Another weigh-in

Amy had her two-month well check today and yes, she is well!
She weighed in at 8 lbs. 14 oz. and is 22 inches long. She's healthy and happy. She also had to get shots and this was the first time that I had to go at it alone. With Diana, Matt was there to hold her down and I just sat across the room and looked away but today I had to hold Amy while the meanie vaccination man poked my kid's chubby little legs. He didn't even offer her a sticker! He suggested I go to the pharmacy and buy some infant Tylenol and give it to her when we got home so she doesn't get a fever. I did...that went over real well. Poor thing had this thick red syrup all over her face. She feels fine, ate lunch well and is now fast asleep.
Meanwhile, this weekend we got the first look at Au Bob and Uncle Chris' new house. Very exciting stuff and Diana found herself a new playground. She cried when it was time to leave. I don't know that she's going to have this much fun in the house once the newlyweds get furniture in the house.
Here's a picture of her reading a book that Gramma V bought her.

Comcast Rocks

Last weekend, Comcast installed a new feature -- caller ID on the television. If your television is on and the phone rings, a little screen pops up on the television to tell you who it is. This is great because even though I am on the Do Not Call list, I still get 10 calls a day from telemarketers and survey companies. Comcast is promoting this feature as good for men who don't want to be interrupted during ballgames, but this is a great feature for moms who don't want to be interrupted during the day when they are feeding their newborn. I like to have the television on all the time - to watch, yes. But for background noise. With Matt gone a lot of nights during basketball season, it blocks out the neighborhood noises and wind which sometime freaks me out. So during the day, the television is on - usually with some re-run of Golden Girls or Beverly Hills, 90210.
Comcast's new feature gives me just one more reason to have the television on all the time.
I can sit in the chair, feeding Amy or rocking her back to sleep and see who called. If it is a telemarketer, I don't have to worry about checking the voice mail later. if it's a family member, I will either get up and answer it, check the voice mail later or call them back when my hands are free. We don't have that many family members who call at home right now anyway, but the feature is great and it's just another reason that I love Comcast!

The Last Seven Days

Upon talking to my father in law last night, I realized there's been a lot going on that I haven't written about. So, here goes:

Me: I ran two miles last week on the treadmill. One mile at a time and at a very slow 15-minute pace. Matt insisted that I take it easy so I did. It was a very slow jog but I was sweating and my heart rate was up so that's good. It's kinda nice to be able to run at any hour of the night (I run while Matt is feeding Amy at around 9 p.m.). I always tell myself that once Amy eats in the morning, I am going to go back to bed for a little bit but that never happens. I get hungry then find a million things that can make my day a more productive one. I am also doing some abs, but not 400. I made that mistake once. Just 50-100 crunches a day. Baby steps!

Diana: She is working her way through Hop on Pop. She has memorized the book but when we read it out of order, she still reads the words right so I know there is some reading going on. When we read other books, I ask her to read the words she knows and she does a great job. I am so proud of her! We also did a craft project. We cut out words that she knows from old magazines and glued them on some blank pages and created her "Diana Book." Diana's constant reminders to me to sign her up for ballet and soccer finally sank in and she will be starting those again in October.

Amy: Where do I start with this one? We aren't swaddling her anymore, for starters. She was fighting it every step of the way and it wasn't worth the restless nights. So we put her in feetsie PJs and cover her with a somewhat heavy blanket and she's getting much better sleep. Her home health nurse came for the final visit last week and weighed Amy at 7 lbs. 3 oz. It was a great visit. Then, on Monday, we went to the pediatrician where she was seen by her regular pediatrician (Diana's pedi, who we love!). Amy weighed in at a whopping 7 lbs. 10 oz. The doctor said we can stop giving her the vitamins and iron drops, which was great because they made her spit up more. We can also switch to regular formula soon and not give her the preemie formula she's been on. It's very exciting!

Matt: Daddy has been very busy with football games, meetings and practice but he still makes time to color, take trips to the park and pay us all lots of attention.

We are one happy family and adjusting to our new routines quite well!

