Saturday, April 27, 2013

Backyard Baseball

Spring has finally sprung here in the midwest.  The heat is off.  The doors and windows are open.  The fresh air is exactly what we needed!!!!

I was just sitting in the backyard watching the hubby and kids play catch.  There is nothing funnier than J1 looking around for the ball as it rolls through her feet.  She is so funny.  J2 thinks she is going to be on some highlight reels as she poses before she throws the ball.  Next up is batting practice.

Their is nothing more difficult as a mother than realizing that your child has your coordination (or lack thereof).  Poor J1 is trying so hard but she is most certainly her mother's daughter.  I have been watching her at her baseball practices and wondering if maybe we should have waited a year to start her.  She is so small compared to most of the other kids on the team.  I'm a little nervous that in a real game if the ball comes to her she is going to get trampled by the other kids.  Her response time is definitely slower.  Hopefully starting her this year will help her develop her coordination skills.

We have Opening Day Ceremonies tomorrow.  They announce each kid's name and they run from 3rd base to home.  Here's hoping that she runs the right way!

Back out to enjoy my family!

FYI Baseball didn't last very long they were more interested in playing bubbles :)

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Where is Spring??

Ok so I am so over the cold, wet, weather we have been having.  I want spring.  I want flowers and warmer weather and all that comes with it!

Yesterday we had J1 and J2's first field trip.  Their little faces lit up as we arrived at the park.  The only problem is that it was 40 degrees out after a huge night of rain.  It was cold, wet, muddy and just plain yucky, however it was magical for all of us.

Being able to chaperone with my husband was a very special event for our family.  It was great even though it was cold and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  It still leaves my question though WHERE IS SPRING???

Friday, April 19, 2013

What kind of world?

What kind of world am I bringing my children up in?  What is going on here?

This is beyond insane.  All this craziness, an entire major metropolitan city shut down, two young men that have allegedly committed such a heinous crime, how do these things happen?  How does one decide that they want to kill others?  What does killing innocent people accomplish?   So many questions with answers we will probably never know.

J2 just came to me and this is the conversation that we just had.

J2:  "Mommy can I watch TV with you".
Me:  "No, Mommy is watching the news"
J2:  "Can I watch the news too?"
Me"  "Not today angel, Mommy doesn't want you to watch this news"

I don't want my girls to watch this.  No doubt they are too young to understand or process anything, however I can't in good conscience allow them to watch this craziness live.  I am scared myself, who knows what on earth they could possibly see.  Who knows how bad this could get?

I just don't understand how people can hate so intensely?  How can you hate a group of people that you don't even know?  It's seems pretty simple to me.  I don't like you, you don't like me, so let's stay away from each other and move on with our lives.  How can you take such violent action against people.  This is just unreal.  I just don't understand.  It is MORE than clear to anyone that America is not perfect.  Why do we have to continually be under attack.  Why do INNOCENT American people continue to be killed.

Why does the news sensationalize these terror suspects names.  It is been cleared and verified that the one suspect is dead.  Take his picture down, stop using his name.  As for the second suspect, why give him the notoriety.  Killers do not deserve their names and likenesses to be all over the news.  Some of them crave the type of fame that they receive, so why does the American news system give it to them.  No person that commits crimes should get any fame for them.  Call them Suspect A, B etc.  If you must release names in order to protect the people then do so with great care not to cause fame.  

I just have so many questions and I will never get answers to.  I am concerned for my girls and their futures.  I am concerned for the future of America.  I am concerned for my friends and family that are affected in the Boston area.  I am concerned for the victims of this hellacious act of violence.  Situations like this remind me to hug my girls tight and be grateful for every day.

May the suspect(s) that are still at large in this situation be found and taken in alive.  May the justice for those that have planned and perpetrated the attack, be swift.  May there be a day in the future where I won't be fearful of taking my children to events that may be special and fun for fear that something horrible could happen.  May the world become a safer place, a place of tolerance and respect.

God Bless the USA and all those around the world.



Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Research, Research, Research

My head is spinning.  It's getting to the time where J1 needs to move to a Booster seat for the car.  I would leave her in her car seat forever if I could.  So the research phase of the purchase begins.  There are a lot of high back booster seats out there.  I don't even know where to start.  As a mom I want the best and safest for my kids.  How do you decide what is the best and the safest?  Which report do you read?  Who's advice do you take?  Everyone has an opinion.

So here I am asking you mom's.  Do you have a favorite booster?  When did you move your child to the booster?  What made you choose the booster you have for your child?

Between the research and your help hopefully I can make the best decision!



Friday, April 12, 2013

I can't believe it!!!

Starting today at 5:00 my J1 will be playing tee ball.  I can't believe it.  She has her little pink mitt and her bat (which of course is kept in Mommy's room for safety reasons).  She's a big girl now.  I just don't know where the time went.  It seems like just yesterday she was still sleeping in her crib and barely walking.  Today I will be taking her over to play an organized sport!

We have to take her shopping for cleats and baseball pants this week.  She has pictures next Saturday.  At least her coaches were kind enough to go with black pants.  I have heard horror stories from other mom's about the nightmare that is white baseball pants.  They have practice twice a week on Monday and Friday with games on Saturday.  We get the full schedule today.  I see an extra load of laundry in my future.  J1's coaches seem to be knowledgeable, they have coached at this level for four years.  We'll have to see when we get there, but the husband played college baseball locally.  The wife played college softball locally and is still a pitching coach.  So one of my main concerns has been alleviated.  I wanted my daughter to learn from knowledgeable people.  I didn't want them to be with some screaming maniac who hates kids and just yells at them all the time.  I want her to learn the fundamentals and not be on a team where it's all about winning.  With coaches that have this kind of experience, I am finding myself more comfortable with all of this.  I am not expecting much J1 is only 4,  but this experience will be her basis for organized sports.  I don't expect her to become a professional softball player or anything, I need to be comfortable in the fact that the individuals that are teaching her know enough about the game to make it enjoyable for her.  I also didn't want an experience where she would feel uncomfortable or be discouraged.  I wanted her to learn the game and enjoy the experience of a team sport.  I am hoping that with their experience with coaching and their personal experience in the sport, we may have hit the coach jackpot.

With baseball starting also starts parent obligations.  I have to work 10 hours over the season in the concession stand.  Which shouldn't be a big deal BUT when hubs isn't working he is usually umpiring over at the park.  So I am not exactly sure how this is going to work but I am sure that we will figure it out.  At least the park is in walking distance from the house.  I may have to hit up the FIL for some babysitting so I can do my hours :)

My next challenge is going to be dealing with J2.  She is NOT pleased that J1 gets to play baseball and she doesn't.  The promise of her being able to play next year isn't cutting it.  She wants to play now.  She also has her little pink mitt and her ball and she plays catch with Daddy.  I hope that she isn't too upset especially since we are all going to her practice today.  If hubs is working I will have no choice but to bring J2 with me to practice.  I may be (and hope I am) wrong, but I have a bad feeling that there are tantrums and outbursts galore in store for me from J2 over this.  Any other mom's have ideas of how to deal with this if it becomes a problem?

That's the other exciting thing today.  We are heading to go see my best friend for the weekend.  Her daughter is making her communion so that should be fun.  I am so excited we haven't seen them since January.  Still have a ton to do before we leave, packing, laundry cleaning and all that fun stuff.  Hope everyone has a great weekend, I know I will!!!