Happy 16th Birthday, Son #2!

Isn't he handsome?  Very sweet and polite, too.  If you're interesting in reading his birth story, click here.

 

What has he been up to in the past year?  Last year, on his 15th birthday, he took his first-ever airplane ride.  He, his dad, another man and a handful of Boy Scouts flew to New Mexico.  They enjoyed 12 days backpacking and hiking in the mountains at Philmont Scout Ranch. 

 

He was inducted in his school's National Honor Society this past spring.  Ironic for boy who doesn't like to read.

 

This year in Track and Field, he joined the pole vaulting team.  He also took his first helicopter ride in a Blackhawk with some JROTC folks.

 

Oh, and he passed his dad up so Son #2 is now the tallest person in our family. 

 

Today, he decided to forgo cake and have a sundae bar instead.  He'll unwrap presents later and probably go see a movie with friends.  Tomorrow we'll take him to dinner at his favorite restaurant (7th year in a row - but they're closed on Mondays).



Happy 14th Birthday, Son #2!

My middle son turns 14 today! If you'd like to read his birth story, click here.

To my son: What a year it's been! You're still as sweet and funny as ever. Smart too. Only one B the entire 8th grade year -- the rest were A's. You took freshman level Algebra, was a Student of the Year runner up, and won a Principal's School Community Leadership Award in your last year of junior high.

You played solid baseball. Coach said you are an excellent utility player: reliable in any position you play: 1st & 2nd base, shortstop, centerfield, left field... He says you have great speed and agility, plus a strong arm. Best of all (to me, at least) is your excellent attitude. No whining in baseball, that's my motto. (Too bad the same can't be said for all of your teammates, but you just keep leading by your example.)

I love you bunches! Happy Birthday!

Happy 12th Birthday, Son #2

Today is Son #2's 12th birthday. Just like last year, he's spending his birthday at Boy Scout camp in the mountains of northern Georgia. Earlier today, I received the call that he's feeling a little under the weather and running a fever of 101. There's a medic tent - doctors and nurses - at camp, but they recommended the 45+ minute drive into town to visit the ER as a precaution.

Apparently there was another scout from different state that came down with flu-like symptoms on Sunday, so I think the medical folks wanted to be extra cautious. (The other scout - and his troop - are segregated away from the rest of the kids).

It's a bummer to be sick on your birthday, but especially when you're missing all the fun camp activities. Fortunately all the cultures came back negative and Son #2 was allowed to leave.

The two adults (troop dads) who took Son #2 to the Emergency Room also took him to a barbecue restaurant. A nice change from the camp mess hall. Probably as big a treat for the dads. Also in attendance was Son #2's best friend (his dad was one of the leaders to accompanied him to the hospital). As you can see from the photo below, he's obviously feeling much better.



That's probably the world's most expensive ice cream sundae. ;-)

He returns home Saturday evening. We'll celebrate his birthday then and take him to his favorite Japanese restaurant for a late dinner. I sent a little gift up with one of the dads who's attending. The rest of the goodies will have to wait until Saturday.

I miss him a lot. He's a very affectionate kid - even at this age (I'd better enjoy it while it lasts, I'm told). He's blessed with a great sense of humor. If you're interested in reading his birth story, click here.

* photos taken with cell phone and emailed to me. A nice treat for me.

Baseball Season Is Over

Baseball season is officially over, at least for our family. Son #3 (age 7, pictured above) played his final game tonight. His team, the Marlins, did well. They won the last nine games in a row and finished either first place or second. His age group doesn't have a tournament.

Son #2 (age 11) also had a great season. His team, the Astros, finished second for the season. They do have a single-elimination tournament but unfortunately he'll miss it. The tournament starts Saturday but Son #2 leaves for Boy Scout camp that very morning. Here's hoping the Astros will go all the way and win the championship.

((( sigh )))

One son won't wear deodorant unless I stand outside the bathroom door and insist. Even then, I'm only assuming he's spraying it on his underarms and not into the air.

My other son has developed a liking for my perfume. Awww, how sweet, you're thinking. Um, but he's wearing it. That's right. My soon-to-be -seven year old has taken to wearing "Burberry Brit."

Finally, my middle son asked me to buy him a G-string. Fortunately, he was referring to his guitar.

.....and how was YOUR week?

Just a Little Update...

It's been a while since I've posted, so I thought I'd give a little update. I've been spending the past week reading the second encyclical assigned by Dear Hubby's Social Justice instructor (this one is a shorter one written by Pope Pius __).

I also finally mastered the beaded ball that I mentioned a couple of months ago on my other blog. I've also been teaching myself to make bird nest pendants out of sterling silver wire (photo to come).

Because starting a diet on January 1st is such a cliche, I decided to join Weight Watchers (again) this past Friday. I joined in March 2007, hit an 8 month plateau and more of less gave up. So here I go again.

