Tball

One of my favorite memories from my childhood was playing organized sports. I first started playing soccer when I was five, then picked up softball and played both sports until I was in the sixth grade. I played soccer for one more season and then chose to pursue school sports. I started playing volleyball and basketball for my middle school when I was in the seventh grade. I loved playing sports so much and had a passion for it. I continued with volleyball and basketball through ninth grade and then my sophomore year, I decided volleyball was too "girly" for me (you know, the tight pants/swim suit bottoms and all the cheering) , so I continued with basketball and then that same year, my high school got a soccer team. I continued with those two sports all through high school and then decided to focus on basketball, so I committed to play for a small, local college for two years. After playing two years of ball, I transferred to Texas A&M, and I felt like my years of competing were over, so I decided to focus on academics and finding a mate ;-). However, while I was at Texas A&M, I played intramural sports: soccer, softball, indoor soccer, basketball and flag football, I just couldn't stop.

I love competing and the world of sports, so before we even had kids, Jeff and I would talk about what playing sports would look like for our children. I remember getting so excited about the day and thought that it would never come for our first born to start playing. We thought age 5 was about a good age to start getting Joseph involved and see what he would become interested in and pursue his desires.

Just for fun, here is a picture of me when I was 5, playing for my first soccer team, the Kickers.

And here is my 5 year old at his first coach pitch/tball game.After talking with different parents about the different leagues and organizations they have here, we decided on a program called i9. We weren't interested in a program that was going to be all out, intense, "were in this to win it!" environment. We really wanted this to be a nice, positive introduction to the game, learn the rules, get a feel for what organized sports was about, and have a great time. One of the things that we love about this particular program is that the practices and games are all on Saturday morning. We didn't want Joseph to hate baseball and here we were going to two practices a week and games all weekend. We thought that might be a little miserable...for everyone involved. So this past Saturday morning, we all loaded up and headed to the field and watched and cheered for our little guy.

I was really nervous that he wouldn't even want to participate because he is my supersupersuperSUPER DUPER shy, timid child. The night before, we took all his equipment and went to the field where he was going to play. Joseph always does better if he knows what to expect. We prayed for him Friday night that he wouldn't be scared or afraid and then prayed again Saturday morning. We had a few whinny moments, but after talking to him, he really got it together and participated well.

We were so proud of him and we are looking forward to watching him blossom in the next six games.

We love you Joseph!

Rodeo 2012

It was that time of year again....a few weeks ago. It's taken me a while to sit down and post these pictures.

The Houston Rodeo was going on and my boys were blessed by their Marnie and Poppy with two, fun filled nights at the Rodeo. It was exciting this year because Christian was old enough to go and Joseph has been the last two years, so this is something he looks forward to all year. We feel so blessed have grandparents near by to bless our boys with these adventures and memories. They take them to the fair and let them ride rides and then they end the night with front row seats to the Rodeo and tons of yummy treats.

Here on some snapshots of my lil' cowboys (before going to the rodeo).

This is Christian's way of saying, "For the love....stop taking my picture!"

Thank you Marnie and Poppy for a wonderful year at the Rodeo!

Why?

I debated whether or not to put any dialogue with this post, because I thought the title pretty much summed it up, but some of the pictures I thought I may need to explain.

I am just going to go ahead and say it; KIDS ARE WEIRD! The things they do sometimes leave me scratching my head and thinking, "Why?" Rather than asking the children to explain themselves, I just go along with the flow.

For instance......

Why isn't when we get out the markers, you have to give yourself tattoos?

Why is it that you insist on wearing sleeveless shirts when is a rare 30 degrees outside?

Why is it that when we let you play with dry noodles, you go to the pantry, close the door and empty about 6 bottles of spices?

Again, with the noodles.

Why is it when we say it's okay to play with one pot, you get every single one out?

Why do you feel like you need empty an entirely new Ranch dressing bottle on a single salad?

Why is playing and pulling books from the bookshelf more fun than playing in your room with all your toys?

Why is it when there is a puddle, you MUST get in it?

WHY?

Spring has Sprung

....Well, not technically, but it has been a rather unusual winter here in Houston. I am really dreading what our summer is going to be like if our winter has been this warm. We haven't really put up the shorts, shirts and flip flops this season, which is sorta nice, but I really did miss our cold winter. Even though it isn't technically spring yet, it sure does seem like it with....

the amounts of rain and green grass...

Flowers that my boys are picking for me on our walks...

Toads that are being caught and manhandled. Here, Nathan is being introduced to his first toad of the season...

The poor toads and lizards around here...

Here the boys are building a fort for their first toad of the season. Nathan got in on the action...

Joseph trying to find a hole to slip his little toad in...

See if you can find the toad that is trying to make his attempt to get the heck outta there...

Oh no! He might be getting away...

Goodnight, look at those giant feet going after the poor toad...

Oh, so close. The toad sure is making Joseph work...

Joseph eventually captured the toad, but was sweet to let him go. It won't be long before we get another one, and another, and another and another, and ........

Happy Early Spring!

