Summer, day 2

OK, I'm already a day behind. Whatever. Yesterday was baseball, baseball, baseball, and a block party. I did manage to fit in a nap (for me), but that may have been the only time I was actually indoors.

Greyson is on a "minors" team, the Portland Seadogs. The kids pitch, which makes for very interesting games. Thankfully, there are some rules that prevent games from going on forever, but yesterday's still lasted 2 1/2 hours - in the heat & sun. And I would like to say that, had I had any say in the color of the uniforms, white would have been my LAST choice.

Reece's games, by comparison, only last for 1 hour, everyone gets to hit and run the bases, and the kids are hysterical. One of Reece's teammates left the field right in the middle of the game, walked over to his dad on the sidelines and handed him his hat and glove, and proclaimed he had to go to the bathroom. At any given time, only half of each team is remotely paying attention to the game. And EVERY player who was assigned to 3rd base had to be reminded not to stand right on the base, every inning. At least Reece's uniform is a dark color.

The first day of summer

I know the calendar says differently, but today was our official first day of summer. Greyson is done with school until August, and camp starts Monday. And since in previous years I've felt like summer just flew by and this one appears to be ready to set an all-time record for speed due to all our activities, I've decided to attempt to post one picture each day the whole summer. Hopefully, that will at least force me to stop each evening and think about what we've done that day (and, you know, smell the roses).

So here's today's photo op, courtesy of Reece's school picnic:

And on a totally separate topic, Happy 34th Birthday to my cousin, Jill! Wait, wasn't it just yesterday when you were 6 and I was 12 and I had to bribe you to sit still long enough for me to braid your hair??

It's June all over over here

We seem to have exploded into June, or maybe June has exploded all over us. Dan and I took this little trip to San Francisco (more about that later) at what turned out to be a bit of an inopportune time at home, and now it's suddenly almost June 10th and the last day of school and baseball and camp are starting and I'm trying to wrap up one job and start another and SHEESH I need a vacation. Or at least to go back to the one I was on.

So to back up a minute, we have moved through Greyson's elementary school years (at least at his current school) pretty clueless, it turns out. In our district, the kids are at the lower elementary schools in their neighborhoods from kindergarten through 4th grade, and then for 5th and 6th they are all combined at an upper elementary school. Which means that this year was his last at his current school and, of course, that means tons of end-of-year activities for his grade. So Dan and I managed to schedule our trip to leave on the day that Greyson was to perform as Sitting Bull in the 4th grade Living Museum. On the same night that Reece had T-ball practice in a completely different area of our town. That Friday was the annual Ice Cream Social and International Festival at Greyson's school, a not-to-be-missed event. And then, that Saturday both boys had their first baseball games of the season, again at different corners of the city but at least at different times. Plus Reece had a birthday party to attend on Sunday. Thank goodness my mom was the one we left in charge and she's quite organized and can follow directions well! We also did manage to, completely by accident, schedule our return so that both Dan and I could make it to Greyson's 4th grade clap-out today, so all was not totally lost. But now we both have to get back to work full-force tomorrow and even though Greyson has a half-day of school, he will probably be stuck at aftercare until close to 6pm. At least 5 years from now, when Reece goes through all this, we'll be fully prepared. And at the end of Greyson's lower elementary years, I can say that the most important thing I've learned is not to take any trips at the week before school starts or during the two weeks leading up to the last day of school.

Walking over the bridge during clap-out (after Dan "embarrassed" him by yelling out "Way to go, Greyson!").

And now here we are, nearly the middle of June and up to our elbows in baseball/T-ball, picnics, parties, and Indians games. Here's an example of the upcoming weekend:

Friday:     5ish - Dan picks up the weekly allotment from our CSA and gets it home and into the fridge
               6-7:15 - Reece's school picnic (have to bring food)
Saturday: 8-12 - Dan works at the clinic (he's also on call)
               9-11ish (please God not another 3 hour game!) - Greyson's baseball game
               12-1 - Reece's t-ball game
               1-4 - Lynette and Greyson go to Indians game to use one of our 5 season tickets days
               6 - ? - Block party (bring food)
Sunday:   12-? - Church picnic (bring food)
               2-4 - Reece's friend's birthday party (nowhere near the picnic, of course)

I know, SUCH a rough life. And it's not that we don't enjoy all of it, it's just that my calendar is beginning to protest all the attention I've given it recently. I think it actually glares at me when I try to schedule overlapping events, but if I don't keep everyone's schedule in the same place, we end up at the wrong field at the wrong time with the wrong kid, and then I die from the whining.