Today I attended Son #1 IEP meeting (Individualized Education Plan) today. At this point, it's more or less a formality. He'll continue with speech therapy twice a week next year, as he has since pre-K. Two of his instructors mentioned that Son #1 seems to engage in 'higher order' thinking than the average person. I think that's edu-speak for 'too smart for his own good.' Truthfully, though, he does operate on a different level.

Son #2 came home today and informed me that a certain little girl we know (very sweet) asked him to "go out." At this age (eleven), 'going out' is generally limited to hanging out at school and saying you have a girlfriend or boyfriend. Trying to keep my cool, I casually asked him how he responded and he said that he told her he'd think about it, because he wanted to 'bounce it off' of me. Awww..... We took the opportunity to discuss what it means to be honest, treat people with respect, not blabbing details to friends, etc. After he left the room, I curled up in the fetal position and chanted 'not my baby, not my baby..." Just kidding. Mama's playing it cool.

More later.

We Interrupt My Vacation Posts for....SNOW!

Snow ... in southeast Louisiana. A rare, welcome treat. We had 3 to 4 inches yesterday. It didn't last long, though. Today's high was in the mid 50s so all that's left is a bunch of deformed snowmen on brown lawns.

Yesterday.....

Max was initially afraid of the snow, but soon loved romping and frolicking.

Son #1 started a snowman, and Son #2 completed it for him today. As you can see from the background, very little snow remains.

Vacation Day 3

Sorry I didn't blog sooner. I'm having computer issues, but I'll save that for another post...

Day 3 of our vacation was fun. We woke early and took the hotel shuttle to the Metro station (that's D.C.'s subway system) and rode the Metro into the city. We disembarked at the "Mall" which isn't a shopping center, but rather the area in Washington, DC near the monuments, museum and Capitol Building. Here are the boys at the Metro station awaiting our ride.

Our first stop was the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. We spent a lot of time in the dinosaur exhibit and the marine life exhibit.

This was all very nice, but my favorite part was the Gems & Minerals, home of the Hope Diamond, among other famous, fabulous jewels. Here are Son #1 and Son#2 next to my birthstone, amethyst.

Have You Ever Misplaced a Child?

It finally happened to me. I can laugh about it now - in fact, I was laughing about it a few minutes after the fact, but at the time, it wasn't so funny. It's interesting how that 'heart-in-your-throat' feeling goes hand in hand with 'brain paralysis.' (Wow, that's a lot of body metaphors.)

Here's a little background info:

* missing kid was Son #2
* he's 11
* he was exactly where he said he'd be.

Son #2 asked if he could go to a neighbor's house to play (I'll call the neighbor "J"). Sure, I say, just check back in a half hour because Son #3 might want to play too after he's finished his homework.

Son #2 doesn't come back for Son #3. I didn't think too much of it. I figured Son #2 and J were having fun and lost track of time. Besides, Son #3 was occupied with something else and didn't seem interested in playing with them.

Dear Hubby and I had an important meeting to attend which required our leaving the house at 6:00 p.m. We fixed dinner early. I ask Son #1 to go fetch Son #2, but Son #3 volunteers instead.

Son #3 returns home upset because no one answered when he knocked on J's door and another neighbor kid (I'll call him "T") said to Son #3, "Oh, they're not home. I saw them drive off."

Dear Hubby and I go outside and sure enough, no car at J's house. Did we go knock ourselves? Noooooooo. That would've been too easy. Dear Hubby is annoyed because he's concerned we're going to be late for the meeting. He speculates that maybe Son #2 went to his cousin's house two blocks away. Did it occur to him to call the cousin's house? Nooooooo. Again, that would be too easy.

I'm upset because - hello??? I don't know where my kid is! I ask the neighbor across the street (hasn't seen him). I knock on another neighbor's door (no answer). I try another neighbor's house (not there).

While I'm knocking on the neighbor's door, Dear Hubby is marching to his sister's house to see is Son #2 is there playing with the cousin. Because I had my cell phone in hand - and because it DID occur to me to call - I already had the answer before Dear Hubby knocked on their door. (They haven't seen him.)

Meanwhile, Son #1 is standing in the front yard on the verge of tears screaming his brother's name.

I'm thisclose to becoming frantic, when cooler heads prevailed - in this case, the neighbor from across the street. He and his wife are veterans at misplacing kids (kidding ... sort of). He goes to J's house and knocks on the door. He knocks harder than my six year old, apparently. J opens the door and sure enough, there's Son #2. Right where he said he'd be.

My husband and I have three college degrees between the two of us. Why didn't we think of knocking on the door ourselves?

I can't fault Son #3 - he did knock on the door. I certainly can't ground Son #2 - he was exactly where he was supposed to be. He has, however, been warned that he *will* be grounded for a month if he continues laughing at his mom and dad.

Child: found
Credibility: lost

;-)

Happy Birthday, Son #2!

