As everyone who knows us can attest, baseball has been a primary part of our lives since Nolan was 4. We've been thru it all, tee ball, pee wee, little league, prep league, travel ball, state tournaments, world series, laughter, tears, joy, anger, the works. Nolan has always been a great player. His fundamentals are the best out there hands down. He tried out for high school ball last year and didn't make it as an 8th grader because he was "too small". Yes, he is small but he can outplay anyone out there. So, he waited, trained, got stronger and this year tried out again.
Now unless you have a child who is a good athlete and tries out for various teams, all star teams, etc., you have no idea what the waiting is like (for the parents I mean). It is pure torture; horrific and painful and LONG! We had a feeling that Nolan would make the team but you just never know. All the schools in our county/city have Freshman teams except ours, so in the other schools, everyone makes it. It's not like that at Greenwood....it's only the most talented (for the most part - occasionally one slips in who isn't that great but...).
This past Tuesday, the 19th, Nolan got the word from the coach that he made the JV team. He will be playing 2nd and shortstop. Of course, two people called to tell me before Nolan even got home so I had some quiet time to scream, yell and jump up and down prior to his arrival. I also had time to make a balloon run and get some yellow and green balloons out in the driveway for him when he arrived.
The only thing that really bugs me about this whole situation is how unexciteable Nolan is. He is so much like his dad....we could win the lottery and they would just smile slightly and nothing more. (Thank goodness Nathan and Jackson are like me and go crazy when they are excited). I am in the foyer jumping up and down with Nolan (dragging him up and down is really how it happened) and he looks at me like I'm a fool. I had to express it though. This is his dream and one of our many dreams for him and I just cannot contain myself.
Actually, there is one other thing that bugs me now that I think of it. Other people don't act as excited as me (some do, close friends who have children in sports). I heard sthe same thing over and over "well, are you surprised he made it? did you think he wouldn't" or "I would have been more surprised if he didnt' make it". It's not that I didn't think he could or should make it, it's that people don't realize that you can't take these things for granted. Yes he should make it and yes, he could make it but until I get confirmation that he did, I cannot get excited. Therefore, everyone should be as excited as me!! As I said, unless you have an athlete/all star child, you just don't understand the excitement and the joy.
I am now going to have to start a new scrapbook just for HS baseball...how exciting. Nolan's baseball scrapbook is done from his first year up to 2005 I believe. I will have a separate one for HS ball and will begin soon. I will post a page or two when I get it going.
The screaming is over for now; the excitement is calming some. We had a celebratory dinner at Crabs (Jackson's name for Red Lobster) last night but I still feel like I have not completely expressed my overwhelming joy. I guess Iwill have to hold it in or someone might have me committed for my random outburts. I will post once the season starts and keep this updated.
"All kids need is a little help, a little hope and somebody who believes in them". - Magic Johnson
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
sickness
This week has been filled with bugs...all sorts of bugs. Nolan started feeing rough last Sunday - Super Bowl party day and since only one Urgent Care facility is open on Sunday (to care for 100,000 residents, plus the thousands from surrounding counties), we were not able to get near the registration desk, much less get him to see an actual physican. I diagnosed him with strep throat about mid way thru the day Sunday and managed to secure some anti-biotics from a friend (Yes, I do this type thing when necessary...I am a nurse and we do what we have to do). Monday, our doctor confirmed that Nolan had strep and put him on his very own antibiotics....So, Nolan was home with me Monday and Tuesday - he's a good sick person though - he sleeps, eats a bit and then plays video games.
This brings me to Tuesday night when little Jackson (almost 5) tells me that he doesn't feel good. I knew it was coming so I kept him home Wednesday - he spiked a fever too. I diagnosed him with a sinus infection or some viral type thing. He's a good little sick person too...lays in bed and watches TV and that's about it. I slept with Jackson Wednesday night until about 2:30 am when along comes Nathan with "mama, I don't feel good". Yep, he had a fever and when he dozed off, he moaned like he was about to die. I diagnosed him with the flu right away...even his eyes were hurting.
Thursday, Jackson and Nathan were home with me and we were off to the pediatrician (2nd visit this week, 3 kids). I told him that Nathan had the flu and he agreed to test both the boys just to be safe. I was 2 for 3; Jackson AND Nathan had the flu. What joy. This was not your typical, layin the bed, ache, cough, vomit, near death experience kind of flu thank Goodness. This is a look worse that you feel kind of flu. Nathan and Jackson were given Tamiflu and Nolan was given a 10 day does of Tamiflu for preventative measures. (Pat and I didn't get a thing with regard to preventative measures...I guess it's okay if we get it and take to our beds - who will care for the children??). Do you know how much Tamiflu costs? I didn't have any idea as we have not been blessed with the flu bug until now. With our 20% co-pay, Tamiflu is $58.00 a prescription, without insurance it appears to be in the neighborhood of $275 to $300 a pop. Thank goodness for insurance!!! Today is Saturday and after the days home from school, the boys are now back to their old selves...running, playing and doing all the boy things they normally do. Thank goodness this is a mild case. My friend Deb, who I love dearly, has no children of her own and she tells me that she cannot fathom how I stay healthy with all my "typhoid children" running around. I agree...hopefully Bryson, Pat nor I will get this nasty thing...we all know it's worse on the old people. Ha. Thankfully, my kids are good "sick people" and do not act too sick. For this, I am grateful and I am also extremely grateful that this was a respiratory things and not the good old-fashioned "puking virus".
