Rock Cats Clinic

As most of you might have guessed by now Liam is a baseball fanatic.  He lives for it.  We signed him up for the Rock Cats Baseball clinic for yesterday because it was his last t-ball game and it was a great way to celebrate.  If you sign up for the clinic you get a t-shirt and a free ticket to the game.  The thing they don't tell you until later is that the game starts 4 hours after the clinic ends.  In any case we went along with our good friends.  Liam's buddy Jack and his family.

We had only a few minutes after his game to get ready and drive up.  On the way up Seamus said "Nicky Nick is my favorite cousin" (Nick is Jack's brother, not his cousin but what else can you call someone you think of as more then a friend?  cousin it is)  Liam said what about Eli?  Seamus said "Oh I LOVE Eli.  I love all the Frans Vliets".  

We got to the clinic and there were a ton of kids.  Jack and Liam were among the youngest.  They broke them into groups by age and brought the group from station to station to run different drills.  The first drill was a little pop up drill.  The coaches are just players, very young with no kids of their own.  This coach threw a little pop up to each kid.  Jack put his glove up more like how you put your hands up to God and he was going to catch the ball but it kind of rolled or bounced off his glove right into his face giving him a bloody nose.  It must have hurt like hell and the coach was rather freaked out (he must have felt like a jerk for hurting the poor kid) and they had no clue what to do.  Thankfully we had moved closer to where the kids were and called him over to us.  His mom and dad fixed him up and stopped the bleeding (I am not really used to boys, having only sister.  Girls don't really get bloody noses.  They freak me out a bit too).  Jack was such a trooper.  He cried a tiny bit but not much.  I am sure it hurt and seeing that much of your own blood has got to be upsetting but he kind of dealt with it and went right back out there to finish the clinic.  I was really impressed with him.  I'd call that a big injury (anything that leaves blood on your shirt is) and he just got over it.

The boys got pushed around a lot.  There weren't any lines to speak of and there were a LOT of kids.  The older kids pushed to the front a bit and Jack and Liam kept finding themselves at the back of the pack a lot.  It was harder for them because when they called the kids to move to the next station the shorter kids couldn't find their groups easily and they didn't work very hard to keep them together.  Liam got stuck at the batting area with every kid pushing in front of him.  He's just not the kind of kid to push in front of someone or even to hold his place in line so they called them to move to the next group and he hadn't batted yet.  The coach told him to stay and spent a lot of time with him, which was nice, but he wasn't sure where to go when he was done.

The heat was incredible and that combined with the stress of so many kids and so little direction was a little nerve racking for Liam and I think he was relieved when it was over.  We then had 4 hours to kill.

We went to the East Side Restaurant (http://www.eastsiderestaurant.com/).  The food was really good and the people were so nice.  All authentic German food, decor and costume.  The boys got big beers and when they arrived the waiter said "TIki Toki Tiki Toki" and everyone in the restaurant yelled "HOY HOY HOY".  Very festive.  The beer was yum but I could only have a sip because of all the Lyme Drugs I am on. 

After eating we still had time so we decided to get an ice cream.  Seamus wanted to be with Nick and Liam with Jack so we moved car seats and kids around and found some ice cream.  We STILL had time after that so went searching for a mattress for Nick's new bed (Seamus said that this was his favorite part) to no avail and then headed to the game.

Ger had gotten us great seats just behind home plate on the first base side, three rows back.  We were right by the Rock Cats dugout so I sent the boys to peak in to see if any players were in there.  As they waited some professional autograph seekers shoved them out of the way.  AGAIN they were shoved out of the way.  This became the theme of the day. They were much bigger kids and some were adults (one had blue hair).  They had 8X10 glossies and books of baseball cards to get signed.   I got up and told Liam that he should hold his place in line.  Then a grandma sitting in the front row got up and grabbed the grown man by the shirt and told him that these kids were first and they shouldn't shove them out of the way.  She turned to me and said "I have 3 grandsons you don't shove a kid".  The players gave the boys each a ball.  

The Rock Cats lost (of course) but the boys didn't mind.  Liam really watches the game which is cute.  He knows the umpire signs and gets excited when things are going well.  Seamus fell asleep halfway through the game which was a huge blessing since he was just running around anyway.