He's 11 today. He'll be celebrating with Dad, Son #1 and a couple of hundred other Boy Scouts in the mountains of Georgia. (missing my baby) That's him with a butterfly perched on his thumb.

Here's a link to his Birth Story, for those interested.

He's a really cool kid, if I do say so myself.

What a Week! - Part Two

You've heard about Son #1's travails in my last post. This post is about Son #2. He's a fun, funny, very sociable guy. He needs constant company (in contrast to his older brother). Earlier this week, he was a little bummed that the kid on our street that he usually plays with after school (I'll call him "Will" - not his real name) decided to go to another kid's house in the neighborhood. Will invited Son #2 along, but he declined.

Son #2 was a little mopey and when I asked him why he didn't go with Will, he said that the kid Will was going to play with is "not a good role model" (Son #2's words). I asked him to elaborate and he explained that this other kid uses bad language a lot on the bus and threatens to beat up other people. Wow. Unfortunately, this isn't terribly unusual behavior for the age group (10-11 year old boys), but I was really impressed that Son #2 took a stand, especially since it meant he didn't have anyone else to hang with that afternoon. I was very proud of him.

Fast forward to yesterday. I receive a phone call from the mother of one of Son #2's former friends. I'll call him "Greg" (again, not his real name). They met at the beginning of the school year when Greg moved here from another state. Son #2 was invited to Greg's house once, they had a fine time, but some weeks later, Son #2 told me that he and Greg weren't friends anymore because Greg called Son #2 and his other friend, Jack (another alias) "a bad name." Son #2 didn't know what the name meant, but Jack said it wasn't good, and by the way, Mom, what's a pervert? Lovely discussion we had, that's a lot Greg (I'm being snarky). We discussed it and decided it might be best to steer clear of Greg until he apologizes or at the very least, stops the name calling.

Greg's mom calls to tell me that Greg was very upset when she picked him up after school. Apparently Greg's friends are starting to 'fall away,' he's being tripped at school, that Son #2 hit him with a ball earlier that day, etc. Needless to say, I'm appalled but I also know there are two sides to every story so I tell her I'll talk with Son #2 and call her back.

Son #2 is no angel, but he's not a bully. He has on occasion gotten frustrated at another kid and called them a name (usually something pretty tame, but still unacceptable and I make sure he's reminded of it). But never has he physically lashed out at anyone. He has a lot of friends, but he's not the type to use them against one another. In fact, he's generally the peacemaker and doesn't choose sides when his other friends have an argument. If someone behaves badly toward someone else, it's usually Son #1 who tells them they're acting uncool.

Still, I ask Son #2 about it. He insists he's been steering clear of Greg. He admits to calling Greg a couple of names about a month ago when Greg called him "gay." Son #2 fired back with "bully" and one other that he conveniently forgot (uh huh. sure.). We talk again how name-calling is unacceptable and to knock it off. He insists that's been his only involvement with Greg.

I continue my interrogation (unlike Son #1, who'll tattle on himself almost immediately, serious conversations with Son #2 are like fine wines - they must be allowed to age and ferment).


Me: Did you physically touch Greg with any part of your body or any object?

Him: No, ma'am.

Me: Did you ever turn any other kids away from Greg? Suggest they shouldn't hang out with him?

Him: No, a lot of people stopped hanging out with him because he calls them names too.

Me: You didn't suggest that?

Him: No.

Me: Have you ever seen anyone push or hit Greg?

Him: Yes, _____ knocked him down last week.

Me: Did you ever throw a ball at him or even to him, if he seemed like he was joining your game?

Him: No, he doesn't join our games. He hangs out with _____ & ______. Another kid, _____, threw a football at him today.

Me: How do you get along with Greg's friends?

Him: Fine. We don't hang out because I steer clear of Greg, but when he's not around, we say "hey."


And so it goes. He sits next to me as I call Greg's mom. I mentioned again why Son #2 no longer hangs out with Greg (which she conveniently doesn't address). I told her Son #2's version of events. She responds with, "So he's saying he did nothing today? That Greg is making all this up? It's clear that you're absolutely going to believe your son..." I cut her off with: "Excuse me, but isn't that exactly what you're doing?"

I reiterate that Son #2 said he did not trip or hit Greg with a ball. I acknowledge that Son #2 isn't an angel and that he admitted to calling Greg names when Greg called him names. I reminded her that Greg called Son #2 a pervert months ago. I also tell her that I do believe Greg is being bullied, based on what Son #2 told me. But he is not bullied by Son #2. I'd love to work with her to sort this out, but I want specifics. I asked her to please ask Greg which ball hit him and did he actually see Son #2 throw it. In other words, was it the green soccer ball Son #2 was playing with or was it the football that Son #2 saw another kid throw at Greg?

