fear the Storm

Although I haven't posted anything about it with this crazy fall we've had, Logan is playing his second season of t-ball. This time his team is called the Storm, and they have super cool logo.   There's been a lot of rain this fall, so the schedule has been hit or miss.  And now with his surgery recovery, he has to sit out sports for a couple of weeks.   He'll hopefully be back in shape to join in for the last one or two games of the season.  

He still loves it, and he's really good.  Its fun to watch him play and I'm sure he'll want to play again in the spring when its a bigger season and more activities surrounding the team.

that's a wrap

The Blue Claws finished their t-ball season with a wrap up party at our local Fuddruckers Sunday evening.   The coaches awarded their trophies and since then, Logan has wanted to carry his everywhere we've gone.  Suffice it to say, he'll be playing t-ball again for the fall season!

Wow, have I really not blogged since Sunday?

This has been one of those weeks when the days just blurred into a hot mess of pick ups, games, practices, drop offs, work, more work, and school year end wrap up stuff.

In a nutshell, here is the week in review:

• First, the shower glass was delayed and will not be installed until next week.  We are LOVING the new bathroom but have yet to be able to take a freaking shower in there.  The glass company is a totally separate vendor and they operate in their own timezone, apparently.  We've been having fun, still, getting decor onto the walls and such.   I will post photos when the glass is installed and its finally finished!

• Second, Logan ended his t-ball season with his last game Tuesday night.  He's loved it so much, we're signing him up again for the fall season.  His end of the season party with the whole team is this Sunday night, and the boys will get their trophies. Go Blue Claws!

• Logan also enjoyed his first week of summer camp this week.  I found a preschool summer camp he could go to every morning for outside play, crafts and fun with kids his age.  They even got to make sno-cones today.  He loved it, and I hope to get him enrolled a few more times this summer.  It gave me the chance to have some kid-free hours now that preschool is over, so I could work.

Getting them to all sit on the bench to wait their turn to bat has proven to be quite challenging these past two months!   When they're in the field, its all about stomping to make dirt clouds.

• This week was Dylan's second week of swim team practice.  He joined a neighborhood swim team this year for the first team called the Lightning, and so far he LOVES it.  He's always been a water boy, and it will be fun to watch him compete this summer and become an even stronger swimmer. Great exercise, tons of kids  he goes to school with, and fun parents to hang out with. 

No, he is not peeing in the pool!

• I am one hour away from kicking off a total girls weekend.  Andrew won tickets at work for the Go-Go's concert tonight at Wolftrap (my favorite outdoor music venue), and I'm going with a huge group of friends. My picnic basket is packed and I'm ready to re-live the 80's.  Well, maybe not quite. But its sure to be a good time.

• Tomorrow morning, early, Dylan has his first swim meet.  Its only a practice meet, but it will give the kids a feel for how a real meet will run.  His first real meet is next Saturday. 

• Right after that, I'm heading to this luxurious resort nearby with four of my besties for a much anticipated girls night away.  No kids for 24 hours.  Poolside, drinks, girl talk, need I say more?  On Sunday morning, the Dads will bring all the kids for some family pool time at the awesome resort pools and then we'll eventually head out for Logan's t-ball party.

A great weekend ahead, starts in 50 minutes!  Next week, Dylan has only four days of school and then its officially summer vacation!

field of dreams

Logan's t-ball season, sadly, is coming to a close.  He played his second to last game yesterday.  The last game is Tuesday evening, and his end of the season party is next Sunday.

Its been a great experience for him, he loved it even more than we imagined.  He never cried once, not even when he got out.  He really liked the boys on his team, and we're so glad they'll all be starting kindergarten with him in the fall at the same school.  We met some really nice families too.

We're going to sign him up to play again in the fall.  I don't think many of same the boys will play in the fall, as its more low key.  A lot of the kids switch to soccer and then do t-ball again in the spring.  But by playing t-ball this fall, he'll get more practice for the big baseball season next spring.  Next spring he can play Instructional Rookie, which is hitting off the tee some, and some coach pitch, too.  Hopefully we can assemble some of the same boys for the team again too.

Blue Claws, one more game to go!

its in his heart

Logan had a second t-ball game this morning, and unlike Wednesday night, the weather today was perfect.   Its fun to watch him play. He's so focused and can hardly wait his turn to bat.   He's very serious about it, too. 