On a more uplifting note, our trip was AWESOME. I wish everyone could have Nick as their tour guide in SF, because he is patient, flexible, up for any type of food or activity AND knows how to drive those hills without gasping. Have you ever heard Bill Cosby's take on Driving in San Francisco? If not, you really should, but it takes on a whole new meaning when you actually experience the hills for yourself. Let me just say, I will now feel a lot safer strapped into a rollercoaster thanks to the SF hills. But I've rambled on enough for this post so will put up some photos and accompanying descriptions from the trip in another day or so. Pictures of Greyson as Sitting Bull will also be forthcoming.

Nick and me standing in front of Lombard Street, looking like tourists.

Friday update & musings

I'm supposed to be writing an abstract that has to be submitted by 5pm (it's now 2:20), but my brain has just completely shut off from doing anything work-related, so I figured I might as well post to the blog. Then maybe I'll feel like I've accomplished something...

I've been collecting videos and photos on my phone for a while with the intention of posting some here but haven't been able to coordinate the whole process to get it done. So now I am. Reece took ice skating lessons this spring (his second time having lessons), and I was able to get a little video of him. He is still mostly marching on the skates, rather than gliding, but since he kept a firm grip on an orange cone the entire time he first had lessons, this is a huge improvement. He really enjoys skating, and if our rink wasn't closing for the summer for renovations, I'd definitely have him continue lessons right away. However, we'll just have to start up in the fall and see what he's remembered. He's the one on the left (with the blue helmet) in the video:


This past weekend, Greyson got to go camping with Nat, Isaac, and Elliott. Word was they had a great time fishing and shooting a .22 at targets, although the fish were too smart to take the bait. I don't have any pictures to share because we failed to charge up the battery on our old digital camera (which has really become Greyson's), so Greyson didn't take a camera with him. However, I do have photos of what Dan, Reece and I did as a family of three. Friday evening we hit Whole Foods, where Reece served as the cart-pusher:

Then, we went to Target so Reece could finally use his birthday gift cards nearly 4 months later, and we finished our errands by sharing an ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. Saturday we did stuff around the house and mostly just hung out, because Reece had a slight cold and was a bit droopy (and had a froggy throat, which he attributed to a toad, actually). Sunday, Reece went to the mall with me and served as my Sherpa by voluntarily carrying my packages:

(Please note, we did NOT go into Saks. I think I've been in that store twice, total, in my life, and once was to walk through because I parked over there.) I have to say, 5 years old has been the best with this child. I actually offer to take him places with me and we have a good time doing it! He is more willing to agree if he knows we're going to the grocery store that has a kid's babysitting area where he can play while I shop. It's a lovely set-up and free, and I don't end up buying a bunch of things I wasn't going to just to shut a kid up and keep my sanity.

This weekend officially starts our baseball immersion season, with both boys having practices tomorrow at different times and on different fields. Looks like the same thing is going to happen on Wednesdays, although as one of my friends pointed out, it's better to have two crazy days each week rather than having to be somewhere four days a week. And with two of us and two of them, it's at least doable. Luckily, we also know kids on both teams so will be able to do some carpooling when necessary. Hopefully, I'll have some baseball practice pictures to post next week.

Wherein a conversation with a 5-year old takes the usual bizarre turns

Reece: Mom, did you know that you have to take a boat or a plane to get to Italy? (His class went to see a children's play called Farfalle, which means "butterfly" in Italian, at Playhouse Square yesterday.)

Me: Wow, that's interesting. Grandma Phillips is going to have to take a plane to get to Spain when she goes there.