Need a laugh? Look no further

I had to make a trip to the grocery store today - not just for one or two things, for a big shop. I was gonna be there a while. Matt suggested that Amy would be fine if I just kept her in the car seat and put the car seat in the shopping cart. I have seen people do this before and I am not a big fan. It seems like it's not very secure in there. I thought about bringing the Snugli baby carrier, but thought "The husband is usually right, I will give it a try." Plus, I wasn't totally sure that Amy would fit in the Snugli yet. I hadn't had a chance to test her out in it yet.
So, off I went to the grocery store. Once there, Amy and I walked in (with her in the car seat) and I attempted to fit her car seat in the shopping cart. Now, keep in mind that I tend to talk to myself...a lot. I am standing in the lobby at Raley's trying to fit the car seat in the cart and it's just not working. It's way too wobbly. I am narrating this outloud as all this is happening. After a couple minutes, I decide that this is not going to happen.
"Amy, we are going back home to get the Snugli," I tell my one-month-old.
I go back out to the car, put Amy in and drive home. (Luckily, we only live across the street.)
Once home, I get Amy out of the car, place her (in her car seat) in the foyer, run upstairs to get the Snugli and attempt to put it together. There are ties, buckles and padding all over this thing. It's about 11:30 in the morning, I have the front door open and it's starting to get hot. I am breaking out into a sweat trying to put this Snugli back together. It's comedy. If I was on hidden camera, I am sure to have gotten thousands of hits on YouTube. (Keep in mind, that I am still talking to myself.)
After about five minutes, I finally figure it out and I have it tightened everywhere it's supposed to be tightened.
"I am not taking this thing off and putting it back together in the Raley's parking lot," I tell myself.
So, I grab my child and we get back into the car - with the Snugli attached to my chest.
We get to Raley's and life is good because I can do some worry-free shopping! It was hilarious, but well worth every laugh!
Thank you Snugli!

(Child) Labor Day

Diana knows the meaning of hard work. Well, as much as a four-year-old can know what it means. She loves to lend a helping hand whenever it's needed, no matter who needs help. Grandpa D took full advantage of her services on Labor Day, the day we Americans get to take off from work to celebrate work.

Goodbye cute clothes

For a couple weeks now, my closet has been exploding everytime I open it. Maternity clothes fly off hangers and off the shelves in the closet. OK, I get it, you want out! I must admit that I really don't need to wear them anymore. I was weighed at my six-week checkup the other day and am just eight pounds heavier than when I first found out I was pregnant. Pretty cool, huh?
Anyway, I have been telling myself for weeks now that one of the things on my to-do list was to get rid of the awesome maternity clothes that I have and re-organize my closet - giving my regular clothes their hangers back.
I did it today. I got an extra large Space Bag and put them all away. I also just sent an email to every woman in my email address book asking if they knew what I could do with these clothes. I don't want to donate them to Goodwill because I don't know that they will do anything with them. Does Goodwill have a maternity section? I was only pregnant for 7 1/2 months so the clothes weren't even worn that much. And I have to dress nice for work so they are really nice clothes.
I am excited to get back to my normal clothes (even though I won't wear them until I get back to work).
During my pregnancy I threw away all the sale postcards I got from New York and Company - didn't need them, right? Well, they are still coming...as are the emails. I hate New York and Company now. I want to shop there oh so badly, but can't. I have to wait till I start working again. Luckily, they don't really have anything that jumps out at me, but the offers of free shipping are really hard to pass up. I have good will power though!
If anyone knows what I can do with these maternity clothes, please advise!

Grow, Amy, Grow!

Amy's home health nurse came by this afternoon to check up on the little one - well, turns out Amy is not such a little one anymore. The biggest thing we like about the home health nurse (besides being very encouraging and offering great tips and advice) is that she weighs Amy. Otherwise, we would have to wait until doctor appointments to find out how much she's growing. Amy's home health nurse is a woman in her 50s and she's super nice. She genuinely cares about Amy and our family so when the scale read what it did today, she was thrilled just as much as I was. That was something that wouldn't happen at the doctor appointment with a nurse there.
Anyway, on to the good news. The last time Amy was weighed by this nurse, Amy was just home from the hospital and weighed 4 lbs 5 oz. Two days later, she had a doctor appointment and weighed 4 lbs 8 oz.
Today, she weighed 6 lbs 5 oz! So exciting. I called Matt right away and he couldn't believe it. I texted my mom and she called me immediately and was thrilled. The girl is growing so fast!
To put it all in perspective, remember that Amy was born almost six weeks ago and was just 2 lbs 15 oz. Technically, she is still supposed to be in my tummy for one more week. It's just amazing and truly a blessing that we have such a (ahem, TWO) healthy girls under our roof!