Consequently, he attended a birthday party for the coaches son later this afternoon.  I was talking to our coach and he paid Logan a nice compliment.  He said "some kids just 'have it' and you can see in Logans' eyes and you can see it in how he plays.  He's good, he's really good. He stays focused, he knows what to do, and he's a great hitter."  

Its fun to watch the kids play.  For most of them, its the first time they've ever played a team sport.  Sometimes they have no idea what to do.   They run to first base and just keep running.  Or when the next batter hits, the kid of first base will run back to home plate.  Once, Logan ran to second base and just kept on running into the outfield.  When they're on the field, they aren't always sure where to throw the ball.  Its pure entertainment.  But, its also priceless and it fills my heart watching him do something he really loves.

I've written many times here about how parenting Logan is always both challenging and thrilling, and a learning experience every step of the journey.  Logan is such a complex little person, and every day presents a whole array of challenges, battles, discussions, negotiations, laughter and yes, sometimes tears.  Watching him at t-ball is a chance to see him in his purest little boy form, experiencing something that brings him joy and happiness.

Watching your children experience pure joy doing something they're passionate about...well, it just doesn't get better.  I feel lucky everyday of my life that I get to share all of these experiences with my boys.

first game!

Logan had his first ever t-ball game tonight. The Blue Claws were warmed up and ready to go.  You could feel how excited all the boys were.   And with 13 four and five year old boys on the team, that's a lot of excitement!  Its also very exciting he'll go to kindergarten with all of these kids in the fall...they'll all go to our school.

The field was plenty muddy enough to break in those fresh, new white baseball pants, and the boys loved it.  Logan did really well.  He focused while in his outfield positions, and he whacked the ball the two times he got to bat.

I think its really funny they rotate thru the whole team every inning, so every child gets a turn to bat.  Also, there are no outs.  I guess it makes easing into the world of baseball a little easier for these little guys.  Our whole team did really well... there were no tears.  Just smiles and high fives with a little help from the coaches, they even all ran to the correct bases in the right order.  A success!

I was really proud of Logan.   He sat still on the bench in the dug out waiting for his turn, and he didn't even pick a single piece of grass in the outfield.  He dove for the ball a couple of times when he played pitcher position, too.  Impressive someone so young can focus as well as he can during sports.  At home when its time to listen to me, well, that can be a whole other story.  But he really gets this whole baseball thing.  Its a lot to remember - which hat to wear, not to throw your bat, what order to run the bases, playing the outfield, catching the ball and where to throw it once you catch it...  a lot of stuff going on out there!

Way to go Logan!

a banner of a morning!

This morning, little league players near and far assembled for the annual kick-off parade and baseball celebration in our community.  It was a sea of tiny baseball pants and hats, holding their banners with pride and marching with excitement thru the streets of Ashburn.

This is our first Dulles Little League event, as Dylan has never played baseball and Logan is just old enough to join for the first time this spring.  The Washington National's team mascot was there, as well as Fetch, the mascot from the Loudoun Hounds.  The parade ended at, where else, a baseball field where they turned the parking lot into a carnival where people stood shoulder to shoulder lined up for moonbounces and food and freebies.  It wasn't the warmest of days so we didn't stay super long.

But, we did win the banner contest! Andrew volunteered to make our Blue Claws team banner, and we won the contest for our division!  The prize is $150 gift card to a local restaurant, so now our end-of-the year party will be partially funded.  Sweet!  There were some really great homemade team banners out there today, so we were excited to win!

Now onto Phase 2 of the day.  Hosting Dylan's first ever sleepover to celebrate his upcoming 8th birthday!

the balancing act

We're all adjusting to the new normal right now, and life is crazy.  Crazy, I tell you!  Case in point, I just tried signing into Google with a wrong email address 5 times and then couldn't remember my password.

As a parent, life is a constant balancing act.  And it seems when spring rolls around, things always feel even more crazy.  Here is a list of everything brewing right now.  Its all good, good stuff. I've been hitting the pillow hard every night and passing out immediately.  My body needs to catch up to my mind, which is running a million miles a second.

• Logan's t-ball season, and the once to twice a week practices, and we'll soon add games.  Opening Day is next Saturday and we'll spend the first half of the day navigating our way thru 1,500 kids all wearing white pants and baseballs hat for the big parade and event.  It will be time to fly the banner!

• The night after little league opening day, Dylan has invited three friends to spend the night for his first ever sleepover birthday party.  I've been busy planning a few fun things that night for the boys, and we're excited to have overnight guests.

