Two Minute Drill

Okay, let's get you up to speed. Sorry I've been away- I'm still reeling from my fastpitch overload week. Mike's season ended just after noon on Monday, when they lost 3-2 to earn 4th place in the 2006 NAFA world series. We got home Monday night, and I should have just taken the entire contents of the Pilot and thrown it in the washing machine, as a film of softball dust has enveloped us all.

Tuesday was a busy day; my cousin's wife Nok and I were grocery shopping to prepare for a Thai cooking class which we held at Danielle's house on Tuesday night. Nok is an amazing cook, and she made seven dishes for our Thai feast. We started cooking (actually, having a glass of wine, and mostly watching Nok cook) at 7, and didn't sit down to eat (gorge ourselves) until 10! The photo on the left shows a dish of cashew chicken which I made Wednesday night, after learning the secrets of Thai cooking on Tuesday night.

Wednesday and Thursday were catch up days for me. My mom came over and she and A had a great time playing in the back yard. I'm glad she was around, because taking care of B has been a full time job the past few days. He's been so fussy and uncomfortable, and has just been taking little catnaps throughout the day. I was worried that maybe he was fussy because of the spicy Thai food I had on Tuesday night. I've eaten Nok's cooking before though, without B having any problems.

Then I made a discovery! When I went into B's room around 6 am Thursday morning, his hands were cold, so I changed his nappy (I love that British term) and put him in a thick fleece sleep sack. He slept until I had to wake him to leave the house at 10 am! So I put him in the sleep sack last night too, and I had to pump at 6:30 this morning because I hadn't nursed him AT ALL during the night, the last feeding being around 10 pm! So now I think the whole time he's been waking up at night it's been because he was cold. Or not, who knows...

Mike's parents and sister Sarah came to stay with us last night. Sarah is showing a hog at the state fair. She had her competition at 8 this morning. We'll get to the fair one of these days, I'm just not sure which day yet. Tomorrow night Mike and I are going to go out for our friend Eric's birthday. His favorite cover band, Orange Whip, is playing at a bar, and since we have in-house babysitting this weekend, we are going to take advantage and stay out late!!! Woo hoo. We'll see if we're not sleeping with our foreheads on the bar by midnight.

Top Five in North America!

Today was a LONG day. We just got back from the ballfield. Mike's team fought their way into the top 5 teams of the tournament, by winning 4 games in a row today, starting at 11:30 am. There were times when things were going smoothly, when B was napping in the stroller and A was busy with markers and paper. There were other times when I wanted to be anywhere but in charge of my two wailing progeny. The wives of the other players who have older kids were sitting on the top row of the bleachers, tipping back some cold ones, and having a good laugh at my expense... not really, they were just amused by my exasperated facial expressions as I pushed the stroller around for another walk around the ball park. They think I would have done better if I'd started drinking- I think it would have just made me want to cry. The softball wives are also an inspiration to me, someday I can sit on the top bleacher and enjoy a frosty adult beverage while my children run around on the playground, and bring foul balls back to the umpires for a quarter each.

Tomorrow will be an early one- at the ball park for the first game at 8 am. Wish us luck!!! I told Mike we'd get NAFA t-shirts for the kids, and we'd take our picture with the trophy for our Christmas card if they won the whole thing! That's quite a concession on my part, if you know how I am about my Christmas card photo.

See you when we get back to MN!

Fighting Our Way Up...From the Losers' Bracket

Here we are in lovely Appleton, WI, site of the 2006 North American Fastpitch Association World Series. Earl's Club of Kenosha, WI won their first game of the series yesterday afternoon. Then in a move which Mike predicted, Earl's lost their 10 p.m. game because I wasn't there. That apparently has been a jinx in the past as well as yesterday. I was huddled in a hotel room in the dark, hoping that both my children would fall fast asleep, and stay that way for at least 8 hours. A kept asking for popcorn; she was starving because she hadn't eaten the lunch or supper we'd provided her, so a learning lesson was in place- eat when we feed you, being hungry doesn't feel good. Poor little belly... this morning, A had a hearty breakfast of bagel pieces with peanut butter, milk, and O's. Now I'm hearing a repeating mantra of, "should we get a swimming suit on for swimming????" Yes, we should. I'll talk to you later- gotta go, the pool is COLD!

