Every night when I put Lainey to bed I ask her
What was your favorite part of the day?
The answers tend to vary from favorite foods to seeing a friend to going to the park.
After I get her answer she asks me the same question.
I try not to always say
I really enjoyed nap time.
But some days that's all I can come up with.
Today was a big day. She went to school (which she thoroughly enjoys), she ate at "Paneras" (um, hello, BAGEL) with Lilang and she was able to sneak in a little playing time with her main squeeze, Jake.
So tonight, while cuddling in her big girl bed (after pottying, brushing, reading, praying, and singing) I said
So Lainey Loo, what was your favorite part of the day?
She looked me dead in the eyes and said
Right now.
Oh my word.
Be still my heart.
And may the memory of those two simple words get me through her teenage years.
The end.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Our Weeso
Andy's grandmother passed away recently after having a stroke last month.
If you knew her at all you would realize that she would have poked me in the eye for calling her "grandmother".
She was Wes, or Weeso. She was a teacher, a mom, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. If she liked you, good, if she didn't, you knew it. She taught Andy how to hop up the stairs on one foot and take his vitamins. She passed out sugar money before you took a road trip and took it back if your skirt was too short (okay, maybe that was just me). She loved Christmas and knew how to make it fun. She loved it so much her tree usually stayed up year round. Even when the Easter parade was marching through it.
She was real. And she loved her family. She loved sports and she taught them well. She stepped in for my husband and his brother when their dad left.
She was Weeso.
She scared a lot of my friends when we were in high school, she smoked for years. She drove super fast and she loved Dean Martin. She didn't like girls. God gave her four of them.
When I had the twins she mentioned that it was good that I had lots of girls.
Why, Wes?
They take care of you when you get old.
She brought stuffed animals for my girls, more than I wanted. Taught Lainey that a dollar would go far at the dollar store.
She sang songs from the old days. Even when her memory was a little shaky, she knew all the words.
She was Andy's biggest fan and loudest critic. She made him better. She made him a ball player.
There are too many things and I cannot put it into words. It's sad that she's gone. For my husband, it was like burying a parent.
Heart-breaking.
I think Lainey said it best.
I told her, after the stroke, that Weeso may have to go to heaven soon.
She asked why.
I told her.
She said,
but mom, she's our Weeso.
And she was. Loud and funny, bossy and sweet. Real and loving. Giving. Oh, so giving.
She was our Weeso.
And we miss her.
If you knew her at all you would realize that she would have poked me in the eye for calling her "grandmother".
She was Wes, or Weeso. She was a teacher, a mom, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. If she liked you, good, if she didn't, you knew it. She taught Andy how to hop up the stairs on one foot and take his vitamins. She passed out sugar money before you took a road trip and took it back if your skirt was too short (okay, maybe that was just me). She loved Christmas and knew how to make it fun. She loved it so much her tree usually stayed up year round. Even when the Easter parade was marching through it.
She was real. And she loved her family. She loved sports and she taught them well. She stepped in for my husband and his brother when their dad left.
She was Weeso.
She scared a lot of my friends when we were in high school, she smoked for years. She drove super fast and she loved Dean Martin. She didn't like girls. God gave her four of them.
When I had the twins she mentioned that it was good that I had lots of girls.
Why, Wes?
They take care of you when you get old.
She brought stuffed animals for my girls, more than I wanted. Taught Lainey that a dollar would go far at the dollar store.
She sang songs from the old days. Even when her memory was a little shaky, she knew all the words.
She was Andy's biggest fan and loudest critic. She made him better. She made him a ball player.
There are too many things and I cannot put it into words. It's sad that she's gone. For my husband, it was like burying a parent.
Heart-breaking.
I think Lainey said it best.
I told her, after the stroke, that Weeso may have to go to heaven soon.
She asked why.
I told her.
She said,
but mom, she's our Weeso.
And she was. Loud and funny, bossy and sweet. Real and loving. Giving. Oh, so giving.
She was our Weeso.
And we miss her.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Where Are You? The Grand Finale
Many moons ago, I fell in love with this boy. This boy who played baseball. So I started going to his games, because that was the only time I could see him.
