Sweet nutball

July 17, 2014July 17, 2014Leave a comment

My boy has to be part monkey
He hangs from bars and shimmies up trees
He climbs up poles and then jumps down
In addition to being part monkey, he’s gotta be part clown.

He loves his pup and protects him well
If we forget his collar, he will yell
He teaches Rocco tricks and gives him treats
And he is proud to walk him up and down our street.

He loves to hang out with the boys
Wrestling, fighting, and playing games
He calls his friends “dudes”
And they all think girls are so lame.

He could eat 10 donuts in one sitting
Sugar and he are real tight
If he could head to Giant Eagle for breakfast each morning
He would think his mom was outta sight!

Mario is very particular about his clothing and shoes
And will take an hour to find the right hues
He likes to look cool and if he’s not feeling it
He will change yet again to a more tighter fit.
He shows off his muscles
And shows off his speed
And wants to hear accolades for all of his deeds.

His sister adores him and he makes her laugh
He tries to coach her in all sports much to her dismay
but he also lets her hug him and he always gets his way.

He is a total nut
And adores the spotlight
He does anything to get folks laughing
Be it making funny faces or dancing with all his might.

His best days ever are ones spent with his dad
Whether it’s hunting or fishing or playing football
He bursts with joy when Jon comes around
A number one dad he has found.

His mom makes him read
Which really gets him mad
But she also wrestles him and hugs him when he’s sad
She let’s him run with her in the early hours
And snag a breakfast donut, which he promptly devours.

He loves all his grandparents but Grandma Ionno he holds dear
She’s spoiled him and watched him for his entire 6 years
He snuggles with her and stays with her for days
And she always always always let’s him get his way.

Football is his favorite sport
He can’t wait to wear pads this season
He thinks he’s gonna play pro soon
And make a million for some reason.

Yet as crazy and zany as our Mario is
He’s a hundred times more sweeter and quite a whiz.
He loves to take care and give big hugs
On all of our heart strings he does constantly tug.

We love you, Mario ba Bario!

Life is messy

July 14, 20144 Comments

Yesterday, I sat on the edge of the bathtub reading Alya and Zeno to Ri as she brushed her teeth. Then I made her sit next to me to read the next page. We traded pages back and forth until the end of the chapter. One more down. She ran off to play with her friend as soon as I closed the book.
That’s how it typically rolls.
I used to have idyllic thoughts of Ri and I cuddling on the couch reading Little Women together and discussing what we read after each chapter.

Ri hates Little Women.
Ri hates to take time out from playing to read.

That’s reality. Face it, Mary.

After many months fighting it and fighting Ri to enjoy it (“Damnit, Ri, you have to enjoy reading this book with your mom because I said so!”), I’ve come to terms with reality.
Ri is going to fight tooth and nail to avoid reading. She is going to moan when I make her sit down and do it. She is not going to pick Little Women or Little a House on the Prairie as her book choices.

That is ok.

Life is messy and imperfect. Kids tend to not have your idealized version of a day well spent. They would rather sit on an iPad playing Minecraft or Animal Farm all day than do multiplication tables. I was there at one time, too.

Remember that, Mary.

When we do read together, Ri’s pleasant. She reads the words with inflection and tone. She even listens when I read to her. She engages with me afterwards when I ask her what she thought of the chapter (but that is with much less excitement and one leg out the door).
So I have learned to temper my desires and live with what I got right now. A messy, sighing, exasperated process whereby I have to initiate reading with my daughter and see her tapping her leg waiting for the last page of the chapter to arrive. And that’s ok. Because she’s reading and learning and pronouncing more words correctly even if it’s killing her. After all, how many nights did I sit up with my dad and yell at him for making me do my algebra problem over and over until it was correct? But now I’ve got perseverance and can add up grocery items in my head to know if I’ve reached $50 so I can use my $5 off coupon. The benefits come through eventually. It’s just as a parent it can get difficult to see up ahead. You get caught in the yelling and whining and you think “is it even worth it?”