We had so much fun. We were with people who like to have fun and got into the game and the fun around us.  The kids have so much fun together and everyone was happy and tired when we left.  We woke up happy and still a little tired (I am very sore today).  I made pancakes (with Seamus' "help") and then he brought me the syrup and a sippy cup and asked me to pour him a sippy cup full of syrup.  I did not.

Now back to laundry and cleaning and a trip to the store to FINALLY get Seamus some pull ups.

Catching up

I really meant to write something every other day at the least but I have Lyme Disease and it's affecting my arms the most.  My computer is set up to fit in it's space not to be ergonomically correct so the keyboard is higher then it should be and typing has been tough.  I am on the mend though so will take some time to catch up a bit.

The last few weeks have been emotional and stressful.  The year-end stuff is just designed to make a parent tear up and with gymnastics, preschool and baseball there have been a bunch of these things.  In addition, my sister and her husband are in the process of adopting the absolutely sweetest boy on earth.  They had some very stressful legal wrangling that occupied everyone's thoughts until it was concluded, positively, last Wednesday.  I feel like I'm on vacation now from all the high emotion.

While your emotions are already at peak it makes you more sensitive to the issues surrounding your kids.  Like watching how serious Liam takes the game of baseball.  I am intermittently very proud of how dedicated he is, how much research and study he puts into it as well as how much he practices.  Then I get nervous that he is too intense and narrowing his focus too much for a 5 year old.  I don't know who you consult on issues like this but would love to talk to someone who can tell me what is a healthy level of dedication for a kid his age.

Liam literally eats, sleep and breathes baseball.  An off day for the Yankees is hell for us because he watches baseball classics. It's painful to watch some 1970's game, the hair, the grainy video and gravely voices, those awful tight uniforms.  I hate it.  I try to keep him playing more then watching but the rain has been making it very hard.  Liam also plays Wii baseball all the time and then wants me to sit and watch his "highlight reel" from the "game".  

If he does make it to the pros he better thank me in every interview he does.  The watching and waiting and driving and answering endless baseball questions (some impossible to answer without a computer feed to MLB).  I adore watching him play though.  He takes it so seriously and does not appreciate that other kids may not be as intense.  You can see him silently fuming when a kid sits on the pitcher's mound to play in the dirt.  He rolls the ball to some kids while trying to make a play rather then throw it overhand because he said he knows that particular kid can't catch it.  I am a bit fearful of the days when they start keeping score.  I  try to remind him that he will be a more successful ball player if he's a good guy to have "in the clubhouse".  He needs to be a leader but that means being a good team player.  Don't call people out in front of everyone.  Don't get upset with people for making mistakes, be a good sport. This is the hard part for him.  I'd like him to play with slightly older kids so he can see how they treat him when he messes up.

For Seamus' part all this rain has made him very bored and a very bored Seamus is a LOT of work.  He likes to go in drawers and cupboards and take something out and leave it somewhere else.  It could be anything.  I find the oddest things in the oddest places.  One afternoon I found a cordial glass on the toilet.  The lid wasn't shut, it was right there on the actual seat, waiting to topple in.  I find measuring spoons in the dogs dishes and spoons "planted" in my potted plants.  It's a full time job following him around putting things back where they go, rewashing things over and over.  

In attempting to entertain himself he entertains us quite well.  He came to me and asked me to see what's wrong with the TV.  I went to look and found nothing wrong (other then that he colored on the screen with crayon).  I asked him what he thought was wrong and he said "When I scratch my head the whole TV shakes".  Then he laughs and runs away.  

I also found him trying to put diaper cream on himself.  He wiped his hands on my desk to get rid of the extra.  He also found my Pedegg and said "I just need to use this to get the crust off my foot".  I have not used the Pedegg since he gave me that visual.

So now we are on our last day of rain before summer really gets into full swing.  I am starting to feel better.  The boys' sinus infections are getting better and we are ready to make some great summer memories.  

Ahh to be young

Sometimes I see the little things my guys get excited about and wish that I didn't lose that thrill as I got older.  Seamus will give you a stream of requests, all so easy to accommodate and he's so excited when you say yes.   

"Can I have a bath Mommy?" "Yes Seamus". He throws up his hands and says "Yay! Can I have soap?" "Yes Seamus" "Yay! Can we blow bubbles?" "Yes Seamus". "Wooo! Can Liam come?"  

I wish everything was still so simple for grown ups too.  As we where walking down the street at the Torrington Street Fest, Seamus spotted an ATM and said "Ooooo let's go get money out that one."  I am not sure it's healthy for a kid to think you can just walk up to a hole in the wall and get money when you need it but we'll deal with that a bit later.  

