GOAL!

In our home, Mo is no longer Mo. Most of the day she goes by the name "Fred". Why Fred, you ask? Because Fred (or Freddie for her), is her favorite player on the Philadelphia Union Soccer Team. This season was their inaugural year and we scored season tickets. We were looking for something family friendly and my friends, Major League Soccer is definitely the way to go. Over this season, Mo wore her jersey with pride and watched wide eyed as her favorite players kicked, saved, and scored. She would cup her hands around her mouth and yell "Go Fred-Die". "Go LeToux" and would sing along with the cheers: "C'mon U" and my personal favorite "Phil-A-Delph-Ia" clap clap clap clap clap. She absolutely loves it so much she wants to wear her jersey almost every day.

Mo's alter ego- Fred Don't you see the resemblance?



Mo's imagination has recently taken over the majority of her play and soccer seems to be her favorite topic. She will boss whomever is over- my mom or dad or sister or mother in law- up into the play room where they will be play soccer. She is "Fred" while the other person is either "Sebastien Le Toux" pronounced Lay-Two or "Danny Mwanga". She makes you play the goalkeeper as she shoots and scores between the entrance to her play kitchen. If she scores she yells "GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL!"at the top of her lungs and throws herself on the floor just like the players typically do when they score.
I am loving this.
I had always hoped that my girls would be into sports over ballerinas and princesses and for now, I have my way. I know there may come a time that she'll want to trade in the soccer ball for the tutu, and like any good mom, I'll suck it up, but until then
"Way to go Fred!"

Just a moment....

is all I seem to have these days.
I know someday soon I'll look back on these crazy days and think back fondly, maybe even longingly for the moments where my girls were babies. Now, in the throws of this, it's chaos at best. Teething and tantrums and toilets- OH MY! Napping at different times in the day, which often works out to one waking as the other just falls asleep. Me time- Ha? What's that?
In a few months, Maeve will have mastered the art of walking while Mo will discover that her baby sister can be her best playmate. Until then, I am in constant action preventing baby from pulling, biting, climbing, and stealing while calming the complaints of a 2.5 yr old.
I am thankful but tired, so tired!
There are blog posts floating around in my head waiting to be written and I have even started two which I hope to finish soon. Until then a quick snapshot of my favorite girls!

Responsibilities

Amongst my friends on facebook I came across "Vicky Bell's blog post and was both touched and inspired as I read her words in response to the recent suicides. I know my girls are still babies, but time goes by quickly and before I know it they will be out in that big bad world. What will I say to my daughters? Here's what I'm thinking so far:

Dear Mo & Maeve,
Life is not easy all the time.
There will be moments where you may make a decision that you regret. You will hurt people you love. You will say something you cannot take back. You will do something you know you shouldn't and have regrets over it. You will fear the repercussions of your actions and dread the consequences. You will value the opinions of others over your own and then wonder what motivated you to do so. You will fight with me, your father, and each other. You will make friends and people who you think are friends. People will surprise you and some will let you down.
Life is the sum of all these moments and experiences. It isn't always easy or pretty or happy, but just know it will get better.
There may be a moment where you are uncomfortable talking to me and that is okay. I hope that you have the know with all to find someone to talk. There will be moments where you think you have let me down, and I want you to know, I will always love you. I may disapprove of your actions but nothing you ever do or say will stop me from loving you.
The best things I have in my life are not things at all, the best things are you two. Moira and Maeve I love you with all of my heart and feel so lucky to be your mom.

Last shots of the summer

It's amazing what the beach looks like after Labor Day!





Welcome Fall!

Game Time!

We took the girls and my parents to the Phillies game this weekend. It was Maeve's first time to the stadium and she was awesome! I don't know if it was the colors or noises or because she is already a fan, but we made it to the seventh inning stretch. We had to bribe Mo with a pretzel, and then ice cream and then a stuffed baseball. She spent most of the game sitting with Pops, where as Maeve spent the game being passed back and forth between my mom and me.


Poor Bry spent most of the first four innings walking up and down the stairs, getting snacks, and drinks, and paper towels. He did get to spend the last few innings with my dad, and Mo enjoying the view.
All in all, it was a success! Add another first we can jot down in the baby book for Maeve.

Uh Oh!

Time to put everything up and out of reach. Mo is getting annoyed now, since we have a real crawler!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Way to go Maeve!

Almost Over

It is September 1.
Summer technically ends on September 22, but for all intensive purposes is over after Labor day.
Where did the summer go? More importantly how did my girls get so big?
Maeve is already 7 months old and Mo almost 2 1/2. A good portion of our summer has been spent in the car heading all over the place. Thankfully, we've had the refuge of Bram and Pops' house during those 7 heatwaves. Our many sleepovers helped to keep us cool and entertain Mo.



We've had play dates with good friends.



Lunches at the Pop Shop,


Chick Fil'A,
the diner,
and Friendly's



We've gone to the museum,



the street fair,


the zoo,



soccer games,


and one Phillies game.


We jumped,



laughed,


went swinging,



and got wet!


Sometimes we played by ourselves,







but mostly we played together.











Along the way, we became beach babies. Spending time with some of our most favorite people down the shore.

Brammie with the bracelets,



Brammie,


Auntie G,


Uncle Steve


Aunt Lynsay


and even Daddy!


Each day we tried to do something different. I tried to get out of the house with the two girls. Maybe it was just to go to the store or for a walk, or maybe it was to visit the museum or Uncle Jo-Jo's new place. Instead of some supersized vacation, each day we did a little something, storytime at the library, day trips to the zoo or beach or museum, visits from friends and family.
In the end, I will remember this summer mainly because it was the first time I did things as a mom of two. Somedays were long and drawn out and HOT HOT HOT! Other days seemed to fly by and before I knew it it was bedtime. As this summer winds down I realize that somehow along the way things just seemed to fall into place.
Was it easy? Not always. Was it fun? Surprisingly, yes most of the time.
Enjoy your last days of summer!
(Mark your calendars now, Memorial Day 2011, May 30 the unoffical start of summer!)