into her teachers’ hand and waved goodbye.    

 

Enjoy the slideshow of our morning.

 

 

First Day of School 2013

 

 

The kids built nests in the living room this week...

You may recall the ballet skirt Baby is wearing in this picture from a previous post titled 'Tight Tutu'.

School will be starting on Wednesday.  Until then, I'll leave you with the "quote of the week"

• Guess how many bug bites I have on my balls and penis?
• Um, 3?
• Nope.  7!  2 on my penis and 5 on my balls. 

The bugs have been bad this week...

A Barber Shop

I have memories of a yellow square building on the corner of downtown Eldridge.  It was where I could find my dad, my Grandpa and sometimes my Grandma.  It had orange and black carpet tiles that felt like an SOS pad, black wrought iron gates throughout and an orange cat clock with a tail that wagged back and forth. 

 

Bloomers, the flower shop was across the street and my dad's aunt worked there.  Once in a while there would be a corsage that didn't get picked up before a school dance and Dad would bring it home for us to admire. 

 

At one time, I remember an old meat locker down the way that sold string cheese and a small soft serve ice cream store in the same area.

 

There was a video store the other direction- VHS of course and if it was Saturday and we got our housework done, mom might let us call dad at the shop to bring home a movie.  It was a big deal to us.

 

The yellow square building was where I got my first perm from Grandma Green, watched my dad carve lightning bolts and later, NS into the back of my brothers heads, and where I told Dad I wanted a new look and to add layers to my bob-cut. 

While he trimmed Maisie's hair last weekend, I began to remember what it felt like as he would wrap the white tissue paper around my neck and pulled the yellow cape around me.  It was usually a Sunday night and before we left, we helped him fold towels for the next day. 

 

My Dad's Barber Shop is no longer a Barber Shop. 

It's an ice cream parlor called Smilee's. 

The ice cream sets where the two barber chairs used to be.

 

The sign that was stored in the vault is on display.  I'm glad.

 

We took a trip there with Tim, Elisa, Cole and Zach.

 

Maisie approved...

 

 

As did Molly.

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite picture from our visit to Smilees. 

 

It tells a story... things change, people grow, life evolves... and yet, we'll always have a bond with that yellow square building on the corner of downtown Eldridge.

Cats, Anniversaries and Rectal Thermometers

9 years ago today I was trying to keep my French manicure from chipping, nervous tears from falling and my mascara from smearing. 

 

Who knew 9 years later I'd be wrestling an orange cat into a white Ford truck named Mater.  Who knew I'd be talking to my 3 kids in a sing-song-tone-voice to keep the cat calm along the ride because he was completely freaking out, shedding like crazy and making eerie howling sounds while pacing the top ledge of the trucks benchseat- just behind my head.  My baby would be crying because she was terrified of his claws and all I could say was, "It's okay, were almost there.  He's just scared", more for my own reassurance than hers.

 

Kratt was due for 2 vaccinations.  Ross told me he was going to close his eyes and plug his ears when they administered the injections.  When the Dr. arrived she took his temperature... rectally.  Of course that spawned awkward conversations.  She took it twice because apparently 106.5 is way to high of a temp for cats... even cats under stress.  Vaccinations were not given today.  Turns out it's actually illegal to give a rabies shot to a cat with a fever. 

 

Who knew 9 years from Mike and my wedding day I'd be buying antibiotics for a cat?  Who knew I'd be carrying food and water to him instead of making him go downstairs... because he was sick?  Who knew I'd be administering 1 cc of pink amoxicillin to a cat... orally?

Yes, I realize normal people don't take cameras to the vet.  I've never clamed to be normal.

Maisie told me this was her first time to the vet.  She took the opportunity to do a little modeling/photo shoot.

I've come to learn life's full of twists and turns.  Full of unknowns, anticipation, craziness and frustration; yet most importantly, full of love for each other and the life we've created. 

 

Were just getting to the good stuff...

Molly's Birthday Did Happen

You may be wondering if we forgot Molly's birthday this year.  It wouldn't have surprised me.  All I remember from Ross' 3rd birthday was he requested a green triangle cake.  I don't remember anything from Maisie's 3rd birthday.  In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if I blacked out that day... no memory whatsoever.

 

However, if you consider playing "Baby Think It Over's"  with your best friend all day celebrating...

 

 

 

Playing hair salon in your pajamas a party...

 

 

Eating the 'M' off your birthday cake before candles are lit a special treat...

 

 

Then, no. 

 

Her birthday was not forgotten.  My baby is 3.  

 

And I've got the pictures to prove it.