Man, if only I knew what I was headed for.
Actually, if I knew, I would do it
All. Over. Again.
Seriously.
So now, nearly twenty (gulp) years later, I go to the ballpark, because it's still where I can see him. And I bring my little gaggle with me.
Lainey loves going to games. When she wakes up in the morning one of her first questions is
is today a day game or a night game?
She has it down to a science. She knows the roads we turn on to get there and recognizes billboards along the way. As soon as she spots it, everyone in the van knows because she yells
STADIUM!!
Every. Single. Time.
This is where she plays with her ever-changing (thanks alot trade deadline!) posse, runs in the batting cages during rain delays, and dances every time the music starts.
So long as you count jumping around and flailing your arms as dancing.
Which in this house, we do.
This is the place, where every time number 10 steps up to the plate, you will hear
DADDY! THAT'S MY DADDY!
(So much for keeping the family section private.)
This is where my Littles stay in their stroller for nearly 7 innings. So long as they're eating. Or reading. Or
ball.
They totally get it.
This ballpark is our home away from home away from home away from home. Wait,that's not right. I think I had to many away-from-homes in there. Um, you get the gist.
So, without further adieu,
The Stadium.......
First, we take the glamorous service entrance, just past the stinky garbage truck. Don't be jealous.
Then we walk down the long darkish hall in the basement...
and turn left into the elevator room. This is where the babies squeal every time they see the Buffalo Logo because they know that at the top of the ride is....
Ms. Laurie, who has pretzels for them and lollipops for Lainey. Bless their hearts. They get really excited about the pretzels. We haven't told them about lollies yet.
Snack time for the babies. This is actually their first (whole) apples. Now they won't eat them any other way. It's kinda messy. And gross.
But their teeth get really clean!
DADDY! THAT'S MY DADDY!
This is Bob, crossword puzzle doer extraordinaire, and keeper of the family room. He keeps track of who should and shouldn't be there. He replaces batteries in toys before we even ask, and he doesn't mind the chaos that is a room full of children who have been cooped up for nine innings.
And the family room. The t.v. is always tuned to the ballgame, should the babies need to stretch their legs. It's also where the Booster Club sends their leftover furniture to die.
So that's it. Our home away from home away from...
Stink, never mind.
That's the end.
It's where we are.
For now.
Man, if only I knew what I was headed for.
Actually, if I knew, I would do it
All. Over. Again.
Seriously.
So now, nearly twenty (gulp) years later, I go to the ballpark, because it's still where I can see him. And I bring my little gaggle with me.
Lainey loves going to games. When she wakes up in the morning one of her first questions is
is today a day game or a night game?
She has it down to a science. She knows the roads we turn on to get there and recognizes billboards along the way. As soon as she spots it, everyone in the van knows because she yells
STADIUM!!
Every. Single. Time.
This is where she plays with her ever-changing (thanks alot trade deadline!) posse, runs in the batting cages during rain delays, and dances every time the music starts.
So long as you count jumping around and flailing your arms as dancing.
Which in this house, we do.
This is the place, where every time number 10 steps up to the plate, you will hear
DADDY! THAT'S MY DADDY!
(So much for keeping the family section private.)
This is where my Littles stay in their stroller for nearly 7 innings. So long as they're eating. Or reading. Or
ball.
They totally get it.
This ballpark is our home away from home away from home away from home. Wait,that's not right. I think I had to many away-from-homes in there. Um, you get the gist.
So, without further adieu,
The Stadium.......
First, we take the glamorous service entrance, just past the stinky garbage truck. Don't be jealous.
Then we walk down the long darkish hall in the basement...
and turn left into the elevator room. This is where the babies squeal every time they see the Buffalo Logo because they know that at the top of the ride is....
Ms. Laurie, who has pretzels for them and lollipops for Lainey. Bless their hearts. They get really excited about the pretzels. We haven't told them about lollies yet.
Snack time for the babies. This is actually their first (whole) apples. Now they won't eat them any other way. It's kinda messy. And gross.