• Dylan's actual birthday falls the following week, on April 14th.  I can't believe he's turning 8. We've been busy planning some surprise gifts for him, including an iTouch he has no idea he's getting.  He's going to love it!

• Sunday, April 10th, we have a super fun family event to attend that my wonderful friend Dianna over at Tatertown plans - the Second Annual Family Egg Hunt at a local park.  Last year was the inaugural year and it was a smashing success.  This year we're organizing lots of fun, food and games and a visit from the Easter Bunny himself (aka Dianna's hubby)! I can only hope we have the same beautiful weather we had last year for this day of family fun. 

• We've been planning a big camping trip for mid-May to Harpers Ferry, WVA with 7 other families.  Looking forward to that for sure!

• Our master bathroom remodel plan is underway, and we've been meeting with our contractor and designer to get the plans all set.  Demolitian begins April 30th, and the remodel begins right after that.  We've been shopping furiously for all the various items needed to transform our old, builders-grade, yucky master bath into a pure organic, natural, beautiful and luxurious spa.  The most exciting part; we've decided to add a heated floor.  Oooo la-la!

• My new job!  I'm loving it so much, and finding it both totally challenging and totally doable. I've been working approximately 20 hours per week from home, and while its been an adjustment here and there to make it work, things are going swimmingly so far.  I adore my coworkers, and it couldn't be a more perfect set up.

• Spring Break is coming April 16 - April 24th. We'll be heading to my Dad and Bobbies for the first half for a nice visit.  We plan to definitely go to Busch Gardens one day, and possibly Jamestown another.  Hoping to do some boat fishing, grilling out and celebrating Dylan's birthday with them, too!  We'll come home to celebrate Easter, and I've been trying to organize and do the Easter baskets for my boys now, before we leave, so its all done by the time we get home from spring break.

Whew.  In between all of that is the usual ... trying to keep up with laundry and cleaning, meal planning and cooking and getting together with friends, taking the kids to birthday parties, getting Logan's kindergarten registration paperwork ready, getting ready for Dylan's 2nd grade field trip and volunteering in his language-arts class.  It was a lot to keep up with 'before' but now its a SUPER lot, and like I said, my body hasn't quite caught up with my brain yet. 

Its a ride, a roller coaster, and I'm loving every exhausting minute.  Even if I'm so tired I could fall asleep typing thiszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Blue Claws Banner

Logan had his second t-ball practice this past weekend, and he's really head over heels about it.  He's the youngest kid on his team, but throwing and hitting just as well as the bigger 5 year old boys.   I'm so excited to see his progress over the season!

As I mentioned before, Andrew and I signed up to make the team banner for little league opening day, coming up April 9th.   All the teams participate in a big parade through our community, and there's a whole afternoon of kid games and general chaos. 

My incredibly talented and creative husband jumped right on this banner project and ran with it.  I had nothing at all to do with it.   He gets an idea and I've just learned to stay out of his way so he can make it happen.   And the end result is always impressive!  Check out of team banner:

Pretty darn cool, right?  I think the kids will be really excited when they see it in a couple of weeks!

t-ball time

This morning, Logan had his first long-awaited t-ball practice.  We signed up last fall and he's had to wait all of this time.   I swear he's asked me at least 4 times a week since last November if it was time to play t-ball yet.

Team assignments were last week, and he got onto the team we were hoping for.  Its comprised of 13 boys, ages 4 - 5, who will all start kindergarten at his same elementary school next fall.   This is awesome because he'll get to know a lot of the boys who he'll go to school with, and we can meet more of the parents too.  My good friend Stephanies' husband Craig is our coach, and they have a Dylan and a Logan too -- two boys the same ages as our Dylan and Logan.  We've been friends for years and share the trials and tribulations of raising boys. 

The team divided up today and practiced batting and catching. I was proud of how well Logan did.  He is the youngest boy on the team, but he listened well to the coach, waiting his turn every time, and gave it his best shot.  He has great hand-eye coordination and I'm excited to see him develop his skills thru the season.

In two weeks, we'll have our little league opening day.  Its a big event, and Andrew and I have volunteered to make the team banner.

Go Blue Claws!

Logan and his friend Michael

He's #2!

 batting practice

batter up!

Dylan wasn't interested in playing baseball, and he's really not into soccer either.  So today, another first. We've signed him up for the local swim team, the Lightning.  Practice will be starting at the end of May with meets thru June and July.  He's a great swimmer, this will be the perfect team sport for him.

Its going to be a busy spring and summer, but all exciting fun.