It's funny that Seamus can go from being a sweet and lovey boy one minute to a complete "cranker" the next (cranker is the worst insult he can think of).  I was in our front yard talking to the neighbor, Ger was about to mow the lawn but it was full of clover flowers.  Seamus comes running out of the house and yells "Mom look at all these flowers" (Big sweep of the arms) "and they are ALL for you".  

Then if you tell him "no" to anything he turns in an instant and says "That's it, I'm done with you." Or lately "We are not playing with you anymore."  Not sure who the rest of "we" is.  The last time this happened he said "That's it, I'm not staying here anymore." And tried to open the front door but couldn't,

He also got sick of asking Liam to stop it in the car and said "Liam you a noxious".

His little sayings are funny.  Instead of High Fructose Corn Syrup he thinks he's trying to avoid High School Corn Syrup.  He doesn't do thumbs up he does thumbs out (this actually makes more sense then the original). He never asks what's the matter with something he says what's a matter for this. 

I have more but he has his hands wrapped around my neck and insists we hug on the couch.  He will sit for 5 seconds and be gone.  He just wants me on the couch to watch what he's doing. 

I wanted to take a moment and wish my friend Maggie peace as she says goodbye to her Dede....someone who was more then a grandmother to her.  We attended the service today which was beautiful.  Maggie spoke and she is so eloquent and strong.  It was very tough for her and it's very tough to watch Maggie be sad because she is always so upbeat and happy.  

I was proud of Liam too, who had a choice of going to lunch with all his friends for the end of school or going to Grammy's or going to the funeral.  He choice the funeral.  I said "You know it's church right?" And he said "Yeah I just think I need to be with Jack."  Jack is his buddy from school.  

It turned out well because Jack sat with us and that took a lot of pressure off of Liam.  Since Jack has been dealing with this for days Liam looked to him as the expert in how to behave and Jack was just his normal Jack. It was a great relief to Liam who thought he was supposed to be crying or something.  It was also good because the last funeral we went too was a disaster.  It was for my mom's aunt.  Someone who Liam visited in the nursing home but didn't have an everyday part in our lives.  Everything that you see in sitcoms that go wrong at funerals went wrong here.

They dropped the casket while trying to put it over the grave, it nearly fell in the hole.  Then Liam started yelling "What's in the box mom."  Before I could shush him my niece Sophie yelled "I think it's our new shed."  She was a large woman but a shed???

This funeral was peaceful and beautiful.  Liam didn't know Maggie's grandmother so while he got the seriousness of the occasion he wasn't very sad.  It was a beautiful learning experience for him.  Having his buddy near by helped a lot.  After chatting quite a bit I tried hard to keep them a bit still and quiet.  I explained that some people are very sad and need them to behave right now.  Jack turned to me and said "I know!!  This is a very big deal for us."  Indeed he is correct.  

When his mom spoke at the end I was very choked up.  She was really having trouble keeping her emotions in check while she spoke truly from her heart about this person she adored.  Jack saw the tears and says "Oh THERE she goes."  I am sure they had moments like this a lot the last few days.  

As I listened to her speak I was amazed at how well she captured the human spirit, imperfect but beautiful in it's imperfection.  I was thinking back to Monday when we both dropped our boys off at school.  Maggie was leaving as I was arriving.  She was like skip/running.  I asked her if she was off in a hurry and she said "No, I'm just feeling sparky today."  I thought that was so great.  Her husband is about to go out of the country and leave her with two boys for a long time and she still finds something to be sparky about.  That's just Maggie though, she can find the good and fun and joy in every bit of life, something she has passed to her boys.  I couldn't help but think what terrible timing to hear that her grandma had taken a bad turn on a day when she was feeling so sparky.  

Instead of any funny stories today (although the moment when Maggie's son Nick got away from me and lapped the church before I could even react was amusing) I would just wish Maggie well and offer a prayer to her beloved Dede.  Rest in peace.

For a long time if Seamus woke with a nightmare he'd come running into our room saying "there's a monster in my movie".  The night before last he must have had another.  He was in our bed around 11 but never said anything.  Then last night I was putting him to bed and he said "I'm not going to see that same movie again tonight right?  It was too scary."  I told him that he would not.  He said he would come in my room if he did and I told him that was fine.  He said "Do you care if I do?  Mommy do you weawy weawy care if I do?"

