The Sandlot!

I was an athlete growing up . Decent at my game, ball was never my whole life as I had a revolving heart of creative passions as well. Having an older brother, who I admired tremendously, and who was an artist, perhaps influenced me in the arts in ways I would not have been otherwise.
Despite wanting to be the creative type, and perhaps some of that was, is, within me, anyone who knew me then would describe me as an athlete. The thrill of the game certainly does reside within me.

Todd was an athlete growing up, as well, and from what I understand, a very good one. He, unlike myself, remains to be a very good athlete!!
The combination of our talents always led me to assume we would breed athletes of some kind.

This is not to say I would not welcome with open arms the non-athlete. I would be proud if they were mathletes, or scientists. If they chose theater or the arts. I would be proud. If they were bookworms and found their way to Harvard. They could be who they want but, admittedly, I assume there will be an athlete, or three, in the bunch.

So, when Ryder's first love became his guitar and his interest in classic rock was the only thing he talked about, I was thrilled and surprised.  His two, now three year old, knack for the guitar seems to be beyond his years and though I encourage his strumming I have not one clue how to play and am unable to help him along.

Anyway, I wondered when the baseball and sports interest would come into play. I wondered if it would at all. We started them in an introduction to sports class, which they seemed to enjoy, and we certainly make clear that we are Phillies fan, particularly as they tried, unsuccessfully, to be repeat World Champions. But, it seems that the movie The Sandlot was the catalyst for the love of America's pastime.

After watching this adorable flick, baseball became their game of passion.  In addition they also learned to use the word "shit," which resulted in soap in the mouth.  Chase and Ryder love to re-enact this movie choosing scenes that involve both the baseball and "the Beast!"    Ryder, the costume man, also loved to dress like Benny.   He still does.

I always thought it would be the channel surfing from Flyers to Phillies to Eagles to Golf and back again that would trigger their love for sports.  Instead it was a movie.....at least it was one I grew up with.

A Few ZZZ's and a Bag of Chips.

I do not think I am alone when I say I love to snuggle with my kids. I love the way they smell as the back of their head is at my nose. I love the way their little bodies fit snuggly within my bent body. I love that they love to snuggle with their mommy.

Of course, loving this has altered my proper parental judgment and has me lying next to them at bedtime when I should be making lunches. Or, worse, opening my arms and blanket to a sleepy boy in the middle of the night. I know I shouldn't. I know I should take them, any of them, all of them, back to their rooms teaching them that their own beds is where they belong. But, I don't! Not often anyway.  I'd like to say that sharing a bed with them is all snuggles and warmth.  A cozy family bed of bonding and love.  But, it's not.  And, yet, I let them in anyway.

No, with Chase, what starts out as a snuggle ends up with an elbow to the forehead and a fight for the blanket.  But, yes, I still love snuggling with him.  Who needs to sleep well?

Ryder, is another whole story.  Ryder is an awesome snuggler and in many ways I want to sleep the night with my son in my arms. But, I can't.  It is just not possible.

He grinds his teeth terribly.  His mouth is amped, it must be, because the awful sounds of enamel scraping enamel is louder than anything I have ever heard.  The other night I am pretty sure the Richboro Fire Department went into action.

I can be sleeping soundly, comfortably and dreaming of wildflowers dancing softly in the wind.   Or, more likely, my recurring dream of being unprepared, yet again, for the big exam.  Whatever dream it is, I will be rudely awakened by a picnic in the bed.  A picnic of potato chips.  BIG.  STALE.  Very, very stale potato chips being chomped on in my ear.  My startle reflex has me jumping wondered if I ordered a bag of chips with my zzz's, only to realize it's Ryder and the teeth he is slowly widdling away to nothing.

Just for the record: We have been to the dentist who says teeth grinding is normal in children, (I can assure this is not normal, not at this volume), and that his teeth really are ok.  For now!

Unfortunately, Turner seems to have the same nasty habit.  He only has four teeth in his mouth yet I can hear it.  All too well.

BALL!

