Sportsmanship

It wasn't too far into baseball season when things got ugly. First, the Oakland A's and Kansas City Royals had a tiff.


(Does it make anyone else sick how the KC fans stand up and cheer?)

Shortly after that, the Chicago White Sox got into it with the Kansas City Royals (notice a common denominator?).



With The Lime playing t-ball, I cringe when situations like the above mentioned happen. I understand people get upset but to resort to violence, what message is that sending?

Last Saturday, the A's played the White Sox. Dan Otero was pitching and Jose Abreu was at bat when he got hit by a pitch. The ball bounced off of him and hit the catcher, Stephen Vogt. Jose Abreu turned around to make sure Stephen Vogt was okay, Dan Otero apologized, and Jose Abreu gave him an "it's okay" gesture as he walked to first base.

That, my friends, is how it's supposed to work. I was pleased that The Lime was watching and I made it a point to show him the situation and how all parties reacted.  That is good sportsmanship.

In fact, I was so impressed, I had to take a few moments and write notes of gratitude to Dan Otero and Jose Abreu.  I wanted to let them know that, although they probably didn't think two seconds about how they reacted, it made a lasting impression on me and hopefully thousands of other fans, especially little ones, who look up to these guys.  These aren't just lessons that can be implemented on the field but in our daily lives, and how we treat those that we come in contact with.

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 12 - Part 1

Dear Doodlebug,

Holy cow! This year has gone by FAST! I say that now, looking back on it, but while we were living it, it seemed to inch along.

For some reason, I thought you'd be the exact same baby like your big bro was. Boy, was I wrong! You two couldn't be any more different.

We had a rough start. It all started when I felt like all you wanted me for was my milk. Then we had a really tough couple months when you screamed and screamed and screamed every time I tried to feed you. We stood while feeding, fed in a dark/quiet room, tried rocking while nursing, and a few other things that just didn't seem to help. Add in nobody sleeping very much and things weren't daisies and butterflies. But the feeding thing magically turned around and you started sleeping in your own room and all was right in the world.

You, my friend, are a mama's boy. You give waves and smiles to lots of people (okay, pretty much everyone) but nobody beats Mama. It makes it hard when I'm trying to make dinner, but other than that, I love that you love me so much. Big Bro spent lots of time away from me, and I hate that I couldn't be with him all the time. So I'm eating up every opportunity I get to love and kiss you. Especially on those chewable cheeks! I can hardly resist gumming them every second of every day.

We get lots of one on one time, since Big Bro sleeps way better than you do, and I love watching you play and figure things out. You like to get into trouble and even shake your finger at me (like I do to you when I say, "no, no, no") when you're about to do something you're not supposed to. I can only imagine the trouble you're going to get into once you and Big Bro can run around like wild and crazy banshees. The two of you already wrestle and you love holding onto his back while he crawls on the ground.

Ya know, he loves you a whole bunch. He takes great care of you and has been a super duper helper to me since you got here. Sometimes he's a little rough with you, and you don't seem to mind, but it makes me nervous. Daddy and I think you'll be bigger than him someday and you'll be the one being a little too rough. We'll see.

Speaking of Daddy, you sure do love him. He had to go out of town for work the other day and you woke up the first morning he was gone, calling his name. When you hear the front door unlock, your ears perk up and your eyes get big because you know he's going to walk through the door. He loves when you snuggle with him and I know he loves that you say "Dada" all the time. You pretend to talk to him on any phone you see but you hate when he tries to kiss you because his beard tickles your face.

Before you were born, I was a little nervous as to how you'd fit into our established family of three. Although the first half of your life wasn't ideal, we made it work and now we're having more fun than ever. You are a doll and we couldn't have asked for a better Doodlebug to love. Heavenly Father knew you'd provide that extra light and laughter that we needed and we've never looked back. This year has been lots of things but great trumps them all.

I love you tons!

Mama

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 12 - Part 2

-Can stand and has taken a few steps but still prefers crawling.
-Got his 6th tooth on 5/25.
-Waves and says "hi" to everyone but few people say hi back.
-Claps on his own at The Lime's baseball games.
-Dances (bounces) to music.
-Bounces when he wants your food.
-Crosses his ankles when he's in his high chair or stroller.
-Throws tantrums if you don't give him your food.
-Says "Dada" and "Da" for The Lime.  Still only says "Mama" maybe once a week, when he's in his bed, screaming to get out.
-Loves dogs.
-Thinks it's hilarious to pull hair.
-Loves to sing the "Ba Ba Ba" part of "Barbara Ann".
-Can't wear shoes because his feet are too fat.
-Was described as a Clydesdale by my sister.  Spot on description.  He's not covered in fat rolls, just stalky.
-Loves to point, especially at the pictures of Christ.
-Still nurses all the time.
-Lucky for us, he's our Doodlebug forever.

Spoiled

Notice anything different between this picture and the one I posted last week?

Let me give you a different angle.

Thanks to my observant husband and his two trusty sidekicks, I woke up Sunday morning to this wonderful surprise, and I didn't have to wait until Christmas! It absolutely completes my desk makeover and adds just the right touch that was missing. Plus it's much more ergonomic (and cuter, let's be honest) than the folding chair I was using.

The chair isn't the only special thing I received. Look at those tulips!

Whenever I get tulips, I'm always reminded of the many bouquets LaVor bought me from the sweetest florist, Ben, every time we'd visit Berkeley. Tulips always bring a smile to my face.

And if I wasn't spoiled enough, I had to go ahead and whip up my favorite dessert.

If I had to choose my very last meal, crème brûlée would be involved. When we went on our cruise a few years ago, I ate my weight in crème brûlée. The richness, creaminess, and crunchiness all combined into one delectable dessert are enough to make my taste buds and stomach burst with excitement.