This being up at night takes its toll on both of us.  I had planned to go shopping today. It's only day we have during the week and we wanted to get some Father's Day things and something for his friends for graduation.  I was so excited to go to Borders.  I know it's dumb but when you are dragging two kids around in the rain the little excitements really help.  Seamus loves the "library store".  I thought we'd take our time and for once not rush.  

Well none of it went this way.  They didn't have the two things I know I wanted and Seamus was UNREAL naughty.  He wouldn't stay with me.  He was shouting, climbing shelves, crying then laughing.  He was so tired.  I finally told him that the treat I promised for later would not happen if he wasn't good.  He said "I want to be good.  I DO!  It's just not happening for me today."  I felt bad for him for being so tired but bad for me because I was having to deal with him.  I just cut my losses and left. 

When we were checking out the woman at the register said "I love his name, Seamus.  It's a nice name."  I asked how she knew his name.  She said "Everyone here knows his name now."  YIKES.  

Besides being tired the weather is getting to us.  Our squash plants have this mold-like fungus from so much humidity.  I think humans must get something like that too.  You can't shower it off.  It is only killed by sunshine.  The dogs are stir crazy.  We are stir crazy yet tired which is a bad combination.  The animals around our house are starting to show their impatience with the weather.

We've had a deer in our front yard just mocking the dogs.  The bark collar is the only thing keeping Guinness from going completely nuts.  Then a bunny showed up.  Bolding watching our hound try to get out of the house to eat it.  Seamus asked if he could bring it a carrot "in case the bunny wants to nibble."  

Hoping for better tomorrow but we are promised serious rain instead of the humidity, clouds and showers.  FUN! My hair is going to dread-lock with all this frizz. 

I've been taking notes so I don't forget things when I finally get time to sit and write.  It's been a crazy few days.  I don't think I've recorded everything though. 

The mornings are crazy funny usually but I am sorry that we are so rushed getting out to school.  I think this might be the cause of some of Seamus' disgruntled behavior.  That and he can't stand if we don't have what he wants to eat.  I told him we were out of Frosted Flakes and he said "No! We are in of Frosted Flakes."  He still doesn't get that wishing it doesn't make it so.  Like his daddy who still insists that he's a 30" leg when really he's a 29" (at best).  

When we went to pick Liam up from school the kids were all on the playground playing Duck, Duck, Goose.  Seamus insists the game is named Duck, Duck, Moo.  Again, wishing it doesn't make it so.

This week the boys both had their Victory Days at gymnastics.  This reminded me again of how very different they are.  Seamus performed beautifully.  He listened, was focused, did his activity to perfection and sat down again.  Normally in gymnastics he forgets what comes next and is too busy looking around to do what he's supposed to do.  With an audience he's spot on.  Also when he did his "stick and stretch" instead of just putting his hands over his head he put up his pointer finger (rock star style).

Liam on the other hand was beat red the whole time.  He had his tongue jammed in his cheek the whole time.  He was so embarrassed to have people watching him and clapping for him. At one point he slipped off the spring board and fell and I thought he would just die.  My mom said "oh he's hurt his foot".  Ger said "I think he hurt his tongue too".  

It was very cute though.  I find the end of the year stuff is so emotional.  In addition to our Victory Days my niece Morgan had an award banquet for theater, my other niece Remy did her fly up to brownies and then her story reading.  My sisters sent photos of these events and that has me tearing up.  My nephew's baseball team is in first place by a LOT so I am sure he will have championship games to play that will have us laugh/crying.  And we haven't seen yet what the last days of Sophie's pre-school will bring.  Liam will graduate from pre-school next Wednesday which is sure to be a tear filled event.

Seamus lightens the mood though.  Lately his is wearing just wellies with no socks.  The smell of his feet alone with get you over any sadness.   He also has such funny little sayings.  The other day he said "Ice Cream....I just fell in LOVE with you!" And then last night he made up this song:

"It's gonna be Trouuuuble.  It's gonna be Trouuuuble.  It's gonna be Trouuuuble. Cuz he works all day then he Rocks and Rolls."

Where does he come up with this stuff? I don't know.  He must browse the web when I'm not looking.

Liam's funny too but often doesn't know he is and would die if he were laughed at.  At baseball on Saturday he made a great slide into first which I recorded.  When he watched it back it seemed to him that the coach of the other team was laughing.  He was so angry that there was a chance that the coach was laughing at anything he did.