Fun Family Farm Days

Sunday gave Diana and me a chance to get out of the house and do something together. Luckily, Suisun Valley was hosting its annual Fun Family Farm Days. This is something we all usually do as a family, but we decided to make it a girls outing this year. We try to visit a different place every year when we do the farm days - last year we did the Clay Station out at Mankas Corner and Diana made a craft, we have also gone around to several of the stands. This year, I heard The Hipwaders (a local band that sings children's songs) were going to be at Erickson Ranch so we ventured out there...great decision! They had a U-pick flower garden, had lots of fresh fruit and a great atmosphere.
Even though it was really windy when we got out there, Diana had a great time picking flowers with Gramma V and listening to The Hipwaders in the patio. I even bought one of The Hipwaders CD's so we can listen to it in the car.
After Erickson Ranch, we had lunch at Valley Cafe and then went to Larry's Produce to pick up some fresh fruits and veggies. Now, this is something that Matt usually does as it's right on the way home from Solano. It tends to be a little busy out there and he has a method when he goes there. As for me, I have never gone there by myself and with me still adjusting to large crowds of people, it was a nightmare. I grabbed a few things (not nearly everything we needed) and got outta there in a jif. Matt can go back and attack that place later in the week. I'n done!


Amy update: Amy did a great job at physical therapy on Friday. The physical therapist did a series of tests on her to see where she's at developmentally and she passed with flying colors. She also asked me if Amy makes eye contact with us and responds to our voices, etc. We will go back in six weeks for another exam. It was one of the more fun appointments we have had. She will go to physical therapy until she can walk, the PT lady said, but if she's advancing along at six months, we won't have to go anymore. The physical therapist also said that Amy will be considered a preemie until she's three - very interesting. I really like her physical therapist. She's a young lady (OK, she's probably in her late 20s, early 30s) which is quite different than the other doctors Amy's been seeing.
Amy will most likely see her home health nurse this week so I will post a weight update when we get it.

Ang update: I tried to start getting back into some sort of shape this week. Silly me. I got the fit ball out and did some ab exercises. OW! I think I did about 400 and three days later I will still hurting. What kind of nonsense is that? I have a doctor appointment this week as well and I am going to ask him what is the matter with me. Granted, I realize that it's going to take some time to get back to where I was pre-pregnancy, but I have to be able to at least do some ab exercises. It's been way too hot to walk - even on the treadmill in the garage - so I am weeks away from doing any cardio. My sister asked me to be part of a relay for the California International Marathon. We'll see, I told her.

Running? Oi vay!

Hop on Pop

We chose to enroll Diana in KinderCare because of the curriculm. It's never been just daycare to us. They teach a lot and she's involved in a great Phonics program on the side at the school that has taught her a ton about her letters. She's come a long way, including being able to spell and write her name as well as Mommy, Daddy and Amy. She's always asking us how to spell something and she writes it really well.
My big task right now is teaching Diana how to read. I know, she's only 4 and a long ways from kindergarten, but why not? We are working out of Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss right now because my mom said that's how I learned to read. She's pretty much got the book memorized so I never know if she's reading the words or just remembering them. It's all the same though, right? She knows all her letter sounds, which she's learned at KinderCare so that's half the battle. I really want her to be able to read long before she goes to kindergarten so better to start now than later!

It's Never Too Soon for Tummy Time

When Diana was one week old, she came home from the hospital and Matt immediately had her on the ground doing tummy time. It was an exercise she took part in frequently.
Well, since Amy was in the hospital for three weeks, she got a little behind on her tummy time. But have no fear, Mommy won't let her get too far behind!
Here is Amy's first session of Tummy Time. She has been doing it at least once a day for ten minutes at a time. She's doing really well and doesn't seem to get frustrated very easily - that's my girl!
She has her first physical therapy appointment next Friday and I think it consists of her doing some tummy time as part of the evaluation so I want to make sure she is ready to impress!