It feels good to be spoiled every once in a while.

Mother's Day

Fairly often, I catch myself thinking "how did my mom raise 5 kids?!" I can barely handle my 2, and they're 4 years apart. She had 5 kids in a little over 9 years.

After my oldest brother was born (second child), my mom stayed home with both kids while my dad took their only car to work and school. Another moment in her raising us that I think "how did she do it?!"

When I was in elementary school, my mom got sick. I'm just now finding out the extent of her illness and I'm amazed that she was still able to mother 5 kids under the circumstances she was given.

She was always driving us to soccer practice, or play practice. She took us to all of our appointments and kept everything organized. She was home every day when we got home from school. She was our biggest supporter and defender.

I find myself saying or doing things, with my boys, that she did with us. Without her example, I would not be the mom I am today. Because of her, I can do hard things and always come out on top.

Including taking family pictures without losing my mind.

Procrastination

For the first 15 years of my life, I have a vivid image in my head of the pink desk that resided in my sister's bedroom. She and my mom painted the top of it pink and wrapped delicate white fabric around the bottom half, concealing the unpainted parts. She received this desk from my grandma, who had it at her home in my aunt's bedroom, with the matching dresser and nightstand. When my sister got married and moved out, I claimed the desk, leaving the top half pink and removing the fabric. The desk followed me to Livermore when I got married, still half pink, and then moved with us to our current location. At that time, I put it in the garage because I had plans of re-finishing it and using it in our spare bedroom as the computer desk.

Time swiftly passed and nothing had been done to the desk. Then I got pregnant and used the excuse of not wanting to sand the 40+ year old finish off and risk getting sick or harming the baby with whatever dust I created. The poor desk sat, neglected, with spiderwebs covering most of its insides for almost 2 years before I finally decided to get to work.

I went to Home Depot, bought the supplies I needed, and started sanding away the dated finish and pink paint. Nap time was golden for me, as this was my hour that I had to work, work work. After several hours of sanding, several coats of primer, and three coats of paint, plus new handles, I ended up with the desk that my mind had been picturing for 16 years.

Since Doodlebug is utilizing the spare bedroom, I rearranged our bedroom so we could put the desk in there. So far, so good. And the cherry on top is that I don't have to 1) sit on the floor in the spare bedroom to use the computer anymore and 2) I can use the computer anytime I want because I don't have to worry about a sleeping baby waking up from the noise I make.

And do you know what would make the deal even sweeter? This darling chair from IKEA. Adding it to my Christmas list as.we.speak.

Roles of a Mother

One night last week, the boys and I were outside, waiting for LaVor to get home from work. We noticed a baby dove in our front yard, walking beside its mom. It appeared the baby was trying to get food from the mom's mouth, as they kept bumping their beaks together. It wasn't too long after we noticed them that the mom flew off and didn't return in the hour that we stayed outside. The baby waddled to a piece of wood and snuggled against it, out of immediate danger of any predators.  We went back outside later on to see if the baby was still out there but were unable to find it.

Two days later, we were in our living room, looking out the window, and The Lime says, "The baby bird!"  There it was, sitting in the tanbark out front.

We went right outside our front door to get a better look at it. Shortly after we went outside, the mom comes swooping out of the sky. They played their game of bonking beaks again (I never saw any food being passed from one beak to the other) and then the mom snuck away into the bushes, leaving the baby in the tanbark, again.

It's always interesting to see how mothers in nature react to certain situations.

I was reading my friend's blog about her adventures in the Amazon last year. She and her family went to an island reserve where they got to get up close and personal with several different types of animals. She dedicated a whole post to monkeys here. Notice the look on the mother monkey's face? She was three days postpartum, tired, nursing, and having bugs picked out of her fur. While I don't have someone picking bugs off my skin, I've been in the same position as her, as most of you have too!

LaVor and I were watching a rerun of North America several weeks ago. The episode we tuned in to showed a herd of bison trampling through the prairie when a pack of wolves came looking for dinner. I could tell you about it but it's so much better when watched (plus, who doesn't love Tom Selleck narrating?) so click on "North America" for a link.

I've never had to protect my children from literal wolves but as I've already experienced, Satan has other means, figurative "wolves" if you will, that he's using to attack and harm our children.

We were watching a show on either The Food Network or Cooking Channel the other night and one of the commercials was a Miller Lite one.  When it was over, The Lime said, "I know we don't drink that, but the beer looked really good!"  Way to go, Miller Lite!  Your ads are doing exactly what you want them to; making your product look so irresistible that even five year olds want to try it.

Have you seen this commercial?  Makes me cringe and sick to my stomach. 



There was a meeting held in Livermore last week discussing a new campaign called Fight The New Drug. The age in which children are being exposed to pornography is becoming younger and younger. I remember in my 6th grade science class, several boys sitting at the table next to mine asked me if I knew of certain sexual acts. My innocent little self had no clue what they were talking about. A girl in that same class ended up pregnant before the end of the school year. I was 12 and didn't have Sex Ed until I was 14, and even then, I never had "the talk." Some people now say 8 is the age in which you should start discussing sex with your children, if it hasn't been brought up prior.

Just like the mothers I witnessed out in nature, we all have a sacred duty to nurture, love, provide, teach, and protect our children. As I prepare The Lime for school in a few months, I'm hoping and praying I'm doing all I can to provide a strong enough foundation that if he's faced with those wolves, he'll be able to kick 'em in defense, like that baby calf. I hate having to already expose him to the facts of alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. But I want to be sure I get to him before someone else, with different standards, does. And if by chance he does make the wrong choice, I hope he knows the safest place to turn for help is within the walls of our home.