It's hard not to laugh though but you can't laugh or else.  Last night we made strawberry rhubarb pie with the strawberries from our garden.  He was so excited he told Ger we made a "rhuberry pie".  You have just hold in the laugh, very hard to do! 

One last thing I left off my last post.  On Sunday after church we usually go to my parents for coffee and rolls.  It's great, especially at this time of year, because the kids run in the yard and we can relax on the patio and have coffee and a chat in peace.

Today Seamus came and sat on my lap and was getting harassed by a fly.  It landed on his cup and on his nose once.  The said "here you go mommy I caught the bug."  I laughed at his joke because who can just reach out and catch a fly.  When I looked though, there was the fly.  He just reached out and caught it between his thumb and first finger.  I was half amazed and half completely grossed out.  It was funny although he didn't mean it to be.  

I started this blog to keep track of the funny things my kids say and do and as of the first entry they stopped being funny.  I was really running out of material but found the key to comedy.  EXHAUST them.  If they aren't at full melt down they are really funny.

This weekend we went to a birthday party for the three year old son of friends of ours.  Liam and Joey go to school together and are on the same baseball team.  Joey's dad coaches.  Joey is really cute.  He all boy.  Rough and tumble, frogs and mud, you think of Joey when you think "boy".  What's funny about Joey is that he's also the sweetest, most affectionate kid you'll meet too.  He's always hugging.  Usually after school he has a huge hug for one of his buddies (often Liam) that knocks them both to the ground.  Liam always says "stop, let go, get up" but always has a smile on his face and told me that he tells Joey to stop but really he likes the hug.  One time after school Joey gave Liam a hug and a little nibble on his ear.  It was so innocent and honest and cute.

I love that as "boy" as Joey is he's learned that's it's totally great to love his friends and show them how you feel.  We have had him over and he's give us as much love as the kids.  I LOVE this.  I hope he never feels that being a guy means holding that back.  Today on the way to church he and Liam held hands.  It just makes you tear up that they are so cute and can so easily express themselves.  

Saturday was a pool party for Joey's little brother Zachary.  He's a funny kid too.  He has a very deep and gravelly voice for a three year old.  I want to teach him to sing "What a Wonderful World".  I think Lois Armstrong would be impressed.  I dressed the kids in their swim suits and rash guards and just as we were walking out the door Seamus said "I want to go too." I said, "Of course, come on." He waved his hand over the front of himself (picture Vanna White) and said "I can't wear THIS to a party."  I told him it was a pool party and he told me he didn't know what was and what it had to do with what he was wearing.

We had a blast and were really tired when we got home.  Seamus took a nap and then when right out to his swing.  He loves to swing and would happily allow you to push him all day long.  As he's swinging he makes up songs.  Yesterdays was about a monkey on our road that had a job and worked, worked, worked all day and swung, swung, swung on his tail all night.  

The exhaustion held though and everyone slept so good last night.  I got more sleep last night then since I was pregnant with Liam.  It was glorious.  In the morning Seamus got up, came in bed with us and then fell asleep again.  When he woke up for good he wanted me to wash his eyes (he has a leaky eye that we are going to get fixed that makes his eyes stick during the night).  When I didn't jump right up (because I was fast asleep) he said "Come on Mom I'm dyyyyiiiinnnngggg."  

He went into the bathroom off our bedroom but wouldn't let us in because he was pooping.  We both dozed off and Ger jumped up when he realized Seamus never came back from the bathroom.  He found him standing on a chair in the bathroom and stacking the paper cups one by one into the holder.  The stack was almost 2 feet high.  It kept him very occupied and he was proud of his "fake tower".

When Liam wakes up he often goes right into the toy room to make us an art project.  Today he used red sprinkles (since we don't do food coloring anymore we use those sprinkles for art work) and green tissue to make a picture of his strawberry patch.  It was really cute. 

We went looking for a farm market today and I told Liam that maybe we'd get him cherries.  He thought about that a bit and then said "I'd really like parmesan cherries." At first I thought, EWWW!  Then I realized he meant Maraschino Cherries.  Still eww but I get it at least.  He has a lot to learn about what's real food and what's not.  

We had a great ride around Warren and Goshen and back and then got something to eat while we were out.  We did some gardening, washed the cars, ate dinner and NOW are about to melt down from all the tired.   Seamus is on the floor under my computer now shoving papers up the legs of my shorts.  Time for baths.

