One Last Bit of Magic

Our basketball season is coming to a close.  This weekend is our last game.  Hopefully the boys enjoy this last game.  I know one boy's dad just got back in town from a long business trip and he couldn't be happier that his dad gets to see his last game.

Last weeks game was against a good team.  They were better than us and they rubbed it in pretty hard.  The boys didn't like it.  The parents didn't like it.  As a coach, I didn't like it either.  They had trick plays and they picked on our boys that aren't as talented basketball wise.  Some boys are a little fragile and don't like getting scored on that much.  Some boys didn't want to play anymore.  They weren't having fun.  There were almost tears, but parents were still proud of their little all-stars and scared those tears away with words of encouragement.

We survived the game and the snacks after the game made it all worth it.  Even I got some treats.

We had our last practice last night.  I got the parents together and we had a show down.  Parents vs. Kids.  Everyone loved it.  Dads with pot bellies were huffing and puffing.  Moms slipped some yelps as they tried to keep up with their boy.  The boys were all over their parents playing the roughest game.  Pot bellies were used as bumpers ricocheting ball-scavenging boys to the floor.

The parents were given some obstacles they had to work around.  Sometimes the ball had to be passed to all five players before they shot.  Sometimes they could only use one hand to pass, catch, shoot, rebound, steal, defend, etc.  Sometimes they couldn't raise their arms above their shoulders.  Sometimes they couldn't go in the key on offense or defense.  The parents had fun with it and sometimes the boys figured out how to use the handicaps to their advantage.

This weekend we will finish off our season with a final game and a pizza party.  Endless pizza.  What could be more MAGIC than that?

Goodness

I feel like I have too many things to do, all of them very important of course, so which tasks do I cross off the list first?  Well, lately it seems like my answers have been "none of the above" and at the end of the day I think back and realize I didn't really get anything done.  Sometimes David will come home and ask, "So what did you guys do today?". . . and my answers are laughable to say the least.

For example. . . painting my nails, and Katelyn's.  Katelyn doesn't need her nails painted, and she squirms so much that it really isn't necessary.  I have never been a painted nails kind of girl,. . . I can never seem to get the right hand painted well enough and then if I do, I can't sit still long enough for them to dry, but somehow it has found its way in and trumped making a decent dinner for the night.

Having a good meal. . . more than cereal, PB&J, or some wimpy sandwich. . . makes it feel like a successful day.  And if that meal gets cleaned up that night, I may as well have won the lottery!

I have to shower first thing in the morning before Katelyn wakes up.  I have tried to feed her, distract her with a bucket of toys, shower while she naps, sing to her while I shower (she always loves our singing. . . to her we are pro but sorry, we don't preform for anyone but her).  She doesn't approve of me showering.  I made up this theory that she gets sad because she knows someone is home and she hears the water trickle down the pipes behind her wall and that someone is home is not entertaining her.  If only she knew how bad it really would be if I didn't shower.  I have mastered the 5 minute shower. . . sorry Dad, I know you tried your hardest, but I never caught on until I had a wailing baby.  This is a normal problem right?  Has anyone else found it difficult to get a decent shower when you are home alone with the baby?

It is funny to me because when Katelyn naps, sometimes it is for 30 minutes, sometimes 3 hours.  When it is a 30 minute nap, I am begging for her to go back to sleep.  Mostly because she doesn't wake up that happy so I assume she needs a longer nap.  When she sleeps longer than an hour, those are conveniently the times when I am planning on going somewhere and waiting for her to wake up.  Or sometimes I start worrying that she'll take too long of a nap and then keep us all up until midnight.  Where's the balance?

I love when my baby wakes up happy.  That means she got plenty of sleep and she is ready to eat and then play.  Note: Wait 20 minutes after eating before tickling, spinning, or bouncing or things get messy.  And when she wakes up happy, that usually means that Mom and Dad wake up happy too.  Lately she has been waking up off and on at night.  Some nights are great (like last night. . . heavenly!) and we are all peacefully sleeping, but others aren't so peaceful.  We aren't sure what makes it a good or a bad night, but I have a feeling that the train that goes by every hour "Choo-Choo!" mixed with the neighbor who is not a graceful stair climber and thuds his/her way up and down the stairs only when my baby is sleeping also mixed with the neighbor that hacks up a lung with every cough might be part of the problem.  (Anybody that would like to buy us a house, we will humbly accept the donation.)  Luckily, Katelyn goes back to sleep with a little bit of lovin' at nights. I have also wondered: I want my baby to be able to sleep through anything, but she wakes up if we are too noisy so where is the balance?  Do I tip-toe around to ensure she sleeps and avoid noises at all costs, or do I do whatever I want to even though it might wake her up?