Patriotic Songs

While it was very hard to leave Amy in the hospital three weeks ago as she continued to grow and learn how to eat from a bottle, I was glad to get home and get back to the routine that I've been used to for the past two years.
During the last month of my pregnancy, it became increasingly harder to give Diana a bath so Matt took over those duties. I still read and sang to Diana afterward but being able to do the whole nighttime routine once I recovered fully from my c-section was quite a thrill!
Lately we have added some new songs to our nighttime singing routine - America the Beautiful (we sang this one before but now it's every night) and The Star Spangled Banner. Diana does a great job with both of these songs and I was very impressed to hear her sing both songs in their entirety last night when Matt took over nighttime duties as I fed Amy. (Yes, Amy is home now).
I do hope that Diana continues to embrace both these songs, understand their meaning and have a deep love for everything this wonderful country offers us!

So proud of my girls

Matt and I are very lucky to have such great daughters. Last week, I got to see Diana in her ballet/tap class for just the second time. I took her the first day and then was placed on bed rest so Matt or Gramma V took her. They also took her when I was in the hospital. Her improvement was amazing but the best thing is how well she pays attention to her teacher. The class is 45 minutes - 30 minutes of ballet and 15 minutes of tap. It can be a little long for some 4 and 5 year olds, but I am amazed at Diana's ability to stay focused and do what the teacher tells her. The ballet experience has been really great for her - she's gaining so much confidence and really developing tremendous balance. I was filled with pride watching her last week. Her last class is on Tuesday but I am definitely going to sign her up again (and I am sure she will make sure that I do!)
Meanwhile, Miss Amy is making strides of her own. She's up to 3 lbs. 10 oz. and will be moved to Vallejo Kaiser on Friday morning. That's right, she's being evicted from The Creek. The doctors are increasing her feedings to a bottle every feeding (up from every other feeding). She's making such great progress and I am so excited for her growth. I can't wait till she can come home and our awesome family can be under one roof!

Who's that guy?

I have been visiting Amy in the hospital every weekday since I left the hospital last Wednesday. My mom (the angel) has been driving me up to Walnut Creek and back. It's been nice to have the bonding time with my daughter. She's graduated to a bottle so I have been able to feed her. Today, she did great with the bottle for me so I left there a very happy Momma. My mom is busy at work this week so I had a new chauffer - Matt! Because he had basketball camp last week, he hasn't seen Amy in over a week. Amy was definitely interested in the new, male voice that was talking to her this morning when we went down to visit. She opened her eyes a ton more than normal (she loves to sleep) and was trying to figure out who the person with the short hair was sitting with us when we were cuddling. It was pretty funny.
I talked to one of the doctors/nurses about two hours ago about Amy and she was telling me what great progress Amy is making there. She told me that she is ready to be transferred to Vallejo whenever we give the OK. I told her that we would like to keep her in The Creek for as long as we can till she comes home. I don't want to have to get used to a whole new set of doctors and nurses, especially if Amy is only going to be in the hospital for a little while longer (which is what one NP has told us). Amy is eating really good and once she becomes more consistent with her feedings, she will be able to come home. Here is the first picture of our new little girl sitting with Matt this morning. She's 11 days old!

Dedicated to the Ones I Love

I have never taken my family for granted. I have a great support system around me and am very lucky to live close to all my family and friends. This was never more evident than last week when my second daughter decided she was ready to come into the world. Since it was a week ago and I really don't want to blog about the details of her being born (since I have recapped it so much over the last week), I will just send a shout out to everyone in my family for being great.
My husband, of course, is the most awesome. By my side during the c-section and then at home with Diana, making sure that she had normalcy in her life over the past week. He took her to school and soccer and made sure that she knew she wasn't forgotten or out of our minds when Amy came. He's a rock. He had basketball camp this week and with me staying with Amy in the hospital all the way in Walnut Creek, he was basically a single dad for a few days. He was tired, I'm sure, but didn't show it. I can never repay him for being so awesome.
My mom, dad and sister provided overwhelming amounts of love and support over the past week. They drove me to the hospital at 4 a.m. (mom) and then drove to visit without even a second thought throughout the weekend (all three). There's not a greater family in the world and I love them all so much.
I have to also give a shout out to my BIL who got to knock fists with his new niece. I'm sure in no time he will have her turned upside down and laughing hysterically just like he does with Miss Diana.
I was also overwhelmed by the support sent out by my co-workers. Four years ago, when Diana was born, I got lots of support from work types. But now I work with all women and I have gotten flowers, text messages, phone calls and lots of prayers sent my way from moms who know what we as a family are going through. I am truly blessed.
I am truly a very lucky Momma. Not only do I have two great daughters who continue to surprise me every day, I have the greatest family and friends in the world.
I am back at home now, but visiting Amy every day in Walnut Creek. She's doing wonderfully! Like I said, she continues to surprise me every day and is eating like a horse - or a Borchert! :)

Oops..Suprise!

