All that for a few pictures!

Father's Day during my childhood was always a memorable event. From the time I was about 6 until I went to college, my father would always request that we go the Phil lies game as a family. He said it was to spend time together, but I knew, as did my brother and sister it was to get the free ball cap every year. Now mind you, Father's Day is always on a Sunday in June and the game would always be at 1:05 or 1:35- right in the middle of the day.
If you aren't familiar with the Philadelphia area, up until a few years ago, the Phillies and Eagles shared a stadium. Veteran's Stadium or the Vet as it was affectionately known had a ridiculously large number of seats, the Phillies would rarely have sell-outs, but yet, every year at Father's Day it would sell out. My family of five would always have seats in the 600 level or higher and be directly in the path of the sun. We would have no shade. Balking at the expense of water ice or frozen lemonade, my parents would lug in a bag of water, soda, and WAWA hoagies, as we miserably would eat our lunch, in the sun. My sister, mom and I would take frequent breaks to the bathroom where we would grab the scratchy brown paper towels and soak them in cold water from the sink. We'd then wrap the towels around our necks, wrists, and ankles. The bottom of the eighth inning could never come quick enough on those afternoons as we would escape out to the parking lot before the end of the game to miss the game ending traffic and head back to our suburban home.
All that for a hat! Happy Father's Day Dad!
Needless to say, Father's Day became my own personal hell every year, and when Bry and I started dating I relayed these horrific family outings to him on numerous occasions.
This weekend I became guilty of the same sins as my parents, but I blame them for it.
My mom and dad gave Bry and I tickets to photo day and the Phillies game this past Saturday. When they gave us the tickets in May, the time said "to be determined" and so I hoped against hope for a late game. Night games are best 7:05 or even better yet, 7:35. But nope, it was a 4:05 game and better yet, Photo Day.
If you aren't familiar with Photo Day, at approximately 2:00 on that day, various players and coaches walk around the field while fans are granted access to take photos with them. In the past my parents have gotten some great pictures of their favorite players and coaches up close and personal with my dad and mom.
Like I said, my parents are GUNG-HO fans.
Anyway, we arrived at the park at 1:40...for a 4:05 game.
We met my parents, my brother and his fiance, my sister, my friend Ash, her hubby, and son all on the field. Within 10 minutes, Bry left and found refuge at overhang where I later found out he enjoyed a cold beer and fresh cool breeze, while I sweated it out with all the nut bags in the afternoon sun.
My father was up against the ropes and seriously turns into a rabid fan as soon as he sees anyone on the field in the Red and white logo. He pulled Mo out of my arms and used her as the best prop ever. As player or coach walked by, my father would yell "Please take a picture with me and my adorable granddaughter".
How could they refuse?
My friend Ashley's husband Chris had his son, A in grasp too. Occasionally, my brother would grab A to get the players to stop.
What can I say, my kid is cute as is A, so they stopped?
Ashley took a bunch of great pics.
Pitcher, Jaime Moyer and the Family

Ace Closer Brad Lidge and the Family

Grandpops and his two favorite kids

Manager Charlie Manual, Grandpops & Mo

Ryan Howard and the Family

It was hot as anything on the field. My sister ending up missing most of the photo opportunities as the Hippocratic Oath came into play and she helped out a girl who passed out nearby. I stayed back and watched as my 60something father basically turned into a little kid right before me eyes. I think he may have even thrown an elbow or two when some teen boy tried to muscle his way next to my dad and the rope.
After it was all over, we all gathered under the overhang, when I checked my watch. It was only 3:00. The game wasn't scheduled to start for another hour. Mo refused to drink on the field, but managed to finish off close to 12 oz of cold Lemonade which Bryan had nicely bought for us when we came up.
After cooling off a bit and talking with the family, I made the decision our day at the park was over. We never saw an inning of the game, as I was hot, Bry was hot, and Mo was hot and exhausted. We drove home with the air conditioning blasting. As we pulled away from the stadium, as everyone else in Philly was heading to the game, Bry said, "Hey you remember that story you would tell me about Father's Day games with your father? You were just as guilty as him today!"
I already told my parents count us out for next year, unless photo day starts at night.