Reece: Is Spain a planet?

Me: No, it's a country like Italy. In fact, it's kind of near to Italy.

Reece: Oh, I know, it's like in the Pinky and the Brain song.

Me: ??

Reece: You know, "one is a genius, the other's in Spain".

(Note: The actual words are, "one is a genius, the other's insane".)

To my firstborn who is 10

Dear Greyson,

You are now a decade old or, as you told Grandma Phillips the other night on the phone, double-digits. I know we're always saying that we can't believe how old/tall/smart/etc. you are, but 10 years is definitely a milestone that requires me to say, "I can't believe it's been 10 years since you were born!" Moms have to do that, you know. Besides the fact that your birth was the first one we experienced as parents, it was also quite eventful and, I think, says a lot about who you are. After a very uneventful pregnancy, you arrived six weeks early - very tiny (4 lbs 11 oz), quite calm, and perfectly healthy. You're still definitely on the small size for your age, still quite calm in personality, and you have not had any medical issues since being a little jaundiced after you were born. You also like to be first.

Once we brought you home, you quickly let us know that you were HUNGRY and needed more food to catch up in size, and that has not changed over time. Not only do you have a healthy appetite, you are one of the least picky eaters I know. You are willing to try nearly anything and like all kinds of foods that other children your age do not. Because of that, and the fact that you were a pretty easy child once you got past the colicky phase, we gained a lot of confidence in our parenting skills. It turns out our influence probably only accounts for 25% of your amazingness (your brother showed us how little control we really have over our children), but we appreciate that you let us think it was us for nearly five years.

Because I grew up with only brothers, and most of the women in my family had a girl first, I was pretty convinced that you would be a girl. After I got over the surprise that you weren't, I was amazed at how instantaneously and fiercely I fell in love with you. Maybe it was the hormones, but when the nurse brought you to me so I could see you before they whisked you to the NICU, I immediately felt like you were mine and I KNEW you, and I would have done anything for you right then. It was incredibly hard to be away from you while the medical people checked you out. (Your dad must have felt the same way, because he defied the nurse's orders and followed you to the NICU - leaving me in recovery to stare at the walls!) And from that day forward, you and I have had a special bond that got us through your dad's deployments and makes me still want to spend time just with you. And you showed me how great it is to be a mom of a boy - sons love their mothers quite fiercely, and I've been the happy recipient of countless hugs and kisses and "I need Mom"s. I know there will be big changes in our relationship over the next 10 years, but I hope the foundation of the first 10 helps to make it less traumatic for both of us.

So, who is this 10 year old Greyson? You are usually very kind to your brother, playing with him and letting him do things first or instead of you. Until you've had enough and the self-preservation kicks in, which is understandable. You are a good friend and get along with pretty much everyone you meet. Your teachers always tell us what a joy you are to have in the classroom, and that makes your dad and me happier than any good grade you might bring home. You are lucky that being easy-going and considerate comes naturally to you. You also are very responsible and tend to be cautious, and you rarely do anything on purpose that will get you into trouble. You like sports but don't really enjoy playing them competitively, reading, math and logic problems, playing board games and video games, wrestling, doing pretty much anything with your cousins, and building things from Legos that can be used to fight.

Your biggest issue is not focusing/listening, especially to your parents, mostly because you are distracted by a book or a video game. And you have a bizarre aversion to closing your dresser drawers. On any given day, I can walk into your room and find at least three hanging open, sometimes to the point that they are about to fall out of the dresser. But that is nothing compared to the whining. I think hearing you whine about something inconsequential (which is 90% of the cause of your whining), causes nerves in my brain to crash into each other and then explode, and I just cannot deal with it rationally. Which doesn't help you to stop whining, of course. We'll both have to work on that this coming year.

As much as I miss the little Greyson who has been my buddy and shadow, I am truly looking forward to watching you continue to grow and mature, because I think you will be amazing at every age.