Last night I went to a party two of my friends were hosting.  They've invented a new educational product which they sell online and through home shows.  It's call The Circle Connection (http://www.thecircleconnection.com/).  

As I was getting ready Seamus is turning on and off my lamps.  They have pull chains on them which (like my white couches) seemed like an awfully great idea before we had kids.  One lamp is hooked to the light switch one doesn't.  He went to the lamp not hooked to the switch and was turning it on and off, on and off.  He nearly knocked it over and was being a real nudge.  I told him to take off so he just went to the other lamp.  After trying to turn it on many times with no luck he said "mom, this lamp needs new batteries".  

Anyway, I got the kids fed, Ger bathed them and they were all in bed reading a book when I left. I had a great time.  The woman at the party where all mom's of Liam's classmates.  I have to say that he has a great group of classmates and I really like almost all of them moms.  I haven't met all of the dads but I like the dads I met too.  I think we are spoiled because I know this won't be the case when we get to public school.  This group of moms are among my absolute favorites.  Although Maggie couldn't make it and that would have been even more fun.  They are a great group of funny, smart, reasonable moms who are so supportive of each other and of everyone's children.  It's so nice and I'm sorry Liam' time at Holy Infant is coming to an end.  I hope the change isn't a huge shock for him.  

We had a blast last night but of course when I got home Liam was still up.  Seamus would have been too but I intentionally didn't nap him so he fell asleep during the book.  When I came in I said to Liam "Why are you still up?"  He points to Ger and said "HE let me" as though he was desperate for bed and Ger just wouldn't let him go.  

They were watching "Man vs. Wild", the one with Will Farrell in it.  At one point both men stopped to pee in the snow.  Farrell of course makes a joke about the cold and said "I can't even find my penis".  Liam was like "What's a PENIS?"  So I told him it was the technical name for that part of his body and what we SHOULD be calling in.  In fact what we WOULD be calling it if we weren't so immature.  

He thinks a bit and says "Oh I wonder if I ever lost my peanit.  I didn't know you can lose your peanit. "  You can see the stress mounting at the thought that he could go looking for it and it just wouldn't be there.  He asked who would help him look for his "peanit" and under what conditions one might lose it.   I told him that the guy was just making a joke about the cold.  And Liam nods his head and said "Ohhhhh yeah shrinkage".  

Today was a slow day up.  I didn't sleep well and it's all dark outside, just begging you to stay in bed.  Seamus was up at 5 and was hungry.  He kept trying to get Ger up but he wasn't getting up that early.  So Seamus got out of bed and laid in the dog bed for a bit, falling asleep for another half hour.  Liam eventually woke up and we all piled in his bed a bit.  He doesn't like waking up and is often cranky.  Bed Seamus climbing in bed with him and snuggled him and then held both sides of his face and kissed him and said "time to get up my brudda".  He has a way of making Liam really happy.  He just can't stay crabby with Seamus around.  We cuddled in bed a while, not minding too much that we were making ourselves very late for school.  Sometimes it's just better to keep the cuddle a bit longer.  

So Liam is at school.  We got our snack for baseball tomorrow and are just about to go get the big man again.  

Today was Liam's all school picnic.  I always want to like the picnic but when I used to go with my sister and her kids I didn't know anyone.  Last year I kind of knew people but not well and there was a pack of much older, rowdy kids that kept knocking kids down.  One pushed Seamus off a big boulder.  He was JUST 2 years old and I was really ticked off.  So this year I wasn't all jazzed to go.  Plus I thought it would be cold and rainy.  

Liam slept very late this morning and the moment his eyes opened he reminded me of when Seamus was pushed off the boulder.  He told Seamus about it and his plans for revenge and the two of them planned their counter attack.  I think Liam was nervous about going (as he seems to be in the beginning with a big crowd) and kept trying to psych Seamus up for all the fun they would have.  He said "it's right at church...oh but don't worry, you won't have to go into church".  He kept telling him about the great food they would have but all that Seamus seemed excited about was that there would be water.  

On the ride down we were talking about all the friends we would see.  Liam is especially close with Giacomo, Joey and Ryan (although he loves everyone he goes to school with).  Most people call Giacomo Jack or Jackie.  Not Seamus it's ALWAYS Giacomo.  We love the name.  Whenever we mention him we say his name at least twice.  It's just a great word that is fun to say, especially for Seamus.  He is doing something weird with his O's now and says Giacomow and Howme.  Saying his name over and over got Liam to thinking "Is Jack's middle name Moe?"  It was funny.