But their teeth get really clean!
DADDY! THAT'S MY DADDY!
This is Bob, crossword puzzle doer extraordinaire, and keeper of the family room. He keeps track of who should and shouldn't be there. He replaces batteries in toys before we even ask, and he doesn't mind the chaos that is a room full of children who have been cooped up for nine innings.
And the family room. The t.v. is always tuned to the ballgame, should the babies need to stretch their legs. It's also where the Booster Club sends their leftover furniture to die.
So that's it. Our home away from home away from...
Stink, never mind.
That's the end.
It's where we are.
For now.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Where Are You ? Part Two and One-half
Last week I posted a photo of the disaster area otherwise known as our living room. No less than 48 hours later I had an email from my sweet Aunt Erma declaring that she and Uncle Bill were coming to visit.
And she wanted to help me clean.
Next week I will share a picture of my overflowing laundry basket and unmade beds. You know, should anyone be interested.......
Anyhoo, we had company! It was great timing on their part, because we were nearing the end of an eight day road trip and were missing daddy something fierce.
Uncle Bill and Aunt Erma were the perfect distraction. They brought toys, balloons and volunteered to help us go on a field trip like no other.....
Niagara Falls.
I know, I know, how could I have failed to mention this on the last post? Well, to be honest, I had never been. I may be capable of alot with my three little ladies but taking them to a gigantic waterfall and trying to keep them from going over in a barrel was not high on my to-do list.
But, three on three is totally doable!(?)!
And so, for the grandparents, Niagara Falls.......
We even managed to take the fantastic voyage that is the Maid of the Mist. Lainey loved every sopping minute of it.
The Littles were not so impressed. Anna continually fluttered her eyelids clearly wondering where in the world all this water was coming from and Emily would not stop giving the stink-eye.
After the girls finished lunch Erma volunteered to be the chaser so that they could stretch their little legs before we headed home. I believe at this point she was yelling for help and I just continued to enjoy the fact that I was eating sitting down while Bill videotaped the chaos.
She had everything under control.
Before we even left, Lainey was planning her next trip back. This time she wanted to bring her Daddy. And so, since we had an off day just around the corner, we did.
I wised up and put hats on the babies. They were still unimpressed, but at least stink-eye didn't make an appearance.
And that's how my children managed to make it to Niagara Falls, twice within the span of one week.
And yes, Aunt Erma cleaned something. She mopped the entire kitchen by hand.
That, my friends is love.
And she wanted to help me clean.
Next week I will share a picture of my overflowing laundry basket and unmade beds. You know, should anyone be interested.......
Anyhoo, we had company! It was great timing on their part, because we were nearing the end of an eight day road trip and were missing daddy something fierce.
Uncle Bill and Aunt Erma were the perfect distraction. They brought toys, balloons and volunteered to help us go on a field trip like no other.....
Niagara Falls.
I know, I know, how could I have failed to mention this on the last post? Well, to be honest, I had never been. I may be capable of alot with my three little ladies but taking them to a gigantic waterfall and trying to keep them from going over in a barrel was not high on my to-do list.
But, three on three is totally doable!(?)!
And so, for the grandparents, Niagara Falls.......
We even managed to take the fantastic voyage that is the Maid of the Mist. Lainey loved every sopping minute of it.
The Littles were not so impressed. Anna continually fluttered her eyelids clearly wondering where in the world all this water was coming from and Emily would not stop giving the stink-eye.
After the girls finished lunch Erma volunteered to be the chaser so that they could stretch their little legs before we headed home. I believe at this point she was yelling for help and I just continued to enjoy the fact that I was eating sitting down while Bill videotaped the chaos.
She had everything under control.
Before we even left, Lainey was planning her next trip back. This time she wanted to bring her Daddy. And so, since we had an off day just around the corner, we did.
I wised up and put hats on the babies. They were still unimpressed, but at least stink-eye didn't make an appearance.
And that's how my children managed to make it to Niagara Falls, twice within the span of one week.
And yes, Aunt Erma cleaned something. She mopped the entire kitchen by hand.
That, my friends is love.
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