While Katelyn is sleeping I have these great plans for all the things I am going to accomplish. . . cleaning/de-cluttering, planning a coupon shopping trip, getting myself ready for the day, planning a lesson, getting dinner ready, planning a basketball practice, paying bills, calling a friend to chat, updating our blog, making something cute and crafty, or anything productive.  I am not quite sure how time gets away from me and at the end of the day it seems like the to-do list didn't get any shorter.  I am ready for a good routine and some motivation to get things done.   I know I don't have to be all over the place and some Super Mom, but
I want to be able to respond to the question, "What did you do today?" with something more than painting our nails.  So off I go!

Something Special

When I was little, I always knew I wanted to be a mom.  I just figured it would happen and didn't think too much of it.  I played with my brothers, and so I didn't really play with many dolls or any girly stuff.  I did love the stuffed animals, but I didn't really do anything with them.  . . . ok, now that I think about it, I gave my stuffed animals "hair cuts" and those didn't turn out so well (like the hair cut I decided my big bear needed before I brought him to the Kindergarten Teddy Bear Picnic. . . he had to stay home and the Hard Rock Cafe bear came instead.  Sorry Big Guy :)  But I don't remember playing make believe with them or doing much else with them.  I just thought it was fun to have a lot of them.

So I played with my brothers which meant we would :

• ride our bikes and roller blades around our track or in the street
• play capture the flag/gold rush
• run through the sprinklers/have sprinkler wars/jump on the tramp in the sprinklers
• "secretly" pull out the thin tarps and make a slip 'n slide and try and move it often so the grass wouldn't be soggy when dad got home. . . never worked, he always knew
• play with legos. . . made houses mostly and there never was enough roof or windows or doors for all of our houses
• make sling shots out of our shirt tags, rubber bands, and branches
• play dodge ball or British bulldog on the tramp
• swim all summer
• play hide and go seek or sardines
• make up games
• play soccer
• do Kool-Aid stands, cherry stands, and I even attempted a rock stand from "special rocks" found in our driveway and our neighbor's driveway. . . . not a single rock sold
• team tag wrestling
• play baseball. . . which I can never remember a time when this ever turned out well. . . someone always got hit in the head with the ball, or the bat (sorry Matt!), or the ball ended up crashing into the van window (nice throw Luke)
• throw the hamster under the pile of clothes and guess where he'd find his way out. . . like plinko. . . I know we were mean to the little hamster, we were young, and no, our parents didn't know we did this so don't judge them

So I wasn't anywhere near a girly girl.  Occasionally I would try to "curl" my hair with a round brush which always got stuck in my hair and I either cut it out, tried to use peanut butter to get it out, or mayo.  I'm guessing all of those options were bad ones as my hair was often in a pony-tail and my bangs progressively made their start further and further up my head.  

I didn't mind the dirt and grime.  I just went along with it, and actually enjoyed it.  Fishing and camping trips with Dad and Papa were eagerly looked forward to.

I became more and more of a tom-boy and loved playing soccer and basketball.  I would play all school year, and do camps all summer.  Having my hair slicked back in a pony-tail was my specialty!

I was rough and tough.  I'd play the slug bug game with my brothers and I'd slug them just as hard as they'd slug me.  In middle school, I realized that I wasn't nearly as girly as most. My buddy, Brooke, and I thought "the baggier the comfier" by means of clothes. Make up?  No way.  We thought some glitter around our eyes was close enough and called it good.  She wore red glitter, I wore green glitter.

I got a couple of babysitting jobs and I realized how much I loved playing with kids.  This is where I realized there was a softer side to me.  I enjoyed being silly with them and helping them learn and do new things.  It was fun to laugh and pretend to be goofy things.  It was a good feeling to wipe the tears away and give them a big hug and kiss the boo boo.  I felt comfortable around kids.  I had fun around kids.

I started teaching swimming lessons and loved it.  Kids were too fun!  Belly flops were fun.  They would turn into dives which meant they were getting two thumbs up from mom who was cheering them on outside the fence.  Kids tried to be so brave and go off the diving board.  Mom took pictures of that great event, and then gave the thumbs up for the job well done.   Thinking up games like the treasure hunt was a lot of fun too.

