Soccer Fame

Isaac played his last game of his first soccer team, the Blue Sharks, this morning. It took him about three games to get into it. He liked practicing because everyone got their own ball. But when all of the children lined up with the same ball as their object, he wanted out. At first, he would only stand on the field and stare at us forlornly while all the other children gathered around the soccer ball that wasn't even moving half of the time. Someone would get a kick in and then the kid clump would move to the new spot to kick each other in the shin guards. I don't know why he didn't think this was fun.

After field-standing came total refusal to step foot on the field. Then, we had good talks about playing on a team and working together and most importantly, hustle. The next game he was back to field-standing, but without the sad look on his face, whenever he was asked to play until he got knocked over once and sat out the rest. The third game, though, he really got into it. We had been practicing at home that morning and he said soccer was fun when it was just Mom trying to get the ball, but he didn't like it when all those other kids were trying to get it. I told him to just pretend that all those other kids were one big Mom. He ran and kicked and cheered just like the pros. After the game, he told me, "I didn't even have to pretend that those other kids were one big Mom, I was just brave." He even scored a goal in each of the next two games. Very exciting.

Dad and Son

Dirk has always been into reading to the kids . . . since Ox was just a baby. I am so grateful for him and what an involved dad he is!

Graduation

After three years of good times and noodle salad, Dirk graduated, with honors, from law school. Three cheers for Dirk! The event was made even more memorable by the presence of Dirk's entire immediate family and our beloved cousin Nancy. That's because he is so sweet and lovable. He worked his tail off and he deserved every bit of pomp and circumstance he got that day, and the really nice present we are still working on. I enjoyed the speakers at the ceremony and the fact that the kids behaved impeccably and the walk through the law school afterward. I enjoyed the celebratory barbeque of the best food ever grilled where we invited everyone we knew to cram themselves into our home. I enjoyed the visits with family and Scrabble that evening, except the part where Dirk tricked me into playing a word that he proceeded to challenge and destroyed my score. I guess that's what they teach them at fancy schools . . . But I digress. It was one of the best days ever, and we won't forget it. And now you won't either, right?

Baby with the One Eyelash's New Clothes

This sewing project represents my first-ever-sewing-from-a-pattern-experience. Gigi is baby crazy and I was dissatisfied with the paltry doll clothes offerings at normal stores (translation: I refuse to pay more for a doll's outfit than my own, especially since Gigi has been caught feeding her babies strained peas . . . with no bib!). So, in preparation for her birthday, Isaac and I went to JoAnn and chose some fun fabrics and patterns. Of course, I ambitiously thought I would make many more dresses than I did, and I have several more in my closet just waiting to be put together. In fact, this one was supposed to be for Rachel Bunny, who is quite a bit taller and broader than Baby With the One Eyelash (so named because Gigi pulled off the eyelashes on her right eye), but how can I possibly know what size the thing is going to be until it is finished? I know, I know, I could measure. But Gwendolyn cut up my tape measure weeks ago -- serves me right for storing the tape measure in the same box as the sewing scissors. The scissors at my house should be kept in a biometric fingerprint safe. Plus, measuring is a whole extra step, and I was just so excited to get started. Anyway, no one should fret over Rachel Bunny's nakedness: I discovered I could outfit her in Gwendolyn's 2T dresses and it takes a lot less time than sewing fancy things. It was fun to sew this, though, and the great sense of accomplishment that followed seemed disproportionate.