foreshadowing

Kate and I were off to ice cream on Saturday night.

She needed to change her clothes again.

I threw on a t-shirt.

Kate finished changing her clothes, turned and looked at me.

"Are you going to change your clothes? Is that what you are wearing?"

I get these visions sometimes of 16 year old Kate.

(lord, help us all)

T-ball

Davids first day of T-ball was Saturday.
Our instructions were to be on the field by 8:30am to pick our team, but had plans to meet a friend there a little early, around 8:15am, to make sure we got on the same team.
David and Mike were dressed, breakfasted and ready to leave the house by 7:30am.

We were one of the first cars in the parking lot.

David and Ryan joined the Nationals.
They got "official" t-shirts and hats.
(fun fact: David has only taken his hat off to sleep at night)

Team selection was followed by some chaotic opening day ceremonies.

And then practice.

The boys practiced catching, fielding, hitting, running the bases.

Mike helped the 2 coaches with the boys - directing them where to go, how to hold their gloves, reminding them to pay attention to the ball.

Kate and I sat on the sidelines with some of the other parents.

(Baseball is sort of a big deal in our house.)

As we were walking back to the car after practice, we talked about the drills David was learning, the new friends he made on his team, how much fun he had.

"You were great out there today, David. It looked like you had a fun time!"

I turned to my husband, who had been quiet most of the way back to the car.

"I think Daddy had a good day today too."

Mike smiled.
(fun fact: Mike doesn't really smile.)
"Yes," he said "I had a good day today too."

Davidball

David loves baseball.

I say that sometimes and I get an, "Oh, that's nice" response.

Maybe if I write it in caps ...

David LOVES baseball.

We will play for hours in the backyard -- sometimes he'll just "work" on something specific: bunting, sliding, hitting from both sides of the plate, pitching. And sometimes we will play "real" games.

Now, he may love (LOVE) baseball, but he's also only 5.

And he understands the rules enough to manipulate them to his advantage so he doesn't lose.

He gets 100 balls and 100 strikes.

A recent game score: Me - 1, Him - 119

If he hits the ball in the shed, it counts for 5 points.

There is no such things as a foul, unless I am at bat.

I have to simultaneously touch him and the base for it to be an out.

If he slides into second, he is automatically safe.

It always reminds me of Calvinball from Calvin and Hobbes -- You never know when the rules are going to change. Or what the new rules will be.

(neat fact: David's middle name was to be Hobbes, after the tiger, until I mentioned it to people near the end of my pregnancy and everyone told me how much they hated it. Never tell hormonal, pregnant women that you hate anything.)

Which is why Kate and her magic wand (a stick she "swish-de-swooshes" to turn it magical) fits in so nicely too. And makes Davidball even more interesting.

If Kate uses her magic wand on the ball, it is an automatic home run.

If she is holding her magic wand, she can go from first to third.

If she "swish-de-swooshes" the ball with her wand while the pitcher is holding it, it is an automatic strike.

Magic Kate will occasionally "steal" bases (here meaning literally pick them up and run with them).

Davidball is actually really fun.

(and how I will be spending my summer)

Mother's Day

Some things I love about my mom, in honor of Mother's Day:

(look, sorry about this, but, I am really into numbered lists lately)

1. Her vast knowledge of show tunes. And, her ability to sing them at the oddest moments.

It is a gift I am passing on to my own children - Kate in the bath will occasionally break out into "I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair ... "

2. I tease her a bit about this, but she is one of my biggest fans. Always quick with compliments and support - that I usually tell her is part of her job description as mom. (but, I'll let you in on a bit of a secret ... as a mom, I now know we compliment and support because we really do mean it)

3. Always accepting .... I became a vegetarian at 14, I think in a way to rebel a bit - my mothers response was that we should all eat a bit healthier. I don't think dyeing my hair pink got any sort of a negative response. Neither did tattoos.

4. She is confident in who she is as a person. It's refreshing. And, was a fantastic model growing up and still as an adult.

5. She's a friend. Someone I can talk to and laugh with.

And, really, who could ask for anything more?

a numbered list

Some things I have learned as a parent:

1. Peanut butter and jelly tastes much better when served with a spoon of peanut butter. As do apples, bananas, waffles, cereal and pretzels.

2. The cookie club at Wegmans may be the best thing that Wegmans has ever come up with. Ever.

3. Biggest pet peeves: having to ask my children a million times to do something AND markers missing tops.

4. There is a bedtime "window" - missing it is serious trouble.

5. shower + kids watching tv show = 5 minutes of peace and quiet

6. I can't fix everything. Although I really would like to be able to some days.

7. No matter how great of an idea I think I have for a project to do with the kids - it will probably not go as planned. Best to not have a plan.

8. Teletubbies is some weird shit.

9. As crazy as they occasionally make me, as much as I sometimes need just need 5 minutes to myself - I will always respond when they call "mom" (even at 2 am) because they need me and I am their mom.

10. Nothing (nothing) sounds as good as David & Kate laughing.

Moooo

In the car on the way home from Mike's parents last night ...

David: "okay Mom, you have to speed up to 40mph"
me: Thank you David

I take a right hand turn

David: "Oh. Mom. I think ... yeah, you have to speed down to 35. I think you are going 40."
me: Thank you David

I take a left hand turn

David: "You can speed up to 40 now."
me: Thank you David

I take a right hand turn

David: "Oh. Mom. Yup. You have to speed down to 35 now. You're still going 40."
me: Thank you David

We have a GPS that I will occasionally set to notify Mike or I when we are speeding by mooing (yes, mooing - like a cow).

It's funny. And regulatory. And a bit annoying.

Switching to a 36 hour day

So.
I am thinking about switching to a 36 hour day.
I think it's the only way to go.

There are currently 2 loads of laundry in the kitchen waiting to be folded
Clothes in the washer (that should probably be washed again because I am not sure how long they have been sitting there)
Dishwasher to be emptied
Bathroom is primed, still needs to be painted (and put back together)
Kate emptied her dresser of clothes today in anticipation of getting out summer clothes

sigh

and all other stuff ...

cleaning up dinner, getting kids baths, picking up toys, sweeping the sand off the floor (after Kate gave herself a sand-shower today),

Okay, okay. So, I am currently on the computer, wasting precious minutes out of my measly 24 hour day. Did I mention that we spent the day outside (wasting more minutes)? Kate made sun-angels and gave herself sand showers. David and I played baseball.

right ...
So. It's settled. 36 hours in a day.
Just give me 36 hours so I can get it all done
and manage 5 minutes for myself.