But then you breathe.

And catch your daughter reading alone (albeit a People magazine).

And you remember how you were and where you are today.

And you keep plugging away at it – through the mess and tantrums – to arrive at another chapter accomplished.

Mighty Girl

July 11, 2014Leave a comment

Yea, my daughter is no joke.
She’s not scared to give a poke
And see what the world brings her.
I love that she’ll toss that melon
Right up on her shoulder and have no one tellin’ her different.
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She whips her scooter all over town
And not even a hard fall will bring a frown.
No, she just stands right up and brushes those knees all the while smiling away and petting her pup.
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Her little brother acts ambivalent to her strength
But he understands her power
And how she’ll go to any length
To protect him from danger and any crazed stranger.
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The adventurous gene grabbed hold of her tight.
She braves the high dive, rock climbing and biking in moonlight.
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Her laugh is infectious and she loves a good party
She will keep things a rockin’
And make folks be hearty.
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There’s never been a baby she doesn’t admire
Of her new niece, Elena, she never will tire.
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And don’t you ever get between her and family, you see
Because she adores her mom and dad and all of her kin.
And she will not hesitate to kick you to the curb if you ever mess with any one of them.

Love you mighty girl!
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We lost – get over it.

July 11, 2014Leave a comment

My girls lost their tournament game last night by an unspectacular score of 3-0. They were not hitting anything and our pitching could have been stronger. The bottom line – the other team was more “on” then we were for the hour and a half we played. Oh well, you win some and lose some, right? WRONG!
I was so bummed for my girls. The night before I had been anxious about the game and had nightmares about forfeiting it. How ridiculous. A half hour prior to the game, I had the girls throw and hit to prepare. I got them all revved up and put black ink under their eyes.
We got up to bat and my three best hitters struck out. 1-2-3. Are you kidding? Then my best pitcher went out on the mound and threw balls. The other team was well aware she was off and the girls just waited for a walk. Nonetheless, the first two innings our infield made spectacular double plays and kept the score 0-0. But we had one bad inning in the third – combo pitching and infield errors – that allowed three runs to score on us. And that did us in for the season. We could not get ourselves on base to save our lives. The girls just did not have their game on the way we needed to beat the other team. And that happens and it is ok, right? WRONG!
I lined up the girls after the last out and counseled them to congratulate the Giants and be proud of what they accomplished this year. Inside, I was churning though. After we shook hands, we circled up and I told the girls how proud I was of them; how they’d grown; how they’d come together as a team. They were dejected, and I was too. But I kept the mood upbeat and did not show it. We put our hands in the circle and chanted 1-2-3 “Go Reds!” one last time. One of my assistant coaches said “let’s also do a cheer for the Giants in order to be good sports.” The girls cringed. I followed up and demanded it was the right thing to do. Hands in the middle. 1-2-3 “Good game Giants!” we all cheered. And then the girls dispersed. Parents left. And I cleaned up bubble gum wrappers and sunflower seed kernels. I felt like I hadn’t done enough.
What is this perfectionist gene I got stuck with and why can’t I ship it off to never never land? Somehow my mind warps an excellent season with my third and fourth grade girls’ softball players to a lame one. The parents are probably mad that I didn’t coach better. The girls are going to be in a state of ruin because they didn’t get trophies. I should have worked harder at throwing and catching with them. Stop brain. Just stop. Do these gals pictured below seem dejected?!
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Loosen up on the control, Mary. You can’t mold the future and what it will bring. You can’t do anything about a girl striking out or a missed catch. Life can suck sometimes and you don’t always get what you want. Life is messy and imperfect, girls, but you keep moving forward. It doesn’t help being a control freak and a bit OCD about needing everything to go perfectly but the game provided yet another teaching opportunity to me that things aren’t perfect and I can’t make them so. And DQ helped lessen the pain a bit, too….
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And so we all move on to a new season in 2015, and embrace the great memories we have from this 2014 season, right?
RIGHT!>