While I'm holding on, I can hear her asking him in the background. I can't hear all of Greg's response but I did hear him say the name of the kid who threw the football. His mom asks another question, and Greg replies, "that was (football thrower), too." She gets back on the phone with a much better demeanor: "I'm sorry. I apparently misunderstood." I resisted the temptation to say, You bet your ____ you did! We put both boys on the phone and they apologize.

Prior to my calling her back, I spoke with Son #2 about whether it might be possible to salvage the friendship. He didn't know. They didn't know each other long when it soured and there's been a lot of headaches since. Fair enough. However, he did agree that they could apologize, declare a truce and be cordial. Perhaps Son #2 could even say "hi" and mention to other friends that Greg apologized for the name-calling, that Son #2 thought that took guts and that everyone deserves a second chance. Whether that influences anyone else to follow suit, I don't know.

What I think happened is that Greg was upset. He was telling his mom about his day, how people knock him down, call him names (hello pot, meet kettle), how people (insert numerous names, including Son #2's) aren't hanging around him anymore. I think she may have glommed on to Son #2's name and projected the rest. Still it bugs me that she not once addressed the fact that her kid slings around some pretty nasty names. Until she acknowledges his role in all this, and addressed it, I can't see this kid's days getting much brighter.

ARRRGGGG!

Interim reports came home yesterday. You know, those midway through the grading period reports that let you know how your child is doing so far.

Can someone please explain to me how a 12 year old, who cannot spell at all yet reads at a 12th grade level, is managing an A in spelling and a D in reading?!!!! I'm scratching my head. Son #1 generally tries very hard. He'll get a lot of excellent grades peppered with the occasional not-so-great grade, but it usually balances out beautifully. This D, however, stems from one low test score and two missed assignments (which is out of character for him).

On his last report card, he had 5 As and 2 Bs. On this interim, he has 6 As and 1 D (which he'd better pull up or he'll be having a very Blue Christmas!). It's hard to rejoice over a half-dozen As when there's that lone D staring me in the face. But should it be hard? Six As are pretty impressive. And, as it stands now, if he ended up with these grade on this report card, he'd still end up with a 3.57 average and therefore make honor roll. With a D. Mind boggling.

Needless to say, there's a conference in our future. I called today to request an appointment, but I also want the resource teacher who's responsible for my son's IEP (individualized education plan) to attend in case we need to make modifications.

Not be outdone by his big brother, Son #2 also brings home a disappointing interim. One A, 4 Bs and 1 C. This is down from his last report card grades of 4 As and 2 Bs. Sigh.... While he didn't get the lowest grade in our family, he dropped in every class but one. That's perhaps more distressing that Son #1 who went up in one class and way down in another.

Son #2 is a trickier nut to crack. He's very smart, and in general, things come very easily for him - although that appears to be ending. He just likes to rush through his work, not read the directions completely. He has a completely different work ethic. Take his weekly geography assignment, for example. The teacher hands it out on Wednesday and the kids have a week to do the worksheet, using their text books. An easy A, right? Practically a gift from the teacher. How do you mess that up? By getting Bs and Cs on the worksheet? Why, I asked? Because he couldn't find all the answers. They're not all in the book, he says - but I'm skeptical.

Let's say he's right, though. He has an entire week to find the answers. And we now have highspeed internet. Heck, a week is enough time to go to the local library and check out a couple of books. But no. He finds the answers he can, guesses at the rest and turns it in the day after receiving the assignment (basically he turns it in 6 days early). I'm putting an end to that now.

If it were an issue of his not being organized, we can take steps to improve that. If he was struggling with the content, we could work on that. But how do you "fix" someone's work ethic? (Really, I'm open to suggestions.)

And for the record, I'm not completely opposed to Cs or even Ds. I'm just opposed to them for these kids. It's one thing if a child is struggling with a subject. Heck, I was that kid (math). Sometimes Cs and even Ds are reason to celebrate (or at least breathe a sigh of relief). But neither of my sons are struggling to grasp the material being taught.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* UPDATE ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As I sat looking at the dates of Son #1's missed assignments, it occurred to me that they may have been handed out on an afternoon when Son #1 wasn't feeling well and spent 20 minutes in the nurse's office before returning to class. The teacher believes that was indeed the day, so she will allow Son #1 to make up both missed assignments and deduct 10 points, which I thought was generous. He should have been more proactive in asking, "what'd I miss?" She didn't sent the assignments home though on Friday so he'll get to work on them after the Thanksgiving break.

But I'm Not Even *IN* School!

What a week it's shaping up to be! Not a bad one, mind you. Just busy. Son #2 is doing well in 5th grade. No big surprises. Of course, he's adjusting to a new teacher, but he's at the same school with the same friends as last year. We're just trying to get settled into the new routine and learn what the teacher expects. Open House at the school isn't for another week or so. I should have a better handle on things by then. Son #2 is a good student. Things tend to come easily for him so he doesn't necessarily put forth his best effort. We're working on developing a better work ethic, because let's face it, at some point things will stop coming so easily for him and he'll need a back up plan that doesn't include coasting on his good looks, manners and sense of humor.