Love,
Mom

A tribute to Earth Day

Whoever planned the first Earth Day was right on in picking a mid-spring date, because at least around here everyone is enjoying the earth (and sun) to its fullest after being cooped up for 5 months. Coincidentally, all the factors aligned perfectly for me to bike to (and from - that's kind of necessary) work on Wednesday. Those factors include: no rain in the forecast, not too cold or hot, and no reason that I have to be anywhere at a certain time or look my best. I do carry a change of clothes, but there's no place to take a shower except the gym across campus, and if I'm going there for a shower, I might as well take advantage of the facilities and not bother with the bike ride. As you can imagine, I only end up doing this a handful of times in a year.

One of the reasons biking works for me is that it's mostly downhill on the way there, so I get excited for the trip and fell exhilarated after it, and then I'm stuck there and am forced to do the reverse route in order to get home. If it were the other way around, I'm not sure I'd ever get up the gumption to start the process. Just so you know what I'm talking about, here are the elevations of my almost 6 mile route thanks to gmaps pedometer:

I couldn't get it all in one picture, but you get the idea. That's a 320ft difference in elevation, which is only slightly shorter than a football field stood on its end. And that first hill really is a doozy. If I make it up that without having to stop or nearly passing out, then I know I'll be OK the rest of the way home.

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I turned on the TV Wednesday evening hoping to find something entertaining to watch while folding clothes and ended up catching the documentary, Food, Inc., on PBS and being alternately mesmerized and horrified.  I think I need to watch it every time I get ready to go to the grocery store or a restaurant. I've already seen Super Size Me and now limit myself and the kids to very few fast food items on the infrequent visits we make to those restaurants. We also have been paying much better attention to the corn syrup-related ingredients in processed foods along with the trans fats issue, and we had already switched to mostly grass-fed meat products. However, thanks to watching Food, Inc., I've decided we're going cold turkey (so to speak) and switching totally to free-range, grass-fed, local, etc. meats. Luckily, we live somewhere where it is relatively easy to do this, even if it's more expensive. And I expect a positive result to be that we end up eating less meat anyway because it will cost more and be a little harder to obtain. We'll see how this all goes, and I'll try to post occasionally about our progress. I am seriously thinking of posting recipes/menus that are successes at our house, just so that I can have a good reference for the healthy meals the kids also enjoy, so maybe I'll tie those in together. And post pictures.

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Greyson's 10th birthday is Monday, which means that 10 years ago today I was just coming up on 34 weeks of an uneventful pregnancy and 10 years ago tomorrow evening everything went a little crazy and changed my life pretty thoroughly. I'll post about all that and with current pictures next week.

A guide for beyond the toddler years

Is there a "What to Expect, The Preteen Years"? Because I'd like to know if the signs I'm seeing in Greyson are age-appropriate, and what I should be ready for next, and how to deal with them all. The first big sign was that we had "the talk" with him recently. Well, actually Dan had the talk and I answered follow-up questions. And got books out of the library. And answered more questions. Now we're talking about what those 4-letter words that he knows but isn't supposed to say really refer to and why they're "bad" words, which has actually made things a little easier. Greyson is generally good about following the rules if he understands why they exist.
But that's not what started me thinking about this topic. It's the teen lingo that's starting to enter his vocabulary that made me realize we're not in pure child-land anymore. We were playing the Wii this weekend, and whenever Greyson got a strike in bowling he said, "Booyah!" I actually like that word, but I was surprised to hear him say it. The other thing he said to me, when I was explaining something to him, was "Whatevs." I think he expected me to react, and when I didn't, he repeated it and then moved on. But it's getting harder and harder for me to not react, so it would really be nice to have some kind of guide to prep me for these small milestones, and I really thing the What to Expect people should jump right on this.

On a completely unrelated note, the DQ Blizzard is celebrating 25 years in existence, and I realized that I remember clearly when they first came out because I was 15 and a good friend of mine worked at DQ and gave us extra-large portions. But what shocked me was the realization that I was already a teenager 25 years ago. Gah.