Gratitude to the core

July 5, 2014July 5, 2014Leave a comment

I find myself feeling grateful so very often these days. The gratitude
is down in the core of my being – entrenched and unmovable. I find myself getting worried about losing the feeling because that would suck, I think to myself when I get caught in my “what can I worry about today phase.” I can’t remember a time in my past that this sense of gratitude was as strong, and I want it to stay. It makes me calmer and more content and more compassionate.
The kids and I went to Cincy on Friday to visit my mom over the holiday weekend. I had memories of Ri as an infant and me heading down on a Friday after work to sleep for an entire night while mom got up with Ri every two hours. And memories of Ri and Mario playing in the Timbers pool while Grandmas Heile and Menkedick sat on the side of the pool belly laughing at their antics.
We brought Rocco with us which ended up being great. He played nicely with Lou. We were going to leave him with Jon but when we went to load up the car, he ran out and hopped in the trunk and refused to budge. We even yelled “Treat!” but to no avail. He did great in the car. Just stared our the window and laid down. Stared and laid down.
We hit Blue Ash pool even though it was freezing. Mario and Ri loved the slide. They showed off their swim strokes to Grandma Lolo. Then we headed to the baby pool for old times sake. Besides, it was 20 degrees warmer. Aunt Julie came to swim with us and revved things up with her energy. She grabbed Ri and I to go off the diving boards. She got everyone in line – from old to young – to play follow the leader. We were doing splits, touching toes, you name it. Hysterical. Ri watched her aunt in amazement. Julie even went down the slide with her. TMF – Julie’s signature letters for “too much fun!”

As we headed to the car, Julie announced “I’m sitting in the way back!” Ri and Mario pleaded to sit with her for the half mile way home. Hysterical.
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When we got home, Grace was back so the kids played downstairs while Liz and I caught up. That lasted a while but then they begged to go to the park. I love Blue Ash park so it was not hard to convince me. Plus Grace-bug is irresistible.
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We arrived home to pizza and a little Walking Dead for Mario and Grandma Lolo. It was just like old times (minus the Walking Dead!).
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I drove home with two happy kids in the back seat, an exhausted pup in the hatch, and the contentment of a day well spent.
We woke up on Saturday morning and headed right back out again. This time Jon drove. He dropped us off at Riesbecks and headed to big Mario’s to do farm chores. The kids and I went to the farm to visit baby girl Elena. She is growing like a weed at 9 pounds. Her face has changed from a newborn face to an infant face in the matter of two weeks. I could not believe it. And her little thighs had some meat on ’em! M&M were so happy to hold her and love on her.
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Elena even opened her eyes for a while and took us crazy Menkedick Ionnos in full force. It’s precious to hear her cooing and sighing and breathing on you. She is vocal – there is no doubt she will voice her opinions just like us Menkedick gals.
Ri begged to stay out on the farm. She wanted Mario to stay, too, but he wanted to come home with Jon and I. Ri was not swayed; she had no issues waving goodbye to us.
Jon drove Mario and me home. Mario watched Willy Wonka and I read some Vela. Every few miles I’d glance over at Jon and a smile would form on my face. And the awesome feeling of gratitude swelled through my core.>

Whoppin’ weekend

June 30, 2014Leave a comment

It started with a rompin’ tee-ball game on Friday night. Mario was his goofy self diving after balls and making silly faces while standing on the plate. He and his buddy, Ben wrestled each other for the ball and wrestled each other while waiting to bat. Tee-ball is organized chaos but the coaches are dedicated and patient with the kids – much more than I could be.