I didn't want to find out the sex of the baby until the day the baby arrived. I don't like taking advantage of modern technology, I love surprises and it's just more fun to find out when the baby actually comes. There's really nothing you can do to prepare if you know the sex in advance. OK, so you go out and buy girl clothes (all pink) or boy clothes (all sports and dinosaurs). But then later on, you find out that the baby doesn't fit into any of them because they are either a) too small; b) too big. We didn't find out what Diana was when she was born and it was the best surprise ever.
Matt wanted to find out from Day one with this baby. I was vehemently opposed and since he was unable to come to the ultrasounds, it was my decision. A couple weeks ago, my perinatologist breathed a sigh of relief when I told her just before she placed the monitor on my belly that we didn't want to know the sex.
"Oh, you have to tell me these things!" We both laughed.
One week, and I'm sure thousands of patients later, she forgot.
As she was looking at the ultrasound, she casually said "She's asleep."
HUH? WHAT?
"Uh, what did you say?" I asked.
"Oh my gosh, you didn't want to know did you?" she said as she looked over at me with a look of horror on her face.
"It's a girl?" I nearly screamed.
"Yeah," she said quietly.
"Oh my god, I can't believe we are having another girl!"
Tears start streaming down my face and I look over at Matt (hmmm, ironic that he made it to this appointment) and he's crying too.
"That's OK," he said. "In the back of her mind, she really wanted to know."
Well, no I didn't, but I did need a big smile and a nice surprise after all I have been through in the last two weeks (well, after all that WE have been through in the last two weeks) and this was definitely a good surprise.
So, a girl. More pink and purple and princesses. So exciting!
The first person we told was Diana and she and Gramma V went back to Babies R Us and purchased about five pink outfits for the baby and a pink and purple butterfly lamp for the room. No, the room is not pink and purple butterfly theme (far from it actually) but Diana just HAD to have it. Diana and her sister also have matching Big Sister, Little Sister t-shirts.
Geez, I hope my doctor was right.

Diana's Four-Year Checkup

Getting out of the house is a rarity these days so I was really excited to take Diana to her four-year check up on Tuesday. Gramma V came with us because Camp Gramma V started Tuesday and Diana is spending three days in Fairfield with her.
This appointment was the big one before she starts kindergarten. Matt and I have been talking about what kindergarten Diana is going to be enrolled in next year and we have to get that process started because it's likely she will need an inter-district transfer to have her go to school in Fairfield closer to where we both work.
Diana did great at the usual checkup stuff - weight, height, etc. Then, she had to get her blood pressure checked. She was a little skeptical at first but the medical assistant said that it would be like a grizzly bear hug on her arm. Diana thought that was hilarious. I told her it was just like when I have been taking my blood pressure at home and that eased her mind a ton. She put the little cuff on her arm and her expression immediately changed. She did great though.
Next, she had to have a vision test. The medical assistant put the "E" slide up on the board and gave Diana a cardboard E. She had Diana practice a little and asked her what way the Es were pointing. Again, Diana did great. Then it was time to put a little Band-Aid patch on her eye on do the test with one eye. Diana wasn't having it. There was nothing I could say to make it happen either. We decided to try later. next was the audio test.
Diana has to do all these tests to get into kindergarten and I explained that to her. She stepped into the booth in the audio room, seemed excited about it actually, but wasn't thrilled about putting on the headphones circa 1952. We had to pass on that one as well.
we proceeded to the exam room where I once again explained to Diana that she couldn't get into kindergarten unless she did those tests. I know she knew what I was talking about because lately everytime she sees the number 5, she says "when i am 5, I get to go to kindergarten!"
The rest of the appointment went well. We love her doctor and were pleased to find out that the new baby will get to go to him as well. He's very hard to book an appointment with these days so I was glad to hear we wouldn't have to get another pediatrician.
Diana is doing really well. At the end of the appointment, the doctor asked us if Diana knew MOST of her colors and shapes. Uh, MOST? Yeah, doc. She knows MOST of her colors...and then some! He laughed at my sarcasm and retorted that she was ready for kindergarten. I said no, we aren't gonna be like that.
Diana had to get three shots. This was hard because I couldn't pin her down to get the shots and Gramma V had never had to do that before. Gramma V is pretty strong, but I felt bad because I don't think she realized how strong Diana is when a needle is being thrust into her leg. Diana (and Gramma V) both survived.
I can't believe Diana is going to start kindergarten in a little over a year. It's crazy to think about it. I am going to drop her off at a school with 11 year olds? That doesn't seem right! I have some time to get over it, I guess.
Time flies.