Turner said his first word. At least we think he did.  Me, Todd, my mom, we have all heard ball.  Repeatedly.  Sure, it could be Ba...a babbling sound all babies make.  But, we think, perhaps, he said ball about an actual ball. 

NLDS Champions

Chase and Ryder are Phillies fans, sort of.  They will do the "Let's go Phillies" chant and claim that their Phillies t-shirts are their favorites.  They know Utley and Victorino (those are the shirts they have) and they can recognize those players names and numbers on Jersey's.  This is the extent of it.  They are fans, not because they love baseball or the Phillies (at least not yet) but because their parents are fans.  Big fans.  And, we watch almost all of the games.  And, we make them watch them too.  Or, parts of the game.  This summer we would give it to them like a treat, "OK boys, two innings of the Phillies then bed time."  They would agree with enthusiasm but would have preferred an episode of Barnyard.  But, still, we dress them in the garb and psych them up for the games and will make phanatics of them yet!!!!


I, on the other hand, am a huge Phillies fan even when I am not incubating a son. All season long I've worn my Phillie Pride on my sleeve like a World Champion Patch.
The depths of my phanatics has certainly been helped by the success of last year. And, by the fact that, as they defended their title, they have maintained first place since May 30th ,making the long 9-inning game so much more fun to watch. They were in first place in spite of their losing streaks, and their lack of consistency. They have been in first place despite the fact that last year's "perfect" closer blew 11 saves this year, the worst in major league baseball. Despite these things, they remained the division's leader because of their numerous hot streaks including their WHITE HOT July. They have been in first place because they are amongst the leaders in MLB to have come from behind wins. They have been in first place because, when you break it down, the Phillies are damn good. As individuals. As a team. So, October baseball was expected. Expected, even with our closer hiccup. Or, projectile vomit however, you want to see it. Yes, October baseball was expected!

So, here we are. We entered the playoffs as the NL East Champions...again. For the third time, actually.

We just beat the Colorado Rockies in four games making us NLDS Champions. Again. Sending us to the NLCS. Again. To, hopefully, beat the Dodgers. Again. Seems routine. Only, it's not!

It is so hard to repeat in baseball, in sports.  And, yet, we all want to, almost expect to.  All of these other titles are merely just a tasting. Those are not the repeat titles any of us are looking for, though they are required to reach the ultimate goal.  Nope, we want to repeat the World Fucking Champions quote.  We want another parade.  That's what we want.  The rest of these titles are just the route in which to get there.

Let's Go Phillies!!

Chase Shabbat star

 

The boys on their first day of school

Chase and Ryder are now in the 3's program at school.   It has started off wonderfully and both boys seem to be very happy and love going to school 5 days a week.  They seem to love their teachers and their friends and it has been a very positive experience.   The boys have certainly matured. Each morning our goodbyes are swift and easy and tearless, though they stll do involve lots of hugs and kisses, and for that I am grateful. I am sure my eventual tweener sons who'll think the only thing more disgusting than kissing a real girl is kissing their mother will not be happy that I have documented that on bloggerspace.

Anyway, there is a routine they follow at school and from all reports I am getting they are well behaved and interested.  And, the reports are, they are not dependent on each other (though they do look out for each other) and often don't sit together at lunch or snack. This individualism is what we desire especially as the discussion of separating them in school is sure to land on our talk table in the near future. 

In an effort to begin the lesson that, though there are two of them they are individuals, we have decided to take mini-steps toward the inevitable split.  And, it began with Shabbat stars.  Every week there is a shabbat star in the class. Among other things, this person's family joins the class for Shabbat and a story, he/she is the line leader, and they go up on the Bimah during the mini-Shabbat service.   There are other stars from other classes, but only one from their class. Last year they were Shabbat stars together. This year, we split them up allowing them each to have their own special day.  Chase is first alphabetically.  And so, On Friday, Chase was Shabbat "Rock" Star.