Pending Move

Next Thursday we are suppose to be moving into the new place. We are suppose to be using the moving skills of my father, and brother in tandem with Bry to move the few pieces of furniture and various Rubbermaid containers and boxes carrying our most personal effects into the new house which we intend to stay forever.
I don't think things are going as planned.
First off, the painters and bathroom contractors insisted when they took the job, that they would be finished by July 20th. Last Thursday, the bathroom guy told me "Between tomorrow (Fri) and Saturday, I should be done."
Yeah, right. He's back today to finish re-routing part of the pipe underneath the sink. The height of the pipe is preventing the sink from laying flush with the marble counter.
Yes, I said MARBLE COUNTER! We splurged a bit on the bathroom vanity. Hell, we don't expect to EVER have to touch the bathroom EVER again, so we might as well use good quality materials. Apparently Restoration Hardware doesn't want you to purchase fixtures elsewhere. I'll give the bathroom guy a break, he had to sand the marble down where the hot and cold faucet handles go since we didn't buy Restoration pieces. If you pick up standard Lowe's variety, they are a tad bigger.
Hopefully the bathroom is finished today. HOPEFULLY! I can't wait to post the before and after pics. While I bitch and moan about the bathroom contractor, he really did a stellar job.
As for the painters, again it's kind of our fault. The front window in the living room was painted white. Not a big deal, however the former owners had stripped most of the windows and moldings back to natural wood. We couldn't in good conscience let it stay white. So while he thought his crew would be done on the 22nd, he said that today is the absolute last day as they come in for "an hour max" to put the final coat on the window.
Again, the painters did a great job and the stripped window is beautiful. I can give them a pass, especially since they threw painting the fireplace as our "welcome to the neighborhood" gift.
I swear this new town is like the movie Pleasantville.
The floor guys came yesterday and after an interesting introduction and their need to run to 7-11 immediately after arriving for coffee - Not the way I would have started job- I'm hoping they are able to strip the painted hardwoods and finish them by Saturday! (Please keep to this timeline!!!)
I have hired my mom, who is a professional cleaning woman, to come and clean the bathrooms and kitchen on Tuesday. While she is getting her clean on, we plan to move a few boxes and empty our closets in the rental. Wednesday should be more of the same and then Thursday is the big day.
We have one more hurdle, however. Our moving team just lost another man. Initially, our plan was my dad, my brother, my mom (for light stuff & babysitting), me & Bry.
Of course, me being preggo means I can either manage or take out light stuff. My mom most likely will be keeping Mo entertained. Which left my dad, bro, & Bry. That was the plan, until earlier this week.
My dad is headed to the doctors as I write for what they believe to be a hernia.
So now our moving team is my bro & Bry. NICE!
We may just bite the bullet and the credit card and hire a moving company.
At this point, our budget is busted and our once paid off credit cards are slowing gaining balances. What's a few more hundred bucks, right?
But I guess regardless, this time next week we will be moved in....
I hope!

He's Failing.

Chris Rock once said that his only job as the father of a little girl is keep her off the poll.

It appears Bryan may be failing.

Not only has she discovered how to remove her bottoms, BUT...
On numerous occasions, without pants she has climbed onto furniture in various poses.
I pray we don't see her in a Girls Gone Wild Video is 18 years or worse.
Bryan, it's time to step up!

What took so long?

Mo had her first sleepover this past Friday into Saturday. My parents came and stayed out our house while Bry & I went to our friend Aly & Rob's wedding.
I don't know why I was so worried about the whole thing. My mom has always been good with kids, hell she ran a daycare out of our home for 10 years! Meanwhile, my father is enamored with Mo and vice versa. She'll actually way Bye to me when my dad is here.
When I was breastfeeding, I didn't want to leave her more so because it was a pain in the ass to pump and get bottles ready. The dust started to gather on the pump not long after Mo was born, so the idea of strapping that on to the girls for a night of freedom wasn't too appealing. Once I stopped and Mo was on the cup full-time, I guess we could have done an overnight, but there was no reason to, until the wedding.
Aly was a beautiful bride! Rob made me get teary as he wiped the tears from his eyes during vows, and no one really cared when we crept into the church 15 minutes late. We may have missed the entrance but we did get a great view of the vows and the kiss!
We had a fabulous time! Since I'm PG the bar was off-limits so instead I gorged myself on appetizers and desserts! Cocktail hour really isn't the same at weddings with a ginger ale in hand instead of a tanquery & tonic! During dinner, I decided to change it up a bit and had a few Shirley Temples! My dad would be so proud!
My friend Sami kept the photo booth operating.
Seriously she was insane getting every person she knew in there with her, this included a series of pics with five waiters and then a round with the DJ & his microphone. My other friend Jodi, may have had a little too much pink champagne as she danced it up on the dance floor or her seat!
Bry actually took a great pic of the two of us.