Basketball fever

Last night, Jeff and I were supposed to go see the Houston Rockets for our (belated) Valentine's Date. Well, Nathan suddenly became pretty sick with high fever and Joseph had some other things going on. I couldn't convince myself that Marnie and Poppy would love to watch sick kiddos, so I told Jeff that I thought it would be best if I stayed home. When he was unable to get another guy to go with him and not wanting to waste the tickets (which we, from what I heard, had amazing seats, with a parking pass and a club pass), he decided to take C-bear. Christian was so excited that he was getting to go with his Dada, he ran to his room and picked out his basketball gear.

When Christian arrived home, he was hooked on basketball....

Playing basketball can be pretty exhausting..

He loved the game so much that he slept in his blue 'uniform' and with his basketball last night. Joseph caught some of the basketball fever as well.

Nathan at 15 months

Have mercy, first my middle-baby turns 3, then my baby-baby turns 15 months! I don't think I can take it!

Oh Nathan, what a character you have been for our family. We feel so blessed to have you as the baby of the family, but man, do you give me a workout!

You can have such a sweet spirit at times, but then there are times you can be, lets see, how should I put this? Ahem, Mr.GRUM.PY.GILLS. But what can I say? I love you so much that I could eat you up.

Nathan, at 15 months:

• You LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVEEE bath time.

• You also love to drink the water from the faucet as the tub is filling up.
• You enjoy the swings at the park.
• At your 15 month check up, you weighed 23.63lbs (36%) and were 30in (17%). You are three pounds heavier than Christian was at this age, but you two are the exact same length.
• You are anemic. You were anemic at 12 months and were prescribed iron, but we were only consistent with giving it to you for about a month . Now at this appointment, your levels were lower than they were at 12 months, so back to taking that nasty iron medicine.
• You still struggle with asthma. When you get colds or virus' it seems like they immediately settle in your lungs so away we go with the albuterol.
• You have really beefed up. From 4-9 months you only gained 3 lbs and were only in the 1% for weight. Then all of a sudden around one year, you started eating like crazy and drinking whole milk. You are a chunker now! You are only a few ounces smaller than what Joseph was at this age, which is so hard for me to believe!
• You wear size 12month pants and 12month or 18months shirts.
• You wear size 4 shoe.
• You are in size 4 diaper.
• You, errr, I mean 'I' have transitioned you into one nap most of the time. You were taking two short naps up to about two weeks ago, but I don't think you were getting a lot of rest and you were super grumpy. Now you take one nap at 1p and that has been great. You sleep anywhere from 2-3 hrs and are a HAPPY baby afterwards.
• You love your milk.
• You have recently started drinking from a straw, so you love to get sips of my Sonic drinks.
• You love grapes, apples, blueberries and pineapple.
• You eat cheerios, eggs, or pancakes almost everyday for breakfast.
• You like grilled cheese sandwiches.
• You like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. (Which I am super excited about these last two because your brothers never have liked either kind of these sandwiches.)
• You love balls. You will play catch with anyone who is willing.
• You don't really watch cartoons yet.
• You go to bed around 7:15-8 at night and sleep until about 7:30-(sometimes)8:30.
• You have taken a few steps here and there these past few weeks. Tonight was the most you have taken (4). I'm not too worried about this since your brothers were late walkers too.
• You LOVE.YOUR.MIMI! When she is holding you, you won't come to me. You even tell me 'no' when I come to get you.
• You love dogs and cats.
• Words you can say: Mama, Dada, Joe, Go, Dog, Cat, No, Uh-oh, Bible, Bite, Ball, Hi, Bye
• You can: Play peek-a-boo, you can dribble a basketball, and you play 'timber' on the bed. (Don't worry, I have all these on video and they may just make an appearance on this here blog). 'Timber' is where you are sitting on the bed and we say, "tiiiiiiimmmmmber" and you fall back. You can wave, clap and kiss on command.
• You are getting better about staying in the nursery at church and community group.
• You can stand up in the middle of the room without holding onto anything.

Here are some pictures I took at the park to mark his 15 months.

• Oh, you love to eat rocks at the park and I am pretty sure you swallow a rock or piece of dirt at least once a day. Below, you are showing me the rock that's in your hands and that you will more than likely sneak in your mouth when I'm not looking.
  

• You are a big babbler/talker like Joseph was at this age. Here in this picture you are telling me something.

• Below, you are actually making a grunting sound at me because I was trying to take pictures of you. I kept telling you to look at me and I think you just got tired of it.

• You like to pick up toys. One day I was playing with Joseph in your room, Dada was in the living room with Christian and I saw you crawl to the older boys rooms and could hear you putting the cars in the bucket. Later in the day, I heard Dada say to Christian, "Lets go pick up your cars," and when they went in their room, he said, "Oh, someone already did." You take after Joseph and Mama with this.

• Some days you can go from this......

• ...to this...

• All three of you boys have slept like this and I wanted to document it. (I had the setting on Manuel focus, so that's why it's super blurry.)
  

Sweet Nathan, you will be two before we know it. Love you little man and I can't wait for these next milestones that are coming.