He was really excited for this day and all week kept asking if today was Shabbat. Friday was an irritating 5 days away as he asked again, again, and again.
Friday morning he woke up excited for his day.  He got dressed in his Shabbat clothes and exclaimed, "I look handsome!" and then asked if munchkins could be his special treat.  He chose a book, "Winnie the Pooh's Why Does it Have to Rain?" and was thrilled when I said I would read it to his class.

Then as we left for school he threw a fit claiming he did not want to go. I carried him in kicking and screaming while he hugged me for dear life. I have no idea why.  Within minutes of my departure, however, he was fine. Or so I was told.

Meanwhile, Ryder, who seemed a little sad when he realized it was a special day for Chase and not for him, gave his brother a hug then went off to school with a smile and said "bye, Mommy, see you soon!"

In the classroom both boys were happy to see us and we enjoyed the time in the classroom.  After the blessings and the snack I read the story to the children.  Interrupted a hundred times to answer questions and make silly noises, the story took so long we were never able to finish.  Clearly, I am never going to be a pre-school teacher.

In the sanctuary, Chase had a blast.  He loved being on the Bimah and opening and closing the Ark.  Ryder acted out a bit, hiding under the seats and being slightly defiant.  I think he craved a little of the attention Chase was getting.  In fact, when it came time for us to leave, Chase chose to stay and have lunch with his class while Ryder chose to leave with us.

All in All, it was a fun morning.  Chase had fun, which was most important.  Last year, while he was claiming he wanted to be a princess, this year it was all about just being the Shabbat Star.

 

 

 

Tooth Fairy!

Delaney lost a tooth.  This is exciting news for her as her mouth has some holes and the tooth fairy pays her a visit.   I told the boys about this.  The Tooth Fairy?  Chase has decided he has no interest in the tooth fairy coming to see him...EVER!

He had a few questions about her:

Is she pretty?
     Yes
Is she nice?
     The nicest


He didn't seem sold, as he continued:

"I don't want her to come, not now, not ever"
     Chase, she is not coming for a long time you will be 5 or 6 before you lose your first tooth.  Can we 
      discuss this then?

"NO!  Call her and tell her not to!"

So, I did.  I took out my phone and pretended to call the tooth fairy.  I sternly told her not to come around, but assured her I would be in touch if he changed his mind.  Chuckle

But, still, after a nap.  Still, after going to bed.  Still, three days later he doesn't want her to bring her fairy dust and wings anywhere near his bedroom.  I am sure, years from now, when he learns she doesn't come empty handed he will change his mind.

Ryder, on the other hand, can't wait.  He is thinking about knocking out a few teeth just to see her!

A Letter to my Son on his 9th Month Birthday (For his 8th and 9th month birthdays!)

Dear Turner,

Today you are nine months old.  I managed to skip your 8 month letter.  I did not fail to recognize the day, nor feel the tug on my heartstrings, I was just simply buried beneath a mountain of to-do's and the whole month has passed.  So, today's letter is a two for one.  Happy 8th and 9th month birthdays.

Last month I would have written this:

Turner at 8 months old

 

I have nicknamed you Trooper because that is what you are.   Partly because of your army crawl, but mostly because you are exactly that, a Trooper.  We take you to and fro, we wake you when you want to sleep.  We hold off your food when you are hungry.  We do this not to punish you but because we are constantly on another's schedule. Be it your brother's, your father's, mine, or even yours, your classes and play dates, something is always conflicting with something else and you go right along with it, with hardly a complaint.  Ever.  Thank you for that, my Trooper!!
You can now put yourself into a seated position whether you are crawling or lying down.  You crawl everywhere, all of the time, and though you still mostly crawl like an army trooper , you are trying to crawl with regular form.  You are almost there!
You are fully capable of holding your own bottle.  But, you rarely do!  You much prefer the snuggle time with me, or the lucky feeder.  And, though at times I know it would be easier if you would hold it, I am grateful for the opportunity to hold you in my arms those few times a day.
You can't sit still.  Changing your diaper has become a difficult and frustrating task as you squirm about, flipping over and back.  You are full of energy, full of life, full of laughter. 
We went on vacation this month to the Outer Banks.  You were not so happy in the car ride, which was over 8 hours, and let us know it with a shriek that seemed to stop traffic. I suppose you were not thrilled to ride in the third row, backwards, surrounded by luggage in every last crevice.  On the trip, however, you were your pleasant self and enjoyed the beach, the pool, and playing with Jackson.  You also had your first real bath while we were there.  You loved it, splashing all about.  Ever since, we bathe you most often with your brother's which is really fun for everyone.