We were only there seconds when Liam got himself involved with a baseball game.  Thankfully there were other baseball nuts there as I am almost out of energy for pitching to him.  His team mates Braydon and Dominic were there too (Liam says his name Donna mick and although he knows that's not right he can't say it the right way).  

Liam played baseball the entire time and didn't eat anything.  Just as we were leaving he grabbed a brownie and some grapes.  I keep try to impress upon him the importance of refueling with good food if he's going to be a superstar but this only works at home. 

It was really a fun time and I enjoyed seeing the kids all playing together.  Last year when they were all 3 and 4 the boys and girls all just played together but now that they are 4 and 5 the gender difference really show.  The boys get Frisbees, rockets and baseballs and the girls blow bubbles and pick wild flower. They still get along really well as a group which is a credit to their amazing teachers (who cooked the food by the way....we really should be cooking for them).  

It's so hard to believe that in a week and a half they will graduate.  They get big so fast.  I hope they stay in touch with each other, they are great friends.

Tonight aI am off to two of my friend's home party for educational products they designed and created.  Can't wait to see what they have.....will report back!

A couple quick funnies I will forget by morning

After dinner we all sat on the couch to watch the game.  Liam can't sit.  He gets a ball and glove and plays catch with himself and the dog.  After a bit he picked up a soft toy, just the size to fit in his hand, and for some reason winged it at Seamus.  It hit Seamus on the head and Ger and I both jumped all over Liam.  "Why would you DO that?"  "What is WRONG with you?" "What are you thinking?" Liam looked properly sorry which made Seamus laugh and say "Well THAT'S going to hurt in the morning."  He totally let Liam off the hook which was very cute.

Seamus has been potty training and we find keeping him bare-bottomed helps a lot.  He ran to go pee and came back to report.  We got to talking about it and I said "You know baby Nick goes poop in the potty", something Seamus refuses to do (Nick is just 20 months old).  Seamus starts mumbling so you can barely hear him. It was like he was trying to think of an excuse and talk at the same time.  All I heard was "Good boy Nick", then some mumbles.  Then, "Well he SHOULD go in the potty" and then something about his poops stinking worse the Seamus' did.  Then he tried to come up with one more good reason but I couldn't hear it at all.  Just mumbles.

We went to bed and read from our book (which by the way is an AWESOME book and I look forward to reading it every night.  My sister Sue recommended it.  It's call "Danny Champion of the World" and is written by Roald Dahl who wrote "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" among other great things.  So far my boys have learned to poach pheasant and drive an old car at 2 AM and hide from the cops.  It's a great book).  We read our chapter and I was kissing them good night and Liam said "Mom, did I do anything to make you laugh today."  That tugged at the heart a bit.  He's so serious but sees how great it is that Seamus is so funny.  I like how Seamus lightens him up a bit and Liam shows Seamus there's more to life then laughs.  

In this case though he had done something.  He was being very goofy catching his ball today to make Seamus laugh.  Seamus belly laughs and it's very contagious.  So Liam threw his wiffle ball up and let it bounce off his head.  The dog let it bounce off of his head too and it was really funny.  We thought the dog part was an accident but Liam picked up the ball again and threw it up, bounced it off his head and Pooka did it again.  

Now they are tucked in bed, 880 AM tuned in so they can hear the game.  I finally got a clue and turned it down low so that they have to keep quiet to hear it. 

June 3rd

So we went to the Harambe last night.  It's great fun.  Harambe means "come together as one". It was mainly a concert but really was all of the school coming together as one.  They had art and poems and everything.  All teachers were involved and gave it a great sense of community.  My nephew sang and played the recorder and my niece is in the choir.  I was noticing that it is a great example of how different my kids are.  Liam sat on someone's lap the whole time, seemly bored but if you really looked he was inconspicuously clapping or tapping his foot.  His face was serious the whole time but on the way home he had a billion questions about where the music came from and how they learned their instruments.  He just doesn't outwardly show his excitement.  He doesn't come by this strangely, his father once had a stripper tell him to cheer up.  They're just that way.

Seamus on the other hand dances and sings.  He has no questions about it afterwards just enjoys it for what it is.  He was very upset to leave and it showed.  Liam was upset too but unless you really listened you'd never have hear him say "I really wish that wasn't over yet."