Son #1 seems to be adapting well to Junior High. The big leagues. Changing classes for all courses. He hasn't been assigned a locker yet - that should happen next week once everyone's schedules are pretty much set (some "tweaking" of the schedules is still going on - not for my son, though).

Today is the first day that he'll have to change into gym clothes for Phys. Ed. class. I'm curious to see how that will work out. The school sells a gym uniform for $15, or they can wear a plain white t-shirt and plain navy gym shorts. We've opted for the latter so far. I'm not opposed to buying a gym uniform with the school logo on it, but right now a 5-pack of white Hanes t-shirts costs less than $5 at Walmart and I found 3 pair of navy shorts are Kmart for 4 each.

• 3 gym uniforms + 2 extra shirts = $17
• Not having to do laundry every night = Priceless

I'm a little worried about Spanish class. He does not have a text book. I know some schools are getting away from that, but Son #1 is not a great "auditory" learner. I hope they have books but perhaps haven't distributed them yet because the lockers haven't been assigned. In the meantime, he does have an excellent memory and that will help him with his vocabulary words.

He's also expected to do a science project this year, so we'll have to get online for some realistic ideas. Of course I'm not doing any of the work for him, but we do go through each notebook everyday - organization is a challenge for ADHD kids, and his organization skills are just emerging. It almost feels like I'm back in the 7th grade again, except I have clearer skin and finally outgrew the training bra, but I digress....

Then there's the paperwork. Lots of paperwork. Those of you have kids know what I mean. There are far fewer forms required to buy a house than it takes to get your kid settled in school. I have 3 kids, so that's 3 times the paperwork.

My kids are each at a different school which means I have to join 3 different PTAs. Don't count of seeing me at the meetings though. I don't have a lot of patience to sit through them - especially the reading of the previous meeting's minutes (Hellloooo? If I wanted to know what happened at the last meeting, I would have attended the last meeting. Sorry. That's me being snarky) and the budget stuff. As I mentioned in previous posts, I'm a "Slacker Mom" (I should make that one of the labels on my blog). I just can't participate in every fundraiser for 3 schools and two scouting organizations (cub scouts and boy scouts). I cannot bankrupt my in-law's, sorry.

Then there are the school fees. Lunch fee for the month, Supply fee to offset the photocopying expenses, PTA fee, Lab fee. Of course, each one requires a separate check.

Son #3 went for his kindergarten assessment on Tuesday so I picked up his packet and got a jump on that paperwork. His assessment went well. On the first day of school, the teacher will read a book - I forget the title - about a raccoon who goes to school but will miss his mom, so she kisses the palm of his hand. Momma Raccoon tells her son that if he gets lonely all he has to do is press his palm to his cheek and remember the love. I heard a similar story years before the book was published (1993) so my boys are very familiar with Mommy's Magic Kiss on their palm that cannot be washed off and will not wear away no matter what.

While Son #3 was in the class with the teacher for his testing, I sat in the hallway and completed my "assignment" - a construction paper cutout of my hand pasted on a larger piece of construction paper and a personal note. After reading the story on Monday, which will sound vaguely familiar to Son #3, the teacher will have the parents' "hands" in case the kids get lonely. Cute idea. The kids should be pleasantly surprised.

Meanwhile, I've been too busy to whine about how lonely I'll be on Monday... :-)

A Great First Day of School

First Day of School for Sons #1 and #2 was Friday, August 10th. Son #3 starts kindergarten on Monday, August 20th.

Despite almost missing the bus, Son #1 had a really good day at school. We were walking to the bus stop a block and a half away at least five minutes prior to the time recommended by the driver when the bus pulls up, picks up the kids and takes off. Darn. Fortunately, I knew the route and knew that we had a chance to race three blocks in the opposite direction and catch the very last stop, which Son #1 did - just in a nick of time. As Son #3 and I were walking back home, the bus driver stopped to let me know that he passes the first stop on the way out of the subdivision so that if we miss it the first time, he'll stop there a second time on the way out. Good to know.

Son #1 is 7th grade now. Junior High. The Big Leagues - changing clothes in gym class, changing classes, having a locker, etc.

As I mentioned in earlier posts Son #1 had trouble with this bully who has been in his class for the past three years. (Click here for a brief history, and here for our recent efforts to head off additional trouble.) This past Spring, Bully started smacking Son #1 in the back of the head several times a day and after three weeks, Son #1 finally has enough and strikes back. Yes, we've discussed dealing with problems as they arise...