Now the reception was fun and I had a great time dancing and eating, but the most heavenly part of the event was staying overnight in the hotel. I have not slept later then 7:15 for 15 months and 16 days. I crashed around 1 and slept (except for the bathroom run at 3:30) until 9:40. The cool air conditioner combined with the black out shades and comfy sheets made me miss breakfast and I didn't care on bit!!
Mo did great and my mom suggested we make this a monthly event. I think I just might take her up on her offer.
I think I can handle one night away from my little girl in exchange for some uninterrupted sleep!

Surprise!

Baby #2 is on his or her way!

Ever the pessimist when I am pregnant, I waited until today, our twelve week appointment to share the news with extended family and friends. I wanted to make sure we still had a heartbeat. I brought Mo with me to the OB and between her squeals and screams from the stroller the nurse practitioner was able to locate baby #2's heartbeat. Such a great sound!

I made the shirt yesterday and took pics of Mo in it this afternoon. It's quite a pain to try and get a fifteen month old to stand still long enough for a picture! We are excited and terrified at the same time about adding another one to the mix. It's scary to think this time next year we'll be a family of four!
WOW!!
Now you know why I was exhausted in a bunch of previous posts. The first trimester kicks my butt!

Yum!

I left the room for a minute max and found...
my daughter with a mouth full of crayons. I had to scrub her teeth with baby wipes to get the pieces of green crayon from the back while she wailed like I was beating her on my lap.
Great momma moment!
I guess I should be happy her molars aren't through yet. They would have been a bitch to clean.

Spraydate!

You've heard of play dates. This past Wednesday we had a spraydate. The Monmouth County Park System has this wonderful Sprayground open to the public for free. While it was a bit of a hike, we couldn't pass up an opportunity to play with our good friends. The local message board I frequent had many posts about this Sprayground and comment after comment were all good.
I dragged my friend M whose daughter G is a few months older then Mo with us. It was the first time either of the girls had been in the car with another baby. They were adorable, holding hands and trying to share pretzel sticks. Of course, they fell asleep ten minutes away from our destination. But hey, it was to be expected as it was nap time! After circling the area for an extra 20 mins we pulled into the parking lot and found.....CHAOS!! The Sprayground and the attached playground were swarming with kids and parents. The parking lot was filled and M looked at me with furrowed brow, asking what we were in for?
We took the girls out, fed them lunch while we waited for the other gals & kids to arrive. After 30 minutes, we were ready to go and brave the Sprayground. In that time, it seemed the place emptied out a bit.
Ever the daredevil, Mo was like a bat out of hell. I'm scared that my kid might be missing that fear gene. Being that this was her first experience and there were lots of kids around, I thought she would be a little more hesitant.
Surprise! She jumped right in and met her match with another friend, D. The two of them, kept R, his mom, and me on our toes as they darted from one water fountain to the other. Meanwhile, her friends T & G were content circling the perimeter testing it out, while L had his bucket and found one spray which he stayed with for quite a bit of time. Most of the pictures I have of Mo her face is covered. She was a woman on a mission and seemed very focused on task at hand. Quite a number of times she stole cups or buckets from other kids, and on one occasion felt the need to stroke a little girl's stomach since she was in a Dora the Explorer bathing suit.
I think she would have spent the entire afternoon running and playing at the sprayground. Ultimately, it wasn't the cold or the weather that got her to stop, it was her mother. After most of her friends had departed for dry clothes, Mo kept playing. I ended her day when I noticed her lips were a nice shade of purple.
We ended our afternoon with a little snack in a nearby area of grass. While her friends sat and ate crackers, Mo decided it would be great to run!
Gotta love my kid!
Our day ended at Delicious Orchards right around the block from the park. I'd love to say it was to get Mo some apples and pears, but actually it was to pick up apple cider donuts and a frozen lemonade! Yum!
G & Mo crashed no sooner then hitting their car seats. It was a fabulous play date with good friends, good fun, and lots of water!!