On the dunes in OBX

 

 

 Jackson and Turner

You have three more teeth coming in, all at once and within no time you will have a mouthful.  You are handling it pretty well and continue to be a very happy baby.
You have little interest in table food and though you eat the baby food pretty well you do not seem to have a particular favorite, and you still love your bottle, very much!
Your hair continues to come in thicker and curlier and is still a very light brown.  Your eyes are also still on the light side though it's a guess each day as to what color they will be.
You are not one of those babies that puts things in his mouth, which is good, but it seems to be playing a part in your lack of interest in table food.  Or so it seems.
We've begun both music, with Miss Marilyn, and Little Gym.  You seem to enjoy both very much and I love having the one on one floor time with you.   The Little Gym, where you are currently a "bug", seems to be much more structured than I remember My Gym being when your brother's took it.  It's a great class, we like it, and we enjoy the time with Sawyer Cohen.
You are active, and funny, and love to laugh.  Chase and Ryder send you into absolute hysterics and just one moment of laughter from you can make my whole day.
As quickly as time is passing and as overwhelming as life can get, never a moment passes that I do not feel as though I am the luckiest mommy in the whole world.  I look at you and smile, each and every time.  I love you so!!

Trooper crawl

At nine months, your letter goes something like this:

 Turner 9 months old

Happy 9 months, Trooper!!  Somehow, it seems, the time has come to start thinking about your first birthday.  Oh my.  How did that happen, and so quickly?  So, nine months, and you are all you are supposed to be.  Weighing in at an even 20 pounds puts you at exactly what Chase weighed at a year (and more than Ryder did at a year) and in the 25th-50th percentile.  You measured 31.5 inches long, but we are pretty sure that was a mismeasurement.  You can wear 12 month shirts, or bigger, and are in size 3 diapers.
You can now clap your hands and do so with delight.  You can now climb the steps, fully and unassisted, and do so with such pride and excitement that I feel the need to stand there and watch, each time.  At the top, always, you applaud yourself!!   You can now pull yourself to standing, so we are greeted in the morning by a little boy standing, grinning, in his crib.  You will stand at the coffee table, at the couch, at the bed, wherever you can.

Climbing the stairs

Although you can pick up table food, you still have not figured out how to get it to your mouth and will usually sit and hold it and mash it into quite a mess.  However, if we feed you table food you are much more open to it now and have enjoyed Gerber puffs and yogurt melts in addition to pizza crust, bagels, challah, cheese, noodles, and meatballs.  Baby food, and your bottles, are still your main source of nourishment.  You have 4 teeth, one of which is a bit of a snaggle tooth right now, and three or four working their way in,  Amazingly, you are not cranky or miserable, just a little bit of a drooler:)
You are unbelievably patient and absolutely adorable!  You love to be near your brothers and always greet me with a great big bear hug.  Which I love. A lot!!  You love to bang your hands on the table when I chant "Bang, bang, bang on your drum, drum, drum" and you throw your hands in the air when I ask how big Turner is.  You laugh at me, every time, when I sign "more, please!"  You have not yet figured out that I am trying to teach you to communicate.  But, you have your own way of communicating, babbling, babbling, babbling all day long.
You seem to be a mix of your brother's in so many ways.  You smile like Chase and have Ryder's eyes.  You have curls like Chase but are like light Ryder.  You are laid back like Ryder but verbal like Chase.  You are a wonderful mix into this wonderful being and not a day, not a moment, passes that I am not proud to be your mommy.  And, more than anything, I look forward to seeing all the ways you are Turner, as only Turner can be.

Turner, my wonderful baby boy, I love you so!!!