And on another completely unrelated note, here's a photo of the Turner males putting together the Little Tikes basketball hoop we got to replace the one that had been mounted on the old garage. Their color coordination is a complete coincidence, although it's not that unlikely since all males' clothing seems to be the same basic colors and styles no matter what their age.

The latest obsession

One member of our family has a borderline unhealthy infatuation with all things Star Wars. Care to guess which one? Here's a visual clue for you:All Reece's previous drawings of people have involved family members, so I assumed this picture depicted each of us holding a light saber. However, he quickly informed me that it represents the major fighters, both good and evil, from Star Wars. Quite a happy bunch, aren't they? Except for the one in the middle, who Reece says is a beheaded Darth Vader. And just in case you can't tell (or aren't up on the minutia of all things Star Wars), the three with heads on the left are Darth Maul (with the red double light saber), Mace Windu (purple) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (the young version). The green one is Luke, but I can't remember who the other evil one is - maybe Count Dukoo or that Palpatine guy who becomes the emperor. I'm really pretty clueless. Which I keep reiterating to Reece whenever he asks me some obscure question from one of the movies. I've only seen 4 of the 6, and I'm not known for my attention to detail in the first place. We have let him see A New Beginning (the first one we all saw in the 70's, now known as #4) and Return of the Jedi, but he's not seeing anymore until he's at least a few years older. And by then, maybe he'll be beyond the fanaticism anyway. Please??

I'm expecting the locusts any day now

It's been a little crazy around here since my last post. Specifically, for about a week it felt like we were working our way through a health (or disease) version of the biblical plagues. I don't know what we did to make Yahweh mad, and I really don't think we're keeping any peoples in exile, but the fact that this coincided with Passover was quite suggestive.

Very late that Thursday (or very early that Friday - I don't know, suffice it to say that it was sometime during the very deep sleep portion of the night), we were all awakened to the sound of Reece being sick. In Greyson's bed. And all along the way from there to the doorway where I met him, picked him up, and carried him to stand in front of the toilet. I'll spare you the gory details, but Dan and I spent the next hour cleaning up, including changing the sheets and covers on Greyson's bed.We knew Reece wouldn't be going to school Friday, and that's Dan's half-day anyway, so we planned that I would go in to work in the morning and get home in time for Dan to leave about 12:30. However, I woke up feeling sick and ended up spending the rest of the day in bed while a chipper Reece bopped from computer to Wii to watching TV. Dan picked up Greyson and handled the kids the rest of the evening, because we knew I had to be mobile for Saturday when we had Greyson's birthday party. (For those of you who know when Greyson was born and are now confused, we had the party a month early because there was a special Star Wars weekend at a local laser tag place, and half of the proceeds went to the Make-a-Wish foundation.)
I didn't eat much on Saturday but did feel well enough to handle the party, and we transported three of Greyson's friends and met two others and his cousins at laser tag at 1pm. Everyone, including Dan and Nat but not Reece and me (he wasn't old enough, so someone had to stay with him), played laser tag with the Star Wars characters for 20 minutes, they had a 20 minute break, then then played for 20 more minutes and came back to our party room for cake and playing video games in the adjacent arcade. We got everyone home around 3:30, settled down at our house, and about 2 hours later Greyson said he didn't feel well and proceeded to get sick. He definitely had it the worst and was still feeling bad when he went to bed.

So now we're at Sunday, Greyson stayed home from Sunday school but felt much better, and we did a ton of laundry. Monday, I woke up with a tickle in my throat and a few of those sneezes that you know indicate impending doom. Tuesday I knew I had a cold, and by Wednesday I was in the thick of it. Wednesday evening, Greyson had another type of intestinal illness hit him, and so I had to stay home from work on Thursday to be with him. I didn't really come out of the cold until Sunday and still have residual coughing fits. Since I had just returned home from a conference when the first plague hit us, I probably managed to get the equivalent of two whole days of work completed in two weeks.

We are all much better now (I'm knocking on something wooden), and the weather has been amazing, so I think we might have done something to redeem ourselves before the other 7 plagues were sent to us. For Greyson's sake, I am going to smear a little lamb's blood on the door just to be sure.