My new BFF

I guess I am obligated by the title of the blog to keep family and friends updated on the status of our entire family...not just Matt and Diana. Therefore, this will be a post about my new best friend, our couch.
I was placed on moderate bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. My numbers (blood pressure and urinalysis) were really good over the weekend in rest mode so the doctor decided to keep me here...on the couch. Granted, I have to work. I love my job. But I love living and I love my family more so this was the right move. Some of my friends don't seem to understand that bed rest, even the moderate type that I am on, means that no, I can't go to work. I have to sit here and rest as much as possible. About the only time I can leave the house is to go grocery shopping and take Diana to one of her many activities this summer (she started swimming on Monday and will start soccer on Saturday).
Bed rest is not fun, but necessary. So the couch and I will bond over the next two months until the baby is ready to come. I went to the doctor on Monday and have an appointment with a perinatologist on Friday. I think they are going to want to do another ultrasound to make sure the baby is growing OK. Fine, do what you have to do, I say. The baby is moving well so I am not too concerned. Honestly, I would rather have overconcerned doctors and overprotective doctors than have doctors who say "eh, you're fine, just take it easy."
I truly believe that all this is going to make us stronger as a family. And that's never a bad thing, right? There are a lot of people out there who are a lot sicker than I am.
The night after my appointment, I had a hard time sleeping so I came down to watch SportsCenter at 2 a.m. There was a story of a 6-year-old kid who had cancer, but it was being treated successfully with chemo, etc. He had a wish to practice with the Dallas Cowboys (Matt's favorite team). I thought, "you know, this kid is going through a lot more than I am and he's 6!" I fell asleep a short time later.
I am monitoring my bp and doing urinalysis at home and all has been good for the most part. I am reading "The Associate" by John Grisham (so good!) and if anyone has any good books they want to pass on, please do. I can get through a book quick style these days!

