Soccer Mom – Season 2!!

Soccer season has started for Robert.  He's playing in the U8 (under 8) league this year but he's already playing just as well as last year.  He's on team Dynamite.  Their first practice was last Thursday and Opening Ceremonies was supposed to be Friday evening.  It got stormed out, but they should have called it way earlier than they did.  All they would have had to do was look at the radar to know that it was going to be an ugly evening, but instead they had all the kids and coaches and parents out on the field before they finally decided to call it.  It was already raining pretty good by the time we got back to the van and then we sat and waited for the traffic to clear a little bit and it really started coming down.  It turned to hail as we were driving home and then started slowing up by the time we got home (and we live like 2 miles from the soccer field) and there was a beautiful full rainbow.  It did rain a good part of the rest of the night, but sure need it.

Saturday morning dawned clear and sunny.  K and I started off the morning with a 2 mile walk around the neighborhood.  I'm sure going to miss our walks and runs together.  She's a great workout buddy.  After breakfast. we headed to the soccer field for Robert's first game.  His team's uniforms got lost at the printers, so they all just wore red shirts.  For only having had one practice together, Dynamite played really well as a team.  Although at the U8 level, score is not kept, you know all the kids and some of the parents keep score anyway and Dynamite smoked the other team.  Just about all 8 players on the team scored a goal, and Robert scored 2.  He even got compliments from his coach, so that was cool!  After the game we relaxed at home for a while and then we surprised Robert and took him to a little carnival in a local parking lot.  Wristbands for the rides are such an awesome idea.  For $15 Robert was able  to ride all the rides he wanted, and at $1 per ticket with each ride taking at least 3 tickets, it didn't take long for the wristband to pay off.  Robert loves the Super Slide and the glass maze the best, but he went on a few of the other kiddie rides.  He's almost too tall for a couple of the kiddie rides.  K joined us for grilled hamburgers for dinner and she brought some really yummy brownies for dessert.

Sunday was church and I think were some people there that were surprised to see us.  Maybe I'm not supposed to go places when I'm this close to my due date???  I don't know.  After church we went to the Chinese Buffet place for lunch and then home.  I got a lot of cleaning done in the baby's room and we're finally to the point where we can put the crib together (providing we can find all the piecese).  I had a nice chat with Mom on the phone and then we headed to the church for an ice cream social as a meet and greet with our new Intern Pastor.  She's really nice.  Robert and I walked home the long way (only 1/4 mile from church to home, but we walked about 1 1/4 miles) and we had a nice little discussion about 9-11.

Today was work this morning and then home and the glass guy came back again to re-replace the window on the van.  The first one he did was defective and he had to order a new one.  This one is much better.  While he was working on the window, I got 2 boxes of books/magazines/misc. crap unpacked finally so now there's a little more room in the closet.  There are still 2 more boxes in there and then I have to put away all my cross stitch stuff where it belongs.  I'll work on that Wednesday afternoon.  Robert had soccer practice this evening and I walked 2.5 miles while they were practicing.  It felt good to go "longer" and "faster" this evening.  I do miss running, but I'll be back to running soon enough.  I'm thankful that I'm still able to walk 2+ miles at a time at this point.  39 weeks tomorrow!

Today's high:  78
Current:  63

The end of a visit and another Baby Shower!!

The last few days of Rick's visit went by way too fast.  We went to church on Sunday and then to Taco Bell for lunch after.  We had a nice relaxing afternoon and then Ryan grilled steaks for dinner.  After a while we went to Cold Stone Creamery for an ice cream treat.

Monday was Labor Day, so no work for me and no school for Robert.  We slept in and that was nice and I put a roast in the crock pot so I didn't have to worry about cooking dinner at dinner time.  We spent a good hour or so at the park in the afternoon, playing frisbee, baseball, and helping Robert learn to ride his bike without training wheels.  Uncle Rick was a big help, and Robert was able to go a short ways unassisted, as you can see in the video at the end.  We went for a walk after dinner and that was a nice way to end the evening, other than with some stitching.

After we got Robert to school on Tuesday, the three of us headed to Tucson for my weekly midwife appointment.  Baby Boy is doing well and had a nice strong heartbeat that Uncle Rick got to hear.  After the appointment was done, we stopped at Hobbytown USA and Ryan got some model stuff.  Then we stopped at Waffle House for lunch before heading to the VA for Ryan's weekly therapy group appointment.  He finished the airplane model he's been working on and started a new model.  While Ryan was in group, Rick crocheted and I stitched.  We picked Robert up from Child Time on our way home and then Rick took us out to dinner as it was his last night here.