We headed to Doris and Kim’s house to catch the Grandview bike races. The kids were in heaven with all of the partying along our old street, 2nd Avenue. Bounce houses, lemonade stands, soccer balls. Mario wrestled with his buddies on the curb for most of the evening – they are lucky they didn’t roll into the street and get pummeled by the bikers.
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Meanwhile, Ri and her girlfriends played barbies at one of her friend’s house and were content staying out of the chaos for the rest of the evening. I left around 9:30 to go make party bags for my softball gals. Jon partied hard with the kids and pulled up to the house around 10:45 with both kids still wide awake.
We got a visit from the Overbeck crew on Saturday morning. They partied hard at ComFest on Friday night and visited us before heading back to Cincy. Mario loved having Robert and Cy watch him throw baseballs and Ri ran to Aunt Laura when she arrived. Ahh, the love.
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Ri’s last softball game of the regular season was at 3 pm Saturday – right in the thick heat of the day. The girls kicked it up a notch and won 11-2. I was so proud of them.
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Ri rocked it at bat – had two hard hits down the third base line. She is a muscle up at bat – little compact thing. After the game, we had root beer floats and I gave the girls each a gift bag with a picture frame and picture of the team, a card, and candy and sunflower seeds (their favorite during games). I had so much fun coaching them and watching them come together as a team.
Jack and Sofia came to watch Ri play and she was pumped. Then they took her to Noodles with them to grab dinner. She talked the entire dinner telling them stories about the family and asking them questions about themselves. At one point, Ri burped. She looked a little embarrassed and Jack chimed right in saying “it’s ok girl I just let one out myself.” She smiled and giggled. That’s my bro, always making us laugh. Next they played Wii. Ri and Mario made Mii characters of Jack and Sofia, which was hilarious. Then they played baseball with Jack. More hilarity. Then we had to hit Jeni’s so Sofia could experience the goodness.
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A huge downpour occurred as we ate outside. Everyone was scrambling towards the indoors or under the awnings but not Ri and Mario. They ran right out into it and got soaked. That’s my babes.
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On Sunday, I woke up with a killer migraine. I knew exactly what it was from. Dehydration. I had ran, lifted, biked, done hot yoga, mowed the grass, weeded, and stood in the heat for two hours. I wonder why I was dehydrated…. Jon took Mario to Big Mario’s and Ri stayed to nurse me. She got out pictures for us to look at and rubbed my feet. Then she asked “do you want me to go to Sofie’s house so you can sleep?” I knew what that meant – she was bored to death. And so she went and I slept the entire afternoon. I finally woke to somewhat less of a headache. I drank more water. I rested. I was finally able to take a walk with Rocco and the girls at 5:30. I hate wasting a Sunday like that but I now will gulp water all day. Ri and Sofie enjoyed Stauf’s bagels and acting like they were guzzling wine (Stauf’s syrups).
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Meanwhile, Mario was not playing around. He was dead serious as he shot his beebee gun at his target. Jon said he stood in the rain for a half hour shooting. It’s his nirvana. He loves heading out to Mario’s with Jon and Jon loves taking him. It is their bonding experience now and I’m sure for years to come. Mario absolutely is smitten when Jon tells him they are going.
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Jon rang the doorbell at 9:45 pm with a sleeping boy in his arms. He transported him to me and I took him to his room. He looked like a sleeping cub. I checked on Ri and she was sprawled out like a starfish. Love.>

All in a Sunday morning

June 23, 2014June 23, 2014Leave a comment

7 am.
Ten years ago it would have floated by without notice or care. My pillow under me, Jon by my side, maybe a dream wrapping up in my rested head. Today, the house is bustling with kids’ footsteps up and down the steps, laptops chiming hello, and a pup barreling onto the bed for morning kisses.
Jon rescued me Sunday morning and escorted Rocco downstairs with the kids. That lasted ten minutes before we heard the charge of Rocco through the hall, up the stairs, and to our room. I lazily climbed out of bed, got dressed and lumbered down the steps with Rocco pushing his nose into my leg right behind me. The kids were on the couch playing Animal Jam on the computers. I gave them the “I am not happy you are on a computer and not taking care of a Rocco” look and they both closed the computer tops and pronounced “we want to take a walk with you!”
Ri got her scooter. I got the stroller for Mario in case he got tired of walking (the BOB is still our tried-and-true even though Mario is almost seven years old). We got Rocco and headed to the woods. We walked into a chirping, vibrant forest and I was elated to have my babies with me to experience such early morning goodness. They immediately dashed to the climbing tree and Rocco immediately whined and cried as they climbed the tree. He gets whacked out every time they scale it and watches them intensely until they are back on ground.

