Baseball

Tyler finished up his second year playing baseball and did awesome!!  He wasn't on a very good team but didn't get bothered by loosing.  He cared about doing his best and was the star of the team which was fun for him. He got outs every game and hit all but twice at bat. His last game he made a double play and made a huge hit getting to second base.  He was an amazing short stop for the team and got lots of outs and hit almost every time he was up at bat.  So proud of him.  Glad that he had a good time and enjoyed playing.  He is a competitive kid at heart but doesn't let defeat get him down but motivates him to do better.  The one thing he would get upset at is when the person in front of him would get the 3rd out and he wouldn't get up to bat. Glad he enjoys it and glad he had such a great year. So proud of our little man!

Parker

I still call Parker Blake but at least when I realize he is not actually Blake, I can remember his real name.  I CAN'T believe he is 2 months.  He is 12.5 pounds and doing well except for a clogged tear duct.  His doctor thinks he might have something that is underdeveloped in his lungs that with time babies outgrow.  I love him so much and so grateful for his presence in our life.  I think he is starting to actually smile.  Yesterday when I texted my friend his picture, she said it was just gas.  Yesterday on the couch and today at church he kept smiling and I really think he was smiling at me.  Whether it is gas or love, I love it either way.  Kira loves to have pictures taken of her.  She is so affectionate towards Parker.  Always wants to hold him and love him.  Blake on the other hand seems to be throwing endless tantrums since he arrived.  I have never had a child jealous of a baby but I really thin that Blake is jealous of him so I need to try to have special time with Blake.  We went to the demolition derby on Friday.  Parker was in the ergo and Blake LOVED holding my hand, sitting next to me and having me to himself since Danny was walking around with the other kids looking at tigers and such.  I realize he really needs that so going to see if giving him more attention will reduce his tantrums and anger. Parker is looking more like my other boys. None of the really look like each other but they all resemble each other.  He is doing a little better.  He has been my fussiest baby besides Tyler who had gallstones.  I used to think Colic was simply having a fussy baby, but now I realize that it is a real, very sad thing.  There have been some days that he cries and cries and cries and you can tell he is in pain.  The past week or so he seems to have turned a corner.  I cut out most dairy.  I drink soy milk most of the time.  I cut out chocolate but that didn't last very long.  I have no discipline.  I think the thing that helped the most is that I stopped pumping so my flow is slower and I am not drowning him and making him gulp in air.  His doctor claims that colic usually ends in the next couple of weeks or month so hoping that with time he will continue to be happier.  He is the first baby that I really do most of the work with. I think it is because I wanted a baby more than Danny so I feel like if I asked for him, I better be the one caring for him.  Also Danny has been so busy with work, that I want him to be able to relax when he is home.  But so grateful that when I am done, Danny will come to the rescue and do whatever I need help with which I am so grateful for.  I am so grateful I get to be a stay-at-home mom. Even after the long, hard days, multiple tantrums or exhaustion that comes with being with your kiddos all day, I wouldn't change it.  So grateful Danny works so hard so that I can stay home.

Another Swim Season

Scott is a 9-10 this season which means he is swimming 50's.  I can't believe he is so old.  It seems like just the other day we were at Valley Vista when he was 5 and learning how to swim.  We had time trials last week and Scott did great.  He is having a lot of fun.  He has matured so much with finding a balance of having fun and being competitive. 

Tyler is not swimming this year because he gets too tired swimming more than a lap at a time.  I told him he could just tell his coach and just swim for a couple of minutes like he did last year if he wanted.  I was his coach last year so it was easy for me to tell him to get out or him to tell me when he was done but he doesn't want to do that.  I thought that maybe he would swim 7-8's since it is still 25's and stop when he was a 9-10 but even that is too much swimming.  I am so grateful he learned how to swim all the strokes last year, made great friends and even made it to County but realize that competitive swimming is not for him with his heart and grateful that he is happy hanging out at the gym, playing with friends and playing dodge ball when they have it instead of swimming.  I used to worry about what it would be like for him to not participate in certain sports but now realize it just kind of takes care of itself.  When heart kids don't feel good doing something, they obviously don't want to do it.  So grateful he gets to live a very normal life and doesn't yearn to do things that his body can't do.

