'Till next year, soccer. We'll miss you (sorta)

Soccer ended on Saturday with a parents-vs.-kids game.

Here's four of the 3-year-old teams. There are two more teams not represented. All of these kids were on the field, against me and maybe half a dozen parents. No wonder we got our butts kicked.

I played my heart out at the game. I even (accidentally) kicked the ball into a small child's head. But the kids were too much for us old and tired parents. We didn't actually keep score, but believe me - we lost. Too much running back and forth; not enough caffeine.

But the kids didn't care one bit about who won the game. They didn't even care all that much about the pizza party in the church hall after the game. What did they care about? Trophies!

Clair's like, "I don't have a trophy to lift, so I'll just lift my shirt!"

Three of our teammates missed the last game, and one, Milly, had to leave right after the game for a birthday party. So our team photo looks pretty sad. Expect for Hugo, who looks like the happiest kid ever.

Coach Davis and his family. (Look, my boys are actually smiling!)

Clair was a good soccer sister and supported her family by accessorizing and being super cute.

Soccer balls -- in the hair! Boo-ya!

Go team!

This girl is great at kicking the soccer ball and running around and being energetic. I can't wait until she can play!

I have to say, Lester and I have both been somewhat eager to get through the season so that we could have our Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings free for awhile -- at least until after the holidays, when we plan to find new things for them to do to keep their little minds and bodies engaged.

We're contemplating swimming lessons in February for the whole family and music classes for Clair on Sunday mornings before church (Sundays in 2014 are going to be crazy long days) and there's always Science Alive on Saturday mornings at the Masonville Cove. The one on Jan. 4th is about worms; I can't wait for that one, since we never did "dig for earthworms after a good rain," per the boys' synapse checklist.

But, honestly, "free time" might just be going the way of the rotary phone. Our weekends are already filling up with friends' events and school activities and work obligations and holiday preparations and library visits and on and on and on.

We learned on Sunday that there are all sorts of great ways to get involved in our new church (something we both really want to do), but most of the activities/classes/ministries meet on weeknights, of course.

And I also have started a list of things to accomplish over the next several weeks (including gather a ton of stuff for Freecycle; sort through the kids' clothes; come up with a reasonable Christmas shopping list and budget, etc.) and every time I turn around, I'm adding something to it.

So, the soccer season has ended, but our calendar is not really all that empty.

But that's OK. The family that runs ragged together stays together, right? The good news is, we're all having a lot of fun. And if I said all this hustle-bustle was a 100-percent drag, I'd be exaggerating by about 90-percent.

I enjoy our busy lives, and doing things with and for my kids. And in this season of gratitude, I'm incredibly grateful that we get this time together. 

Go Team Davis!

Soccer and piano photos

Last night, I took Clair with me to a baby shower at my bosses' house in Bethesda.

They have a piano and she loved it. I think she is born to play (unlike her mother, who has no musical ability whatsoever).

OK, she really only plunked around on it, like any 18-month-old would do. But a Momma can dream, can't she?

Also last night, Lester held the Gray Team's second soccer practice. I missed it because I had to go to the shower. Hugo's Dad, Geoff, took pictures (thankfully!) This practice looks like a resounding success!

Look, the kids are orderly! (Cary's not doing what he's supposed to be doing, but what else is new?)

Atticus (first kid on the left) finally joined us! Little Milly was absent last night, and Rocco has yet to make an appearance.

Elle actually scored a goal!

Elle looks so happy here! Look at her little braids flying up in the air!

And Dean looks ready to take on the soccer world.

I love this picture of my boy. He looks like such a big, serious kid.

Good Tuesday night all around!

Clair's 18-month-check-up and other tidbits

Clair had her 18-month check-up yesterday.
Checkups with her are such a breeze; I almost feel like we should just phone them in to save time. She's such an easy kid (in this area, anyway) with no issues or concerns, we just kinda sail through the whole appointment bing bang boom and done.

Here are her stats:

She weighs 22 lbs., 14 oz.
She's 31 and 3/4 inches tall.
She has 8 teeth.

As usual, Dr. Bodnar was impressed with her verbal ability and amused by her opinionated personality.