Miami Ink, here we come?

I am having so much fun with my two babies. It is such a wonderful time- 28 months and almost 6 months. At both stages, they are changing so quickly and learning amazing things every day. I want to make sure and do some more fun summer things before summer is gone, and school starts. We need to swim in Lake Harriet at least once this season. School is going to be very fun this year, I think. A is already talking about her new class and teacher, and making me list the kids who will be in her class. She also is obsessed with singing the ABCs song...

One of my favorite things to do with B is to take a wet onesie off of him- he instantly starts giggling, smiling, cooing. He hates being wet, which is unfortunate, considering that he is the spittiest kid ever, and I can't ever bring enough onesies, bibs, and burp clothes wherever we go. He isn't as crazy as his sister was at this age, however, about being bare naked.

She has stayed true to that trait over the past two years, just today walking through the kitchen wearing a paper birthday hat (her "crown") and nothing else, dragging a paper balloon on a string behind her, talking about a birthday party- "it's a birthday party, it's a birthday party." She really has been into her birthday lately, discussing the importance of having birthday hats, and balloons, and presents and birthday cake. Her third birthday party should be a lot of fun, although I don't wish time to fast forward to that point. I'm enjoying living in the moment. Have a great day!

I need a good book

Please leave me some suggestions for my next read- I recently have read Something Blue by Emily Giffin, and My Sister's Keeper.

Danielle, Mrs. B?.....

Unruly Moles

I went to the dermatologist today, and had three lesions excised from my side, lower leg, and the inside of my ear- I am throbbing with a dull ache right now. I even had a beer when I got home, along with some Tylenol and Mtn Dew. We had Danielle and the boys over for dinner tonight. It was a nice time, watching the boys playing, and having someone to talk to (other than my loquacious husband of course).

We're headed to Mankato early tomorrow for softball. I hope that there is a playground near the ball field, otherwise it could get to be a long day with A in tow. Once Mike is done with dishes, we are set for a night on the couch, watching Lost, disc 6!!! Gotta go, I hear the dishwater draining...

Teething!

B is really working on some teeth (we think). I think I feel hard bumps overlying his canines- wouldn't that be a cool baby vampire look! B found his feet last week, and really plays with them, much more than his sister did. He is also the big talker of the two (comparing them at five months, not currently). While at the cabin, B rolled from back to belly, and has already rolled from front to back, so he's tearing through the milestones at record pace (not bad for a preemie)!

Great Weekend

We had such a fun time this weekend in Wisconsin! I wouldn't go so far as to classify the whole weekend as relaxing, but there were relaxing moments for sure (i.e. naptime). We ate some great meals and snacks, played some cards and Catchphrase, and even exercised to Turbojam! It is sad that it is August already, and that was my first swimming in a lake the whole summer. I'll have to aim to do more of that before fall.

The fastpitch season is quickly winding down- Mike is playing with a thrown-together team this weekend in the MN state tournament in Mankato, and then it's off to Appleton, WI for the national tournament.

Confidential to Those Attending D's Cabin Weekend

Please leave a comment on here, regarding what you like on your sandwich, example: turkey, mayo, tomato, pickles, onion, lettuce.... so I don't bring free fixin's that no one wants anyway.

Passport Humor

Isn't she going to love presenting this passport photo, when she is a world-traveling 7 year old? We had the most challenging (and amusing) time at the government center, trying to get A's picture taken.

Tonight is Mike's last league fastpitch game! I am going to stay home and get packing started for this weekend's festivities at Danielle's cabin. Last night Mike and I watched all of Lost season 1, disc 4. I'm a Lost junkie right now! I need my next fix!