Week recap...and then some

I decided to take a week of from blogging. It was nice. Drew started his swimming lessons on Monday. They're 20 minutes away and an hour long. I basically spent every day driving around for 40 minutes or so to keep Ben happy (and not sweat my patootie off). However, by the end of the week it was an amazing sight to see my little guy jump feet first in the deep end and SWIM to the end of the pool! I feel MUCH better about letting him swim at his friends' homes and such.

This week also started his tournament week of t-ball. I had mixed feelings about this because a) it was SO stinkin' Africa hot outside and b) I knew Ben couldn't be out in that heat every day without making my evening a complete disaster. It's not like Andy and I could trade off and he watch Ben while I went one night (because I"m nursing). I don't have a stockpile of bottles made because when he does nurse, he nurses on both sides. As such, I don't have bottles in the freezer to feed him. :( I still marvel at how moms can do that (build a stockpile while exclusively breastfeeding.)

So, Monday was the first game. You have to remember, too, that this is a group of RECREATIONAL 4 and 5 year old players going up against three teams of SELECT 6 and 7 year olds. The odds were definitely stacked against us. The first game was 20-18. They were two runs from tying the game! How awesome! Ben lasted about 1/2 the game and then decided he hated the wind in his face (you know how babies can't breathe in the wind) so we nursed and waited it out in the car the 2nd half of the game.

Tuesday was the second game. Since his Mimi and Pop and Dad were all going to be there, I stayed home with Ben knowing that I'd just go to the next day's game. They lost a little worse on this round. Apparently, one of the teams we were to go up against on Wednesday had a player injured... apparently there was a play coming to home plate so the catcher took his face mask off. The upcoming batter wasn't paying attention to this and took a practice swing which, in turn, clocked the kid right between the eyes. His feet actually left the ground, he flew backwards and was out for a second. Blood was everywhere. There was a dent in his head. There was a nurse and a doctor (parents) in the audience. They triaged him until they could get him to the hospital. The poor child got ten stitches in his face. :(

So anyway, one of the kids taking lessons with Drew is the little brother of one of Drew's best friends (Austin). Austin is on the team of the injured boy. Because of the injury, they forfeited their game to us on Wednesday so I didn't have to go (oh shucks!) But anyway, at swimming lessons, Austin told me how he took a ball to the face two days before. It was so bad that you could see the STITCH MARKS OF THE BALL ON THE BRUISE!!!??! Geeze, I'm so not ready for this. SO NOT READY.

Since they had a "select team" it means they're a traveling tournament team. Travelling to play ball ... at the age of SIX? What the hell? Seriously, they drove to AUSTIN to play t-ball games....for SIX YEAR OLDS?! A double header on Saturday AND on Sunday. Every day they don't have a game,they practice at least an hour and a half. I'm sorry, but... NO WAY! That's freakin ridiculous. I would expect these kids to burn out in the next three years. I just don't get it man.

Wednesday was also my mother-in-law's birthday. We sent her a lovely bouquet of flowers. Because they're beautiful and when you have someone that has everything they need/want, that's the next best thing to give someone beautiful something beautiful.

Thursday, we got up and Drew couldn't decide what he wanted for breakfast. Finally, I got him to eat one piece of blueberry toast. After that we went to swimming lessons. I asked him what he wanted to eat. No ideas. He asked for Chick Fil A and McDonald's (both of which he'd already had)... I tend to spoil him a little while Josh is out of town because he misses lunches with his brother. He couldn't decide. I knew I needed to go to the store to get snacks for the last game -- Thursday night. He had no idea what to eat for lunch. I made myself a sandwich, ate, cleaned up the mess and he still had no idea what he wanted. I said, "We're going to the store. Lunch is over." And away we went. I convinced him to get some chicken tenders from the deli and he actually took and ate AN ENTIRE SAMPLE of chicken salad! CHICKEN SALAD?! The kid ate it?! I was just beyond blown away. (He must have been really hungry! Ha ha) Their last game was played on Thursday and thankfully it's over. There was supposed to be another tournament series this weekend but we have plans and I think that his attention span for baseball was just about spent.

Friday we just chilled at home all morning, went to swimming lessons and like I said above, HE SWAM! :) In the morning before lessons, he wanted to just play Legos. After swimming lessons, his buddy Evan came over and they disappeared upstairs to conquer Darth Vader on Lego Star Wars. I didn't see those kids until Greg came to pick up Evan. It was a hoot. They had a great time together. I ordered pizza for dinner and finished the laundry.

Saturday was Parent's Night out at ASI. Greg picked up the tab and both the boys went up there to run, eat pizza (ha ha...) and play play play! Drew loves it!

He was exhausted when he came home (you can tell because he's ridiculously emotional) and went to bed and actually slept in!

Today... today is Father's Day. We'll celebrate by having homemade lasagna at Andy's parent's house. I didn't purchase cards, because the boys make theirs. I won't give gifts, however, until Josh gets back next weekend. So, we'll have a celebratory dinner today in honor of these two great men, but we'll have a complete "Father's Day" when our family is once again complete with Josh. Speaking of fathers, my dad just called to say hi. He's on his way to Ruidoso, New Mexico, to be a camp counselor to a group of 3rd graders at a single parent camp that he helps out with through the church every year. What a great example of self sacrifice to give these youth a good role model. I'm proud to share my dad with them this Father's Day.