Mario and Ri went to their second favorite tree that leans way over to the side. They love to climb it. Mario decided he was going to jump off of it rather than have me help him down. All I heard as I walked out of the meadow with Rocco was “MOM!” Ri was helping him up and he was holding his back. Great, he’s broken his vertebrae. But he shook it off for try no. 2. Here’s how that try went:
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Mario jumped.
Mario feigned death.
Ri laughed hysterically.
Lovely.
We picked him up and they both went up the tree for one last hurrah before leaving for Stauf’s.
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On the way out of the woods, Mario complained that his back hurt. Maria exclaimed “I’ll carry you little buddy!” He hopped on her back and the hysterics began. Rocco chewed on Mario’s shoe and Ri tumbled every other second. What cuties.
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We walked up to Giant Eagle and the kids went in while I held Rocco (who again whined like a baby when they left). I gave them my Visa (they are so independent) and they got a bag of grapes (they had to eat a handful before a donut) and two donuts. Stauf’s was trumped by GE donuts.
Next we headed to the church park. Mario freaked about Rocco climbing the jungle gym set. He worries like heck about that dog. He was nervous about him getting lost at Park of the Roses, too. He doesn’t worry about jumping from a tree but he worries about his pup. And Rocco worries just as much about him. Mario began to swing and Rocco dashed over and jumped on the swing as Mario swung up. Mario got scratched good. I yelled at Rocco and he came to his side immediately. “It’s ok, mom. He didn’t mean it.” He has his back.
We left the park and talked about zombies and softball pitching on the walk home. Ri promised Mario she’d take care of him as his nurse when we got home because he banged his knee at the park. I carried him upstairs to his bed and she brought band-aids and the computer to him. She fetched him water and listened to him talk about his animals on Animal Jam.
Meanwhile, I went down to sit on the deck with Jon and play gin rummy. He whooped on me but I enjoyed just hanging out with him in the shade of the trees.
Pretty nice Sunday, I must say. And all of this before 10:30 am!>

Ahh, woods

June 20, 2014June 20, 2014Leave a comment

We found Rocco’s heaven last night. The creek at Park of the Roses. I rounded up the kids (including the Markles) and Rocco and we headed to the Park at 6 pm last night. My girlfriend thinks I’m crazy to head back out after a long workday but I find it refreshing. I need the outdoors after meetings all day. And it was darling to see Rocco splashing through the creek just as happy as could be. The kids had a blast, too because they were able to get in the creek with their clothes and shoes on. They really went nuts and dunked their heads under water, which they all found exhilarating.

I wish I could step out my back door and be in the woods. But, as Jon regularly informs me, that would mean giving up city life. I don’t know that I’m ready to give up on my walks to Stauf’s or the pizza shoppe. I guess I will have to be happy with the mini-woods, Tarpy, a quarter mile away; and Park of the Roses only 15 minutes away. There is something about nature that just makes it all good. I came home revived and enjoyed watching the kids and a Rocco appreciate the water and rocks and thrills of the woods. The Wendy’s Frosty afterwards didn’t hurt either.
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Swim party = no mom

June 16, 2014Leave a comment

And so it begins….
The Grandview pool held a swim party on Friday night for incoming 4-6 graders. I was hoping Maria would want to go. I knew as soon as she found out Sophie was going that would deal the deal.
She and Sophie went to Mario’s tee ball game on Friday night. They ended at 7:30 and she was urging me to go so they could head to the pool. I told her it didn’t start until 8 pm but she didn’t care.
“We need to get our stuff and be the first ones down there!”
Eventually we got Mario to stop tackling his buddies and head home. Ri got on her swimsuit and packed her duffel with Sophie’s clothes and her clothes, sunscreen, and gum.