Today was back to work for me – Rick left early so he could get to the airport in Phoenix and that's why we said our goodbyes last night.  I spent a few hours in the supply office this morning and then headed home, stopping at the gas station on the way.  I had my chiropractor appointment this afternoon and then I went and got a manicure and pedicure which was really nice.  We had a quick dinner at McDonald's after we picked Robert up.  I went to the beginning of choir practice tonight.  All the choir members kept asking me if I'd be at rehearsal tonight, and they had a little baby shower for me!!  There was cake and punch (both super yummy), but before that was the part that made me cry.  They gave me a prayer shawl and a baby blanket for Baby Boy and they all prayed over us.  And they all chipped in and got us a gift card to Target that will more than cover our car seat/stroller so that worry is no more.  I also got a big box of diapers and a really cute outfit for Baby Boy!!  I love my choir family and I know that they are all super excited for us and are anxiously awaiting Baby Boy's arrival.  I came home after that as I can't breathe enough to even sing right now.  I'll miss singing with them, but I'll be back singing soon after the baby is born.

Today's high:  93
Current:  80

3 Days of Bs – Birthday, Broken Window, Baby Shower

Thursday was Robert's 7th birthday.  It's hard to believe how much he's grown up since I first became a Mommy 7 years ago.  We started the day off with scrambled eggs, pancakes, and sausage for breakfast.  Rick and K joined us and it was a nice start to the day.  I went to work for the morning and then ran a few errands on my way home.  We spent the first part of the afternoon getting a birthday present for Robert (nothing like waiting until last minute).  We got him some math practice books at Target and then a Nintendo DSi and a game to go with it.  He's been wanting a DS for a long time and we felt that he was old enough and responsible enough for one.  We picked him up from school and came home.  We had meatloaf for dinner.  After Rick, Robert, and I went for an evening walk, we had birthday cake and presents.  The cake was an ice cream cake!!  YUM! Thank goodness for Ryan – I totally didn't even think of a cake.  Ryan went to the store and picked out the cake.  He really loved his DS that we got hime and he got some new school clothes from Rick as well as an origami Noah's Ark kit. That should be fun!

Friday I was off from work since it's a holiday weekend.  After I walked Robert to school, Ryan and I went and did some errands.  It was about lunchtime when we were done, so we picked Rick up and were going to go to Subway.  That never happened.  The van started overheating really bad, and when Ryan checked the coolant level, it was REALLY low.  So we went to the auto parts store 2 buildings down from Rick's hotel and got some antifreeze.  It was still heating up a lot after Ryan put it in, but we figured we could get home.  As we were leaving the parking lot, we heard what sounded almost like a gunshot.  But it was a rock hitting the window on the sliding back door from a guy that was weedeating a good 20 feet or so away.  It shattered the window, but because of the type of glass it was, it didn't break all over.  But we stopped, and Ryan got the guy's attention and I called the Police and then my insurance company.  The guy was really nice about it and apologized and accepted responsibility, so that was nice.  And of course my insurance (USAA) is awesome and within about 45 mintues arrangements had been made with a glass company to replace the window.  We (and by we, I mean Rick and Ryan) got most of the glass out of the window and into a trash can provided by the auto parts store so that it wouldn't fall all over the road while we drove home.  We're very glad Robert wasn't with us because it was the window by his seat, and although there wasn't much glass inside, there was still a little that came in from the initial impact.

We got the van home (the overheating problem seems to have been resolved) and rearranged the garage a bit so we could get the van in for overnight in case of rain and so stuff didn't get stolen with the lack of window.  After we finally got some food, we went and picked Robert and his friend J up from school and headed to Tucson for the evening.  We went mini golfing and then to dinner at Red Robin.  We all had a great time, and Robert enjoyed having his friend with him to celebrate his birthday.  We got home about 9 or so and Robert went right to bed.

This morning Rick and I went and picked up my Bountiful Baskets produce and the glass guy came shortly before we got home.  They did a really good job and cleaned up all the glass (or most of it – I found a couple of pieces later) and got our new window in.  And thankfully there is a zero deductible for glass from our insurance company, so that was nice.  It only took them about an hour to do the work.  After they were done, we just sat and relaxed for a while.  I made corn dogs for the guys for lunch and I had some yogurt and fruit.  Mid afternoon I headed over to HW's house for my baby shower.  Including the 2 hostesses and myself, there were 7 or 8 there.  It was small, but it was fun.  We played a memory match game where you got candy for each matched word.  Each word was related in some way to birth and babies, and then the candy for each word related as well.  For example, for bottle, the candy was a Milky Way and for umbilical cord, the candy was Twizzlers.  I got lots of nice stuff for Baby Boy – some clothes, some toiletries, etc.  When we were done, I texted my guys to let them know I was done and they came and got me – I had walked there since it's just over a quarter mile to H's house.  After we got home, I made a big pot of mac & cheese for dinner, and then we spent the evening relaxing – Robert played with Legos, Ryan played on his computer, Rick crocheted, and I stitched.

Today's high:  91
Current:  79