Anyway, as I've blogged a couple of months ago, I learned that the Bully would have the identical school schedule as Son #1 ... all 7 classes. I also learned that Son #1 did not get his first choice of elective, Spanish. To be honest, I was a little apprehensive at the thought of his taking Spanish because of his speech impairment, but it'll be required in high school so I allowed him to request it. Truthfully, I wasn't disappointed to learn that he would take Agricultural Sciences instead. Son #1 has had all summer to get used to the idea of All Bully/No Spanish.

However, the principal - which whom I recently discussed my concerns about the Bully - really came through for us in more ways than one.

Son #1 got off the bus - so excited. Bully is in only *one* class (Social Studies) with Son #1. And Son #1 is indeed taking Spanish as an elective now. Ay Carumba! Had I known this earlier, I would've spend the summer working on the basics with him.

Son #2 also had a very good first day of school, but for Son #1 it was

The. Best. School. Day. Ever.

Happy Birthday, Son #1 & Son #2!

On Sunday, we celebrated Son #1's 12th birthday and Son #2's 10th birthday with a little party at our house (their birthdays are six days apart). The usual guest list: PawPaw, the aunts and uncles, and Girl Cousin (age 9 1/2) and Boy Cousin (age 8). We also invited Son #2's best friend and his brother, and Son #1's new friend from camp. For the most part, the kids hung out in Son #1's room playing video games. In addition to the GameCube, everyone brought their own Nintendo DS.

We ordered a bunch of pizzas from Papa John's, had chips, dip, fruit, soft drinks, juice bags, etc. We called the kids out to the kitchen table to sing Happy Birthday and cut the cake. While the aunts were busy serving the cake and ice cream, I snuck into Son #1's room and set up their birthday gift: a Nintendo Wii.

After cake and ice cream, the boys unwrapped their gifts. They received a lot of cool stuff: video games, DVD's (Night at the Museum, Eragon, XMen 2), clothes, gift cards - I can't remember what else. When they finished unwrapping the gifts, I could tell Son #1 was hoping there was something more. I suggested that they go back in his room and play video games - and perhaps notice their other gift in the process. We adults all followed to see their reaction (you would think that would tip them off, but nooooooo)....which was nothing.

Wouldn't you know it -- all the kids went in the room, picked up their handheld systems and started playing. Finally an aunt opened the TV armoire for Boy Cousin because he had placed his Nintendo inside. Boy Cousin was the first to notice their was something "different."

After a moment or two, he turns to Son #2 and says, "Dude, you got at Wii?" Son #2 says, "no." The friends started shouting "You got a Wii! I got a Wii!" Son #2, apparently thinking they're talking about a different kind of "wee," starts to bolt from the room. (He later admitted that he was trying to beat the rush to the bathroom).

Son #1 meanwhile finally looks up from his Nintendo DS, realizes what's going on and lets out this bloodcurdling scream. Now THAT was the reaction I expected. It was a very good birthday indeed.

Woo Hoo, We're Going to the Finals!

By "we," I mean Son #2's baseball team, the Pirates. Tonight they beat the #1 ranked team, 7 to 3. The final tournament game is Saturday afternoon. Our team will play either the #2 or the #3 ranked team, depending on which of those two win their game Friday night.

Our team was ranked #5 (out of 10). We lost our first 5 or 6 games and then somehow found their groove and have only lost one game in the past 8 or 9 games.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the entire game. The family was invited to the birthday party of a close friend's child. Dear Hubby and Son #1 can't go because they'll be driving home from Tennessee that day. I initially said that Sons #2 & 3 and I would make an appearance, but there's no way I'd make Son #2 miss his final playoff game of the season. Son #3 and I will attend the party, although my heart will be elsewhere of course.

PawPaw will be there to cheer Son #2 on. Truth be told, he usually makes his best plays when I've got my back turned or when I'm chatting and not paying attention. Following that logic, he should have an amazing game. Ha ha!

WOO HOO! GO PIRATES!

Boys of Summer

Son #3's T-Ball season came to close last week. No scorekeeping at his age level (5 years old). Instead the focus is on skill development and fun, fun, fun. Above is a photo of Son #3 rounding 3rd base and heading for home plate!

Son #2's team got off to a slow start. This is his second season of kid-pitched ball and it's still an adjustment for most of the boys. His team lost their first 5 games, then somehow found their groove. They one their next 5, tied one, lost one. The team was ranked #5 out of 11 for the season. They played a tournament game (single-elimination) on Saturday and won, so they were scheduled for a game this evening, but thunderstorms moved in so the game will be postponed. If they lose, the season is over, if they win, they play in Thursday's tournament. The winner of that game moves on to Saturday's tournament (the final day). It would be nice to win the championship, but to be honest, I would not be disappointed if they lose. With temps in the 90s and humidity in the 90+ percentile, you can stick a fork in me - I'm finished.

Below is a photo of Son #2 pitching. Interesting stance. It was good pitch, clean over the plate.

Below is Son #2 after the hitting the ball.

Finally, Son #3 and I watching from the stands.