Then she asked for money. “For what,” I asked her.
“For snacks, mom. Swimming makes us hungry.”
I gave her $6 for snacks. Then Jon called her into the family room and reached over for his wallet to give her more. She held up her arm:
“No, dad, mom gave me money. We don’t need more.”
It was precious. If it was Mario in that situation, he would have closed his mouth and grabbed that money and ran.
We drove down to the pool and Ri asked me for the $10 to get into the event. I told her that I would pay.
“But I don’t want you to come in with us!”
Oh, I guess I have officially hit the “not cool” mark. I told her I would just go to the desk in the front and pay and then leave. She sighed but allowed it. We got there at 8:05 and there was a line 20 people deep. I knew I’d hear about it.
“Mom, I told you we had to leave earlier!”
But then she dropped it and talked to friends while we waited in line. Once I paid, they zoomed inside. I followed just to say goodbye…and make sure no one attacked her….
She stood in line with Sophie to take a lap swim test to show she could go off the diving board. I wanted to stay and root her on but she brushed me away. Sure enough, this was the start of independence and it at once made me happy about her confidence and sad that she wanted me to depart.
When I picked her up at 10:30, she was jumping off the high dive and having a blast with Sophie and her friend, Nina. She did not want to go. She had a great time. She was in one piece. No one had attacked her. All was good.
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Take me out to the ball game!

June 16, 2014June 16, 2014Leave a comment

It is baseball/softball season in the Ionno household. We are in full swing this month with Mario’s games on Friday nights and Ri’s games on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mario is still in tee-ball even though he was not happy about that deal. He wanted coach-pitch this year (“babies hit off tees,” he said to me after I signed him up.) He does have a heck of a throw on him – he throws it back to the coach and nails it nearly every time. And he has some buddies on his team and on opposing teams so he has fun.
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They still all move in one big mass when the ball is hit in order to try to be the first to get the ball. It is no holds barred with elbows and kicks being used at any cost. And rarely does anyone cry about getting hurt – if this behavior happened in any other setting, it would be chaos but there is something about a ball field that makes it tolerable.
Mario got to play 1st base on Friday night. He needs to work on scooping up the ball but he was ready for it every time. I love watching him play. He hit some good balls, too. He loves to hit last so that he can run all the bases at one time like he got a home run. Very Mario-like!
After his game, he asked if I could coach his team next year like I coach Ri’s now. Warmed my heart that he’d ask me. I don’t know how I will swing both but I will find a way after that request.
He and his buddies partied it up after the game. They played keep-away and tackled each other to the ground. It took all our might to make him leave. But he had a sis that was dying to get to a swim party so she put down the gauntlet.
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Ri had a game on Saturday. Peepaw and Mama Meg came in to watch it. I get so anxious watching my girls play – I want them to play well and win so badly. They are all making great strides in their playing. The defense is making outs and we have a girl who could not hit to save her life getting hits! The girls are great about cheering each other on and patting each other on the back when they miss a ball or strike out. That was one of my goals – learning teamwork – so if all else fails, we accomplished that one.
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Ri had a great play at third on Saturday – she scooped up a grounder and tagged third for an out. She scared me because she was confused at first about whether to tag the girl or the bag and when she went running for the bag I was worried the girl would pass her (she’s strong as heck but not the quickest!). But she got an out and she was charged up because the girl she got out was the girl who had gotten her out the previous inning! Little did I know that she likes her some revenge!
But what she likes more are after-softball hot dogs and ice cream. Those girls run for the concession stand like bandits!
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And, of course, she loves having visitors cheer her on like Peepaw and Mama Meg (even if they are carting two mattresses in a flat bed truck to the game!).
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"MOM!"

Adventures in the Life of a Working Mama

Category: Parenting