She got her shots, cried a little, and we don't have to come back until she's 2! Yikes!

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Speaking of Clair turning 2, I am freaking out just a little bit. You see, a group of my girlfriends sorta stumbled into making a plan for a girls' weekend in New Orleans. At first, it all seemed hypothetical. You know, the whole, "We should all get together!" thing that everyone says and sorta means but never actually does anything about.

But it only takes one earnest and reliable, whip-everyone-else-into-shape-friend to take that whole train from the station to the open road. That friend is Erika Peterman. And so now, she, Lisa Respers, Erin Texeira, Jill Hudson and I are slated to go to NOLA over Presidents' Day weekend. We planned for three nights of no husbands/no kids, eating great food, drinking wine, lounging around reminiscing about our days working at The Baltimore Sun, and cracking up about any and everything.

I admit, I was hesitant a little. I want to go, boy do I want to go. But I felt guilty. Three nights and almost three days of leaving Lester with the kids? It seemed so decadent! And he's never left us for that long! I felt like a bad wife and Mom.

But my girls convinced me (sent me virtual slaps in the face is more like it) that I had nothing to feel guilty about and that all would be fine. I started to get excited.

And THEN,  I realized that President's Day weekend is Clair's BIRTHDAY weekend. In fact, if I stayed until Monday (the holiday), I'd actually MISS her 2nd birthday.

Oh hells no.

I'm all for Tanika time, but I'm sorry. I just can't do it.

I think I am still going...no...I AM still going. But I am only going to stay two nights instead of three, and come back on an early flight on Sunday (Clair's birthday).

I know she won't remember her 2nd birthday, but I don't want to miss it. I won't miss it. (I might be a little hungover on the plane, but having buzzed Mommy is better than having no Mommy on your birthday, right? I'm pretty sure I read that in a parenting handbook somewhere.)

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In other news, after fits and starts and long lapses, Lester and I FINALLY found a church we like!

We went to visit it Sunday and I really loved it. I laughed, I cried. The kids had a good time and BONUS! There were free bagels and coffee afterward! My kind of church!

We have to go back  this Sunday and test the waters again, but I have to say, I'm really excited about the prospect of having a church home again. I've really missed it. And I KNOW we need it. Lordhavemercy -- do we need it!

The church is 20 minutes away in Timonium, but that's better than the 40 minutes it took to get to the church I liked in Columbia. Also, when we daydream about moving and search the web for houses we like, a lot of them are in the Timonium area. So if we decide to join this church (or at least, regularly attend) that's more reason for us to consider moving to a neighborhood in Timonium (some day).


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And in still other news, Cary and Dean's first soccer game was hilarious! Here's a photo recap:

Dean was a soccer machine. Cary was less than enthused. And Clair declared herself a part of the game (or a fashionista) by wearing a boundary-marking cone as a hat.

Lester was really great wrangling the kids and keeping a modicum of order! He's sorta a natural at this. Who knew?!

And I'm proud of all my loves -- my athlete, my grass-sitter, my cone-wearer and Coach! You guys are all perfection in my eyes.

Soccer cuteness/hilarity

The boys started a soccer clinic for 3-year-olds last night! Hilarity!

They had their shin guards, their water bottles, their athletic shorts and sneakers and they were so excited. Seriously, they've been asking every day for a week, "Is it soccer day yet?"

At the soccer season's opening event - a pancake breakfast for families - Lester agreed to be the coach of the boys' team, when the league administrators begged mentioned that they needed a few more parents to come forward and take on the task. This was hysterical to me because Lester has never played soccer and knows nothing about it. But the admins assured him that really, with 3-year-olds, no knowledge is necessary. "Patience," they told him, "is really all you need."

Last night, we witnessed the truth of that. Lester did a truly wonderful job, truly, I was impressed! But wrangling eight keyed-up 3-year-olds on an open field? Not a job for the faint of heart.

Four adults to 7 children? Yeah, that's about right.

Look how coach-like my sweetie looks!