Seamus loves to dance and sing.  He only hears a little bit of the chorus and starts singing loudly, who cares if he gets 90% of the words wrong.  He makes up dances too and names them.  It started with the jig, something he also calls the "dittle lee" dance.  He then started the "Butt Dance" and "Booty Dance" which despite the names are quite difference.  He has his "New Dance" that he will only do for Papa and now the "Baby Dance" that is obviously highly influenced by Baby Nick's "Food Dance".

We didn't get home until very late so we are all dragging this morning.  Seamus was up in the night and then up VERY early this morning.  He is usually up early and I can hear him climb of bed (he grunts and groans like an old man).   He yells "WWWAAAAAAHHHHH" as he runs down the hall.  We aren't sure if that's to clear the hall of dogs or boogey men.  He launches himself into our bed from about the door to our room, wraps his arms around my neck and puts his feet between my legs for warmth.  Then he sighs a big "AHHHH" as though happy and surprised he made it.  Sometimes he'll go back to sleep but mostly he starts singing.  Sometimes he picks such obscure songs that I can't imagine where he's gotten them.  Songs from the 50's, songs I am sure he could have only heard once.  

Liam woke up late as usual but got dressed himself and went right out to help Ger in the garden and collect the eggs.  He showed no signs of wanting to come in and eat and get  ready.  He is so ready for summer to begin.  I love how he throws himself into each season.  In winter he gets up and gets himself ready to ski, just in case we can work that out for him. In summer he's ready for the beach or the garden or a ball game the moment his eyes open.  He takes all of this very seriously.

We were very late getting Liam to school and had a few things to pick up at the grocery store but Seamus was so tired he did not want to go in the cart.  He just kept saying "I just want to HUUUUGGG youuuuuu!"  I carried him as long as I could but he's heavy and pushing the cart and holding him became really hard.  I told him that I just had to put him in the cart a bit.  He refused to bend his legs and stood firmly in the front seat.  As I tried to sit him down he put his finger in my face and said "Curse you MOMMY!".  Of course there is one old lady always near by who either never had kids or forgets what kids are like and gives me the "tsk tsk tsk".  Ahh bite me old lady, we're doing the best we can here.

Then we get online and Seamus starts up a conversation with the lady behind us.  He told her he had a dog named Seamus.  And she said "Oh yeah and what's your name?"  He said "Guinness."  I had to explain to the shocked woman that we did not, in fact, name our child after beer and that he was fooling her. Something that I am sure he learned from his big brother who loves to trick people now.....more on that later.

Welcome to Oh SEAMUS

Many of my friends suggested I should start a blog because the lunacy in our house is too much for the standard Facebook Status.  I thought I'd give it a try but can't guarantee I can keep it up.  I've titled it "Oh SEAMUS" because I swear I say that more then any other phrase I have ever said. Sometimes in exasperation but mostly not.  Our Seamus is a funny, funny boy.  

We should have known what we were getting when we had Seamus.  It took a huge act of science to get us Liam.  We waited anxiously every month to see if we were pregnant and month after agonizing month we were not.  After nearly a year and a half we finally found ourselves expecting.  We walked on eggshells, followed every rule ever written about having a healthy baby and 3 weeks early, there's Liam.  Early yet huge.  

Seamus on the other hand was a poorly timed surprise, his sense of humor evident at conception. We had just closed the day before on a new house.  Twice the price of the house we were in.  The sale of our current house had fallen though.  We had two mortgages and no maternity insurance (thinking we would buy it when we though to try again).  Looking back this is very funny, then....not so much.  With my second pregnancy many of those precious rules were broken.  I lifted, drank coffee, took a sip or two of wine or beer, ate soft cheese and lunch meat.  Threw caution to the wind.....it shows.

Now I am not putting Seamus above Liam.  Liam is very funny in his own way, usually unintentionally.  This blog will address both of them but Seamus does provide a lot more material.  He loves to get a laugh out of people and is a born performer.  Where Liam is quiet and serious Seamus is a loud riot.  He laughed from the time he was a month old.  Don't try to tell me it's gas, it was a belly laugh.  I have had gas, it's not that funny.

They love each other beyond reason though which I love.  I laugh almost all the time.  Although their love for each other often has them teaming up against me....like today.   

Am off to my niece and nephew's Harambe so will post more another time.