Happy Father's Day & Happy Bday, Son #2

Happy Father's Day to my blogging friends who are dads (you are still out there, aren't you?). I hope you had a wonderful, relaxing, fun day. We weren't able to spend the day with Dear Hubby because he is attending Boy Scout camp with Son #1 all week in Tennessee. I'm suffering from either allergies or a sinus infection so I declined the invitation to go out to lunch with Father-in-law and Dear Hubby's siblings.

Besides, today is also Son #2's tenth birthday and it took all the energy I could muster to shower and make myself presentable for our "date." Since Boy Scout camp usually falls on the same week each year, it has become a bit of a tradition for Son #2 and I to dine at his favorite Japanese restaurant. Rare one-on-one time together. This is actually our 3rd year. Next year Son #2 will also attend Boy Scout camp so we'll have to find some other way to keep the tradition alive.

Anyway, if you're interested in Son #2's Birth Story, click here for last year's post.

A Nice Saturday....

It got off to an early start. Awake by 5:30 a.m., loading everyone into the minivan to head to the grocery store parking lot where the Boy Scouts converge before any outing requiring travel (the grocery store is right by the interstate on-ramp). Dear Hubby and Son #1 are riding with UberMom's husband (too soon to tell if he's an UberDad) and oldest son. Two other Boy Scouts - whose parents are not attending camp - are also riding in the same vehicle.

I mentioned UberMom in my June 6th post "The Adventures of UberMom and SlackerMom". To give you an idea of how "uber" this woman is - her husband is driving their van to camp in Tennessee. She could've kissed them goodbye at their house and gone back to sleep. That's what I would've done. Heck, it's what I did last year when Dear Hubby drove to Boy Scout camp in Alabama. But nooooooo, she gets up, loads her other two kids in their second vehicle and shows up at the grocery store parking lot just to see them off. That's love. That's devotion. That's insane. Okay, I'm kidding, but clearly, I don't have that type of dedication. I'll bet she even fed them breakfast first, but I digress....

Our pastor was there at the parking lot by 6:00 a.m. to offer the scouts/dads a blessing before hitting the road, which I thought was very nice. As we were leaving the parking lot, he was driving in his vehicle behind me. Because he is also the chaplain for our local fire department, plus the New Orleans Police and Fire Departments, his vehicle is equipped with the emergency police lights mounted on the dash board. Just to be cute, he waited until I pulled out on the highway and then flashed those red and blue lights - just for a second. Didn't anyone ever tell him that it's not nice to give a sleep-deprived, grown woman a heart attack? It's a miracle that despite the number of times I've seen the flashing lights in my rearview mirror, I - to this day - have a clean driving record. I will say, however, that I have only been pulled over once since becoming a mom and that was an error on the officer's part. (He let me off with a warning, but I couldn't resist going back to check. He didn't set up his speed trap in his usual spot and didn't realize that the posted speed limit was higher. It's a goofy stretch of highway where the speed limit changes 4 times, not including school zones. But, again, I digress....)

After watching Dear Hubby and Son #1 ride off into the sunrise (I exaggerate), we went back home. I fed Sons #2 &3 breakfast then went back to sleep for a couple of hours. For some reason - anxiety probably - I woke at 2 a.m. and never fully returned to sleep before the alarm started ringing at 5:00.

Son #2 had his first tournament game in baseball at 11:30. Part of me was hoping they'd lose so the season would officially be over for him. Shame on me, but hello? Southeastern Louisiana in mid-June? Temps and humidity in the 90's. Ugh!

Son #2 is the Number 2 pitcher. He can field the ball in any position they put him in. His pitching skills are improving, but he tends to initially walk quite a few kids before going on a "strike 'em roll". Today was no different. First inning: their team (home team) scored no runs, ours scores two. Second inning: no runs by either team. Third inning (Son #2's first at pitching): he walks 4! Yikes! Fortunately, our team is playing a good defensive game and we get two of them out. The score is now tied. Our team doesn't score at all. Fourth inning: Their pitcher is also walking a lot of our players. Ours also steals a lot of bases and we get 6 home. There's a 6 run per inning rule, so that ends our scoring, plus the opponents get to bat last. A kid hits a ball pitched by Son #2, but it doesn't travel far. Son #2 scoops it and throws it to first base. Kid is out! Woo Hoo! In this league, they get 3 strikes, or walk on the 5th ball. Son #2 kept us on the edge of our seats. He'd through 2 strikes and 4 balls. Which way would it go? Fortunately, Strike and Strike. The Pirates win! Yay! This means that we have another game on Tuesday evening.

It's been an interesting season. The team got off to a slow start. We lost our first 4 or 5 games, but then we hit our stride and won 5 or 6 in a row, tied one and lost one. The other teams are starting to sit up and take notice. If they don't win Tuesday, that'll be okay with me. They proved what they needed to.