 My friend Stacey and I sat on the sidelines (Hugo is on the same team!) and it was great to get a chance to just sit and do nothing, on a beautiful fall evening, while the kids were being entertained. At first, Clair kept running onto the field, desperate to be a part of whatever her brothers are doing at all times. But once I gave in and let her play with my iPhone (judgers, shut it up!) she was content to sit on my lap and swipe and poke away. Note to self: Don't EVER forget phone.

Hey Dean, this is soccer, not football.

All Cary and Dean really wanted to do was take water breaks.

There's Hugo! And Dean, running AWAY from the action.

Mostly, though, it was super cute watching the kids run and do "drills," and try their hardest to listen.

This is going to be a super-fun fall, watching them "play games" every Saturday and practice every Tuesday from now to November. Can't wait to witness all the hilarity!

Sidenote: The other father in the gray shirt,Francis? He played soccer all his life, including in college, and has two professional-soccer-playing brothers. He also has twins, a girl and a boy who were in the boys' class last year, Miles and Isla. Best thing my super-smart hubby did yesterday: Asked Francis to be his assistant coach! Ch-ching!

Back-to-school night and other snippets

The boys start in the 3s class on Monday and last night we went to back-to-school night.

This one was much better than last year's - easy-going, warm and familiar. But I knew it would be because I know the 3s teacher and really, really like her. Miss Michelle is all the things you want a pre-school teacher to be -- and as a bonus, she is a real fixture in our neighborhood, so we see her at the Red Canoe and at community clean-ups etc.  It makes me trust her investment in this community and the kids who live in it. So I think this will be a great year for Cary and Dean!

Dean squeezes his friend Marcus.

I love the green in the boys' new school sneakers. I don't love the green it cost to buy them.

Also, lots of their friends (including Marcus) from last year came back, and -- even better -- our friends Maya and Abby will be in their class this year! Yay!

Earlier in the summer, we all got together at Koco's for dinner. The kids played and had Popsicles. Yum!

 One of the things that Miss Michelle says she will be working on with the 3-year-olds this year is "responsibility." Everyone will have rotating "jobs" in the class. That makes my heart sing, because my boys need responsibility. One REALLY needs it.

Take a look at the difference in how the boys handle their clothes when they take them off at night to get into their pajamas.

This is what Dean does when he takes off his clothes.

This is what SOMEONE ELSE does when he takes off his clothes (after being badgered to stop reading and put.on.your. pajamas. right. NOW!) Note: I'm not saying his name so as not to embarrass him in the future. See what a good Mom I am?

In other fun bits, the boys continue to crack me up with the things they say and think.

Here are a few examples:

Cary (out-of-nowhere): Mommy, if Dean was in your tummy, how could you eat?!
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Dean: Mommy, is your boss Tom?
Me: Yes.
Dean: Is he a train? Or a man?
Me: He's a man.
Dean: (looks disappointed; walks away)
{My poor son thought I got to work with Thomas the Train everyday.}
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Boys, spying Brownie Bites on the kitchen counter (leftover from a board meeting):
Dean: Mommy, can we have brownies with breakfast?!
Me: Nooooo. No brownies with breakfast.
Dean: Can we have brownies after breakfast?
Me: Noooo. No brownies after breakfast either.
Dean: Pleeeease.
Me: Nooooooo.
Cary: Pleeeeease.
Me: Noooooo.
Dean: Hey! What if I give you five bucks?!
Cary: My cousin Herb drives a brownie!!
{I cracked up at my boys "quoting" Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. They were so cute, even using the "pigeon voice" we use when we read he book, I almost gave them a brownie. Almost.}
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Overheard from their bedroom:
Cary: Nooo, Big Bad Wolf! Why are you not being nice, Big Bad Wolf?
Dean: Ummm, because I want to come in!
Cary: OK. You can come in!
Dean: OK. Thank you!
{I love that my boys reimagined a peaceful ending to the Three Little Pigs!}
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This weekend, we're going to Dylan's 3rd birthday party (Happy birthday, Dylan!), and we'll meet our new soccer friends at a kick-off-the-season Pancake Breakfast at the school. In fact, I have to go this weekend to buy shin guards for them. Shin guards!

Get prepared for lots of soccer photos to come!