Time of Her (our) Life

Diana made her first trip to AT&T Park on Friday night for her first Giants game. I am not going to leave out a single detail because that's what I usually do and this experience deserves all the space the internet will allow.
We took the ferry from Vallejo to the Ferry Building in San Francisco. We arrived at the building at about 4 p.m. and had lunch at Taylor's, this awesome little diner. Matt had been planning this trip for a few weeks now, doing a lot of research on how to get to the park from the Ferry Building without using the mode of transportation that we would normally use - our legs.
It turns out that the Muni station that could take us to the park was quite a walk from the Ferry Building. By the time we would have gotten to the station, we would be halfway to the ballpark. So, we just started walking - very slowly, as we had two hours until the start of the game.
(Also, in an act of rebellion, I wasn't supposed to even go to the game. I was placed on modified bed rest for the weekend on Wednesday afternoon at my doctor appt. I didn't go to work on Thursday and didn't do much of anything Friday morning before we left.)
Anyway, I am so glad that we walked. Diana had a great time walking downtown ("Look at the big buildings, Mommy!") and I got some exercise. The weather was perfect as we were walking...about 68 degrees or so.
There was a small park right next to the ballpark so we stopped there for a couple minutes and let Diana run around and play. She had a great time. We proceeded to the ballpark after that and Diana was in awe! I can only imagine how big the place looked in her eyes.
After our long walk, I was sequestered to my seat for the rest of the night. We found our seats and Diana got to watch a little batting practice. Matt took her to the Coke slide, the Build a Bear workshop store and the Fan Lot where she got to hit a few balls and run around the bases of this little makeshift field they have out in left field. Apparently, she had a blast and nearly brought Matt to tears!
When the game started, the Giants dominated from the start. Pablo Sandoval (our favorite player now because Papa John bought Diana a panda bear for her birthday and we named him Pablo because Pablo Sandoval is named Baby Panda or something) hit a home run in the first inning and the crowd went absolutely berzerk. It scared the bee jeezus out of Diana and she started crying. She was OK a minute later and danced the rest of the night whenever music played. She was in heaven and really, Matt and I were too. Who would have imagined that a 4-year-old would sit as still as she was the whole time, never complain once, never cry that she wanted to leave and just go with the flow?
Diana continues to amaze us. The game got out of hand fast...the Giants went up 13-0 right away and the Astros never came close to threatening to score. It was fun! Matt got the chance to take Diana back up to the Fan Lot and went down the Coke slide a few more times. He even let her pick out her own baseball hat...pink with a magenta "SF" on it...and the best part...it has a fairy on it. Seriously? Pink, magenta AND a fairy? That hat has Diana's name all over it! She wore it the rest of the night!
In the top of the eighth inning, after Diana and I returned from the bathroom, we made our way around the ballpark to where the ferry would pick us up after the fireworks show. Now, keep in mind that Diana has never seen fireworks. Matt and I usually fall asleep before they go off and we don't like big crowds anyway so we have stayed away from all that for the past seven or so years. But this was a great chance for Diana to see them for the first time. Across the bay, while we were waiting for the Giants' fireworks to start, there were some fireworks (green and gold). We couldn't hear them, but Diana could see them. She loved them!
Then, the lights went off in McCovey Cove and the fireworks started blasting overhead...very loud. The tears and screaming started. It only lasted a couple minutes and once she realized all the pretty colors (magenta, especially)she liked them. If you ask her now what her favorite part of the night was, she will tell you it was the fireworks. Go figure.
By the time we got on the ferry, it was nearly 11 p.m. and Diana was still going strong. She didn't need to be held, was still dancing around with a big ole smile on her face. It was three hours past her bedtime and she only took a 45 minute nap earlier in the day because of all the excitement of going to the game.
We got on the ferry finally and headed out. And that's when Diana crashed out...like a light. She crawled up in my lap and fell asleep. She stayed asleep for the most part until we got home at 12:30 a.m. and stayed in bed this morning till 9.
It was quite a night. Matt and I were beaming with pride. It was so great and something the three of us will never forget.

A new chapter

We all go through different stages in our lives. We’re one person when we are in high school; college usually brings out another person and then adult life usually changes us a couple more times.
I have been through many stages in my life – from a girl in high school who was a total jock to someone who slowly realized throughout college that basketball wasn’t the end all be all.
Becoming a mother changed me completely – for the good, of course. I never knew that I could love someone so much yet go through so many emotions on so many different levels every day.
A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a party for someone who I have known for a very long time. She was a very influential person in my life and someone who was even more obsessed with basketball as I was.
Recently, she decided to become a mother. She can’t have kids herself so she and her significant other are having a baby boy thanks to a surrogate.
After seeing her at this party, I noticed a huge change in her attitude. I hadn’t seen her in a couple years because our schedules conflicted and we just couldn’t get together. In that time, she’s become a totally different person who is thrilled with this new direction in her life.
She was always a career-focused woman, though having kids was something she always wanted. Now that it’s happening, she’s beaming with excitement – more than she ever did even after the best basketball game.
It was fun to just sit back at this party and watch her practically float around the room, mingling with friends and family. For the first time in the 15 years that I have known her, I looked at her as a friend – not a mentor.
I am supremely happy for my friend as she ventures into this new chapter in her life and know that she is going to cherish and enjoy every minute with her son.

Father's Day

Father's Day always falls during the U.S. Open golf tournament. So Matt pretty much requests that we stay out of his way. No, those aren't his words, but Diana and I do our best to keep things quiet around the house so Matt can cheer for Tiger Woods very loudly during the day.
We gave Matt his present on Saturday (we were very excited), went to a baby shower and went swimming and played the rest of the weekend. Matt had quite an extensive dinner menu that he wanted and it required three trips to the store because I kept a)forgetting something; b) inviting people over the house and c)running out of supplies.
For Father's Day, Diana and I got Matt a 9-burger slider maker. It's from Cost Plus so you can go online and check it out. It's awesome and makes great little burgers (especially for little Diana fingers) but it's a bee-atch (excuse the harsh language) to clean up. Matt actually injured himself cleaning it for the third time in one night. (Totally not kidding).
It was a great Father's Day that I got to celebrate with my dad and my wonderful husband. We even got to eat outside in the backyard and watch Diana score many a soccer goal around Grandpa D! Good times!