After the game, after lunch and showers, we attended Vigil Mass. I prefer to attend Mass on Sunday, but after waking as early as I did this morning, I really want to sleep in tomorrow. Our church has a Sunday evening Mass too, but Son #2 and I have a date. Tomorrow is his 10th birthday and we have a standing tradition of going to his favorite Japanese restaurant. I'll order sushi, he'll order the chicken teriyaki. Father-in-law will look after Son #3, who eats neither.

We received an invitation this evening to go see "Fantastic 4" - it's the first movie I've seen in the theatre since "King Kong." It's Son #3's first movie in a theatre since "Shark Tale," just to give you an idea of how often we go to the movies. Two of Dear Hubby's brother and two of his sisters, plus one nephew were going. We met them at the theatre after Mass. The critics don't seem to be fond of the movie, but I found it entertaining for what it is. Of course, I'm a fan of Ioan Gruffudd - I own all of his "Horation Hornblower" DVDs and would watch him recite the phonebook - so I'm not very objective. Son #2 and nephew loved it. Son #3 (he's 5) thought it was slow in places, but really enjoyed the action at the end.

As we left the theatre I noticed that I had 5 missed calls on my cell from Dear Hubby. This could be good news or bad. Fortunately his voicemail message indicated that all was well. They arrived at camp safely, but drove into town for dinner. Since he doesn't have cell phone reception in the mountains of Tennessee, he was calling from town (hence the 5 calls). I did manage to speak to him for a little while, but it sounds like I won't hear from him again until their return trip next Saturday. (There is a landline phone at camp for emergency use only. In this case, however, no news will be good news.)

It's 11 p.m. Sons #2 & 3 went to sleep over an hour ago and things are quiet at the house. I miss Son #1 - my nightowl. He and I like to watch late night TV together. Tonight, though, it's me, a glass of brand, the dog and "Forensic Files" on Court TV. Later!

The Adventures of "UberMom & Slacker Mom"

...also known as Day 1 of Cub Scout Day Camp.

I mentioned in a previous post that, in my attempt to pass for a reasonably mediocre mother, I allowed myself to be coaxed into volunteering as co-den leader at the Cub Scout Day Camp. Son #2 is a Cub Scout, as is his best friend. His best friend's mother (I affectionately refer to her as UberMom) was a den leader last year and volunteered again this year. Feeling like a slacker (hence the SlackerMom self-moniker), I too stepped up. WHAT was I thinking???

Let's lay out a few facts here:
1) I am not an outdoorsy kind of gal.
2) I hate bugs.
3) I hate to sweat.

Sweat & bugs are a staple here in southeast Louisiana in June.

Nevertheless, as I mentioned in a previous post, I will not suffer alone. I've got all the kids involved in one way or another. Of course Son #2 is Scouting. There's a camp program for younger sibling so Son #3 is enrolled in that (and enjoying far more that I thought he might - he can be rather shy at times). UberMom's daughter is also enrolled in the sibling program.

Son #1 is a Boy Scout, as is UberMom's oldest son, so we signed them up as Junior Volunteers. Her son is our den chief. My son has been working at Camp Headquarters - he's more or less a "gofer," a position for which he's well-suited. He's very energetic and doesn't have to stay in one place very long.

As for our den - the scouts for which we're responsible - there 13 ten-year old boys (including Son #2 and best friend). Keeping them focused, making sure they have all their belongings, keeping them moving from place to place on schedule, well, it's a lot like trying to wrangle a herd of .... cats.

So far their nefarious deeds haven't bested UberMom and SlackerMom. We sound like a crime-fighting duo. Which, come to think of it, it an apt description. :-)

UberMom is fun to work with, though. She's one of those women who seems to keep everything running smoothly: shuttling three kids to various music lessons, sporting activities, taking care of her live-in father. I'm in awe. Nauseous, but in awe.

We leave the house at 7 am, arrive back home from camp around 5. And after camp on Monday, she still managed to drop her son off at baseball practice, dash to the store, pick up some art supplies, and craft a den spirit flag for the very next day.

Me, I drag myself through the front door, shuttle the three kids into the shower (one at a time, of course), start the laundry (we have to wear a camp t-shirt everyday - they only gave us one shirt each), pre-pack as much as I can of the next day's lunch, consider serving cereal for dinner (I decide against it and actually cook something), shower, and forget the three or four other things I'm supposed to be doing.

If her life is a well-oiled machine, mine is held together with duct tape. Of course, I'm writing this with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek. She's a very nice person, one I consider a friend. I admire all that she does. I don't think I lack the energy per se to accomplish similar feats of greatness, but rather I lack the focus. My brain is simply just too scattered.

But I'm having fun at camp. There. I've said it. Monday was a great first day. Things ran smoothly and the weather wasn't too ridiculous. We still have the same number of kids at the end of the day that we had at the beginning (no small feat) - AND they're even the same kids! Woo Hoo!