I went off to school to get my degree.  I thought that teaching was the only thing that really fit me.  I tried to fly through the general classes and get to the teaching ones.  I met this cute boy along the way.

We got married and knew that it was important for me to finish my degree.  Having kids was on our minds, but teaching was on my mind as well.  All my classes prepared me to be the greatest teacher, but in the back of my mind, I knew that I wasn't going to be teaching in the class too much.

Graduation was coming quick for both of us.  David searched high and low for a job and had a rough time with it.  We were moving out for my student teaching, and then what?  Did I need to be preparing to teach full time?  What if David didn't find a job?  This is the reason I wanted to finish school, but I wasn't expecting to actually have to work.

Christmas came and we were out of the college town.  We wondered what this new place would bring.  Christmas morning we found out.  We were going to have a baby.  I knew what the plan was from there.  I knew I was going to stay home with the baby when she came, but felt the need for a back up plan to teach just in case.  What if I was being too optimistic?

David found a temporary job, but was still in search for a long term job.  We both worked at it and I think I may have sent out more resumes and filled out more online job profiles than he did, and we got through.  He got a real job.  A real accounting job.  A job that would actually use some knowledge that he has because of going to college.  We were both so relieved and so happy.  It was hard to believe the search was done.

David was so happy.  It was comforting for him to know that he really was going to provide for his family, new baby and all.  Having a job that was the start of his career.  We felt like we had control now.  We felt like we could make plans for further in the future than 3 or 6 months away.  We felt secure in the sense that this job would be long term.  We still save, but we no longer have to assume the worst and save up for it.  It was a great burden lifted off his shoulders.  It isn't his dream job, but it provides.  It is a start and we have been so grateful for it.

With that job, we were both overwhelmed with peace.  Peace that we really were being watched over and being blessed for doing something right.  Peace to know that I really could stay at home with the new baby.

I wanted to handle her all on my own.  That was my full time job, right?  David went to his office and took care of his responsibility.  I felt that I could manage.  It wasn't like I had any other kids.  Just the little one.

I wanted to be the mom that could handle this.  The mom that would enjoy every snuggling opportunity no matter what time it was.  I was tough enough to handle this, right?  I really wanted to be, and expected myself to be. David said it was okay for him to help.  But then was I failing?  I wasn't helping with his work.  He really wanted to help though.  It showed me how great of a husband and new father he really was.  This was his little girl too.

She would keep us up at night.  She would have massive blowouts that would make a mess of some of her cutest outfits.  She would spit up on her back up set of clothes and just have to smell like sour milk until we got home.  She would yank on my hair just a few hairs at a time. . . ouch!  She would spit up on my clothes.  We are both lucky to make it through the day without needing to change.  She would scream in the car when we would go anywhere.  She would knock anything in reach over.  She would cry if we walked out of sight.  She cries if we take something unsafe away that she was having fun playing with.  Trying to figure out what she needs. She tries our patience.

She does all of these things often.  People ask how it's going having a baby around.  We always say it is good.  No it isn't always good all of the time.

But. . . her smile, her cozy little body, hearing her giggle with pure delight, having her hold on tight as long as she wants, or the joy in her face just to see you is like no other.  It makes you forget about all the rotten things she does or makes them seem like they aren't so bad.  Holding our sweet little girl as she falls asleep is simply peaceful.  So innocent.  It is so rewarding to calm her down and be the one she needs.  The someone that holds her just because as the tears dry up.

Though I haven't always dreamed of being a mom, I feel honored to have the title.  I know how important the home is and I know I have a huge task in front of me to create a consistent feeling of love and happiness in our home.   I may not be in the classroom each day, but I have plenty to do in our home and I feel so lucky to be able to be here.  

Good game, Good game.

Our basketball team, the Magic, is doing awesome.  We have 2 awesome little dribblers, and 2 awesome shooters, and the rest of them really like running around.

We are the black team.  Here's a look at our play :)  I taught them all they know. . . and the season has just begun!

Our first two practices before the game were very interesting.  I was thinking. . . we need to find out what skills they are each good at so we will do drills for each skill (dribbling, passing, shooting, defense, etc.) and then we need to put together a simple play so they have a rough idea of where they can go to get open instead of everyone swarming around the ball.  

By the time the first practice was over, we were trying to figure out everyone's names, and we had no clue who could do what.  As far as a play, I was thinking a pass-screen-dribble-shoot idea would work. . . simple Not so much.  The boys couldn't figure out where to start.  What's a point guard?  What's a lay up again?  Is his name Gabin or Gavin?  I'm really good at 3 point shots, watch!  Look! I can spin the ball in my hand!  Who farted?  Can we get some water?  I have to go to the bathroom?  Can we just shoot instead?  I have a fun game, can we play it?

