Tuesday, May 31, 2011

What Happened to Mother’s Day?

It already came and went, and you probably noticed there were no bragging posts about breakfast in bed or homemade cards on Mother’s Day this year (or any other year). I did get some nice flowers and a card that played the theme song from Star Wars. Guess being a mom is like being the master of the Jedi Council. Compliment taken.

Instead, we kept it low key and followed my simple rule of mothering: moms are happy when kids and husbands are happy. I know, that sounds so 1950s, but it is not meant to suggest I fill my kids with sugar or hand Andy a bourbon when he walks in the door from a long, hard day at work. It means, moms are miserable when their kids and husbands are miserable, so why put them through torture in hopes that I will find joy. I believe this year’s Mother’s Day episode of Modern Family summed that up nicely. I too would have liked to have gone on a hike (like Claire), but no one else (like her kids) would have wanted to, and I would only have been subjected to whining, fighting and deep sighs (whether he knows it or not, Andy has adopted that telling Foley family trait).

So I got a day at the driving range followed by wings and beers at Shooter’s. Who says Mother’s Day needs to be formal? I don’t. Or that your kids need to be with you? Not me. Although, I spent the whole day with Alex and Avery, my best gift may have been a good night’s sleep – that night – in a quiet hotel room in Phoenix. Thank you Avnet for the Monday morning meeting. And I am serious when I say that.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Little League – Opening Day for the Reds

Alex did not play tee ball last year. Not because of age. Not because of his lack of interest in baseball. But because he emphatically hates the tee. So much that when we signed him up for coach pitch this season and told him that after five pitches they would then bring out the tee, he told us he would rather just take the out.

Opening day for the Reds (yes, his team won the team name and uniform lottery setting expectations too high for years to follow) was finally yesterday due to a few rain outs. And after two strikes and two foul balls, he made contact with a line drive up the middle. No tee was needed.

The game ended after three innings, three at bats and three hits. No score was officially kept, but Alex informed us that the Reds snuck out a close win over the Giants 10-9. Sounds about right and no need to check his mental score card.

Needless to say, the whole day was perfection for him. And (sappy moment here), there really is no better feeling as a parent than watching your child experience true happiness. We got that feeling yesterday, and hopefully will the rest of the season.

Here is a video of his first at bat. Wait for it …