As for Kira.  She is one tough little girl to parent. She has an iron will and will not give in.  She did great the first week of mini practices, it got cold and she was miserable.  I told her coach that if she got cold she could get out but they would keep her in until she was beyond done.  We moved up to an earlier time which is warmer and a smaller group and she is enjoying it.  She was signed in for time trials.  Jumped in, did great for about 1/4 lap and then started crying and wanted to get out because when she stopped people started passing her.  As my sister put it, "she is my mini-me."  What 5 year old in her first meet is even aware of winning or loosing?  Ha! Wish me luck with her, I will need it.

We went to an invitational yesterday which was a lot of fun.  Only about 10 kids went from our team which was so fun for our kids.  Our little kids ran around playing tag most of the day and entertained each other.  Summer and Eva entertained the little girls and the boys played legos and magna tiles the entire time.  Plus, Danny had off for the 3 day weekend which was AWESOME!!  I can't remember the last meet he was able to come to a meet.  When we got to the meet and saw that it was a huge meet, he wasn't happy, but at the end of the meet explained how much fun he had.  I don't know if he has ever been to a big invitational so that was so nice.  It is surprising how you can actually have fun just sitting around waiting for a 30 minute swim.  Scott did great.  He swam 100 free, which rec never does and did great.  He is actually looking pretty good in his fly and made County in his back by over a second.  Most importantly, he felt good about himself after each swim. He got 2nd in all his races which was awesome.  He really wanted a little bracelet they give the heat winners and almost won the back but ultimately didn't seem to care and just felt good about swimming his best.  It is fun to see him mature.  

Hey

Parker had a good week this week.  Heidi has switched from cow milk to soy milk, plus reduced her chocolate intake, and that makes Parker less fussy.  We had a real hard time with him before the diet switch.  It used to be that when he was awake, he was fussy.  Today, he was awake for over 30 minutes without fussing.  That's got to be a record for him.  

I know these pictures aren't that good, but they're better than nothing.  Besides, when you're the last kid, you realize that certain things get neglected.  Birth order is a funny thing.  But more important than that is realizing that kids are born with their personalities.  For our kids, in the nature vs nurture equilibrium, the scale lies much more in favor of nature.

Now I'm going to have a nap.

Parker's baby blessing

Parker was blessed in church today.  My parents came out from Utah for the weekend.  This morning we had breakfast with them, Pop, Heather and her kids.  

 The lighting was perfect for this picture of Kira.

 "Show me your teeth!"  His teeth are way better than mine at that age.  My front two teeth were at 90 degrees to each other.  A few years ago, I was at the elementary giving a speech on what a dentist does.  We reviewed incisors, cuspids, bicuspids and molars.  At the end, I said, "Let's review.  What are your front teeth called?"

This one kid raises his hand and says, "BUCK!"

Nice.

Tyler's on-cue smile is the most natural.  

 Couldn't get a good smile out of Blake, but this will have to do.

 Parker, as the last child, doesn't get that many photos.

 I like this one, though.

 I wanted to sit in front of the piano but you can't even see it.  Heidi said, "We will always remember that Parker was blessed the weekend you got your piano."

Nice of Pop and Heather to join us.

My piano!

Got my grand piano!  I've wanted one since about 1998 but we've never had the space.  Then, when we moved, and my work became more stable, we decided it was time.  I wrote on my other blog about the three pianos I was looking for, and for my price range, this was my #1 choice:  A 1959 Baldwin model M.  It's in super nice condition with a warm, bright tone.  Heidi calls it a "cheery" tone.  I like that it's in tune and that the louds are loud and when I play softly, it responds appropriately.  The action feels right.  Heidi likes how it looks.  I made a recording of the same song on both pianos and there's a big difference.  I didn't realize how badly out of tune was the Cable until I did the side-by-side comparison.    

The Baldwin was delivered yesterday by Devin Wilson, of Burton & Wilson Piano, and his crew from Capitola.  

Gave the old Cable console to Neesa, who just lives up the street.  We asked my mom if she wanted to take it back, and she said no.  Neesa and her kids were pretty excited.  I'll probably get rid of the grandfather clock next.

All set up under the light I installed earlier that day.  Heather gave it to us.  That's where the chandelier used to be.

Scott trying to photo bomb.

Tyler getting a hit.  He almost always gets on base but doesn't make it to home because those who follow him in the line up aren't as consistent with their hits.

Kira has gotten pretty good on the rollerblades.

Later that night we rode bikes to Heritage.

 Scott likes riding my big bike with gears.  Plus, it has a speedometer and he likes to see how fast he can go.  So far his record is 17 mph.