After the first practice, I went and bought a whistle :)  

At the next practice, we practiced freezing when the whistle was blown.  We went way back to the basics.  This is how you hold a basketball.  Now you do it.  This is how you dribble.  Now you do it.  This is how you pass.  Now you do it.  This is how you play defense.  Now you do it.  

And our play?  Down the drain the first week.  Not a big deal.  Just pass, dribble, get open and shoot.  We figured out something to work on for the next week, and there were no screens involved.

We worked on the basics, and that is all we do still.  They are getting there.  We are having a blast and the parents. . and grandparents. . and so glad we volunteered to do this so they wouldn't have to.  

Our cheer is just the basic.  We tried one that I did when I was little that goes like this:

Razz tazz tootie frootie

Let's go out and kick some booty!

Goooo Magic!

They all giggled and said it is a girly cheer.  They did it once for me and made promise they would never have to do that cheer again :)

If their cheeks are rosy at the end of each game and each practice and they have a giant smile on their face, we call it a success!  No score is kept at the games, but I am pretty sure we are winners!

Over and Out

She figured it out.  A couple weeks ago Katelyn realized how to roll that chubby little body over!  She was a little confused when she did it, but now it is just part of playing for her.  This is one of those milestones that are great for her, but for me, I am just thinking about the little time that I have left of an immobile baby.  Now I can steal her away and give her as many hugs and kisses I could possibly imagine.  Soon she will be tromping around and I know it will be much harder to catch her and smother her with all those hugs and kisses like I can now.  I like that I can set her somewhere and clean the kitchen or do some "good wife task" and she will just sit there.  She's not crawling yet, but I know it's coming.  I don't think I am ready for her to learn these new things.  Is it ok to knock her down every once in a while so she will stay put a bit longer?  Kidding. . . mostly.  She's still an itty-bitty newborn  that just wants to lay there and be held right?

Not quite!  When we snuggle up with her, she's got chunky arms and legs hanging out all over the place.  She grabs at anything . . . especially glasses and faces. . . and her curious mind doesn't always want to sit and snuggle with mom and dad.

She started having solids, which aren't really solid at all as she has no teeth to chew. . . so I don't like calling them solids.  Baby food. . . you know, everything blended, or mashed so that it can get everywhere a little easier?  She is still figuring it out and how to swallow it.  It's just not quite milk.  She has figured out that it makes really thick bubbles :)  Here's some pictures of how the feeding went.  Katelyn is very expressive. . . and didn't think this was as fun as mom and dad thought it was.  The one in the middle cracks me up!

She got a little sick lately and I think it is harder on us than it is for her.  A stuffy nose makes things so tricky when you have to close your mouth to eat.  I couldn't stop snuggling with her and so I got sick too.  David hasn't caught it yet so no snuggling with him right?  There's no way he would give up his Katelyn time each night.

She's been sleeping  longer the last couple of days, but she wakes up often because she tries to breathe through her stuffy nose.  It's rough on her and me.  We are both sleep deprived and all stuffed up.  She is super snuggly now though and I don't mind that a bit!

She learned how to squeal really high and she knows that it gets my attention really quick.  The last couple of days she hasn't been able to get her voice up high though. . . it cracks and is out.  She has that sick croaky voice now which is so pathetic but cute.

She takes about 5 minutes or so to warm up to people.  She's not a baby that flashes a smile at everyone.  She still stares them down, checks often for my "approval" and then after a bit she will then snuggle up real close or start blowing bubbles for you and smile at how cute she is.  She needs to be convinced that you are worth smiling at. . . that's my guess.

She has figured out how to pull her bottom lip in and suck on it. . . it gives her a goofy face.

I love that she can play with toys.  She will sit and reach for them and will play with one thing at a time.  She fiddles with them in her hands and sucks on them.  She focuses on each one so hard. . . with her double chin tucked in, cheeks plumped as plump as they can be, down brow in full force, lips together just enough to let the drool seep out, and her mind gets going.  Her arms reach way up high and then pounce down on the toy of choice, though sometimes it is a bit too far away, so she will try her pounce again and reach a bit further.

Here's a video of all of her specialties!   

We can't seem to get enough of her!  We love that she is so squishy and sturdy all at the same time.  I don't know what I would do with a skinny baby. . . I guess feed her more :)