And the destruction begins!

Day one of the house rehab has come and gone.
I would love to say it was smooth sailing, but as is typically with all things related to Bry & I, there was a little bump in the road. Bry took off yesterday to spend the day at the house with the contractor who is redoing the bathroom and doing some handyman type work. I was thinking about bringing Mo down in the afternoon, but Bry assured me it would be a mess and the last thing he wanted was Mo running around in a house filled with nails and old bathroom fixtures.
We ended up having to visit anyway. No sooner did I step out of the shower at 9:30 did the telephone ring. As I check caller i.d. I see that it's Bry's cell phone. Hmm, what did he forget, I think?
Bry: Jac, what are you doing?
me: I just stepped out of the shower. What do you need?
Bry: You're not going to believe this!
me: What, did you forget the keys again??? (There have been two occasions in which Bryan has driven to the house after work and left the keys at our rental, which meant I had to drive down to deliver the keys.)
Bry: Nope. The key snapped in the front lock. There's no way to get in.
me: Wait, the key snapped and broke in the new lock that we just got switched no more then two weeks ago?
Bry: I knew that locksmith sucked, but I went with him anyway.
me: Can you get in the side door?
Bry: Nope. I locked the door from the inside that goes between the basement and the kitchen. So even if I get in the side door, I can only go into the basement.
me: I'll be there in 45 minutes or so.
Bry: I love you.
me: You owe me!
I save the day yet again! We take a little field trip to Home Depot. Buy a new bath tub, attempt to salvage the lock, and make copies of the new keys. All this was accomplished before lunch!
I know that this is only the first of many issues that will come up with owning and rehabbing our first new (old) home! Wish us luck that they all can be solved as easily as a call to a locksmith or a trip to Home Depot!

Friday Five: Fourth of July Edition

My favorite memories associated with the Fourth of July.

1. Fireworks, especially last year. I thought Moira would be terrified of the sounds but at only 3 months she was entranced by the bright colors. This is one of my most favorite pictures.


2. Bomb Pops

I know technically you can eat these all year, but their red, white, and blue flavors just scream patriotism. I mean, really what isn't great about a Popsicle that's cherry, lemon, and blueberry and will dye your tongue purple. YUM!

3. My Aunt Diane's annual picnics
I wish I had pictures from these picnics. Growing up, my dad's sister Diane had a picnic for the fourth of July every year. It was basically the same thing year in and year out. My mom would bring broccoli salad or peanut butter kandy kakes, while everyone else would bring their jello mold or deviled eggs. We would spend most of the afternoon in the pool, trying to stay away from my Uncle Stevie (my dad's youngest brother) who after a few beers would strip down to his biker shorts and think he was a professional wrestler (Think WWE not Olympics). His mullet splashing in the water as he would body slam my 6 year old brother into the shallow end.
AHHHHH, the memories!

4. Working at the Local YMCA
I actually enjoyed those few summers when I was a lifeguard at the local YMCA pool and we had to plan the Fourth of July fest ivies. Since I was the teacher to be, I of course, took the initiative to plan and implement most of the games throughout the day. It was twofold, actually, I liked face painting and didn't mind throwing $20 worth of change into the shallow end for the kiddies to pick up during the money scramble. It also meant, I didn't have to work the fifteen minute rotations in each of the five lifeguard chairs on the busiest day of the year. I could say it was because I was lazy, it was actually more because I was terrified that I would really have to do a save. Fourth of July and Labor day, allowed me to get into teacher mode.

5. Sparklers For one day a year, we are actually encouraged to play with fire.
Do I need to explain any further???

Happy Fourth of July to all!