So that's been our week...well, my week. Pat has been off on his "father's life out" work and pee wee baseball functions while I am at home tending to the sick and weary. I guess that's okay...hopefully the boys will choose NOT to put me in a home for the elderly when I get old!!
Hope that next week is without illness.....
Addendum February 16 (Saturday). Next week was not without illness as I had wished for. On Tuesday the 12th, Nathan's teacher called at 2:30 and he was crying with his ear hurting. I knew that this was trouble so I loaded up on Tylenol and picked him up. The minute he got in the car I gave him some pain medicine and we headed for the MD. Sure enough, he had a fairly significant ("ugly") infection in the left ear. (2nd one in 7 years). He was put on Onmicef and we headed home for Advil, antibiotics and sleep! He felt fine the next day and went to school; his brothers were out for a snow day (except we had no snow).
Skip to Saturday 2/16 (today). Bryson has had a snotty nose for 2 weeks. The child has never, ever in 19 months been to the doctor for anything other than a well-baby check up. Last night, he woke up in the middle of the night. He wasn't crying but awake. I immediately had a flashback to when Nathan was a baby and had ear infections all the time. I knew that Bryson had one. Even though he had no symptoms, I took him to the MD. I was right. He had an ear infection in the right ear so....more antibiotics. This time, Amoxicillin x 10 days. He's feeling fine, just a little snotty and a little grumpy from the meds.
Now, let's home the upcoming week is healthy!!!
Who ran to help me when I fell, and would some pretty story tell, or kiss the place and make it well? My mother. - Ann Taylor
This brings me to Tuesday night when little Jackson (almost 5) tells me that he doesn't feel good. I knew it was coming so I kept him home Wednesday - he spiked a fever too. I diagnosed him with a sinus infection or some viral type thing. He's a good little sick person too...lays in bed and watches TV and that's about it. I slept with Jackson Wednesday night until about 2:30 am when along comes Nathan with "mama, I don't feel good". Yep, he had a fever and when he dozed off, he moaned like he was about to die. I diagnosed him with the flu right away...even his eyes were hurting.
Thursday, Jackson and Nathan were home with me and we were off to the pediatrician (2nd visit this week, 3 kids). I told him that Nathan had the flu and he agreed to test both the boys just to be safe. I was 2 for 3; Jackson AND Nathan had the flu. What joy. This was not your typical, layin the bed, ache, cough, vomit, near death experience kind of flu thank Goodness. This is a look worse that you feel kind of flu. Nathan and Jackson were given Tamiflu and Nolan was given a 10 day does of Tamiflu for preventative measures. (Pat and I didn't get a thing with regard to preventative measures...I guess it's okay if we get it and take to our beds - who will care for the children??). Do you know how much Tamiflu costs? I didn't have any idea as we have not been blessed with the flu bug until now. With our 20% co-pay, Tamiflu is $58.00 a prescription, without insurance it appears to be in the neighborhood of $275 to $300 a pop. Thank goodness for insurance!!! Today is Saturday and after the days home from school, the boys are now back to their old selves...running, playing and doing all the boy things they normally do. Thank goodness this is a mild case. My friend Deb, who I love dearly, has no children of her own and she tells me that she cannot fathom how I stay healthy with all my "typhoid children" running around. I agree...hopefully Bryson, Pat nor I will get this nasty thing...we all know it's worse on the old people. Ha. Thankfully, my kids are good "sick people" and do not act too sick. For this, I am grateful and I am also extremely grateful that this was a respiratory things and not the good old-fashioned "puking virus".
So that's been our week...well, my week. Pat has been off on his "father's life out" work and pee wee baseball functions while I am at home tending to the sick and weary. I guess that's okay...hopefully the boys will choose NOT to put me in a home for the elderly when I get old!!
Hope that next week is without illness.....
Addendum February 16 (Saturday). Next week was not without illness as I had wished for. On Tuesday the 12th, Nathan's teacher called at 2:30 and he was crying with his ear hurting. I knew that this was trouble so I loaded up on Tylenol and picked him up. The minute he got in the car I gave him some pain medicine and we headed for the MD. Sure enough, he had a fairly significant ("ugly") infection in the left ear. (2nd one in 7 years). He was put on Onmicef and we headed home for Advil, antibiotics and sleep! He felt fine the next day and went to school; his brothers were out for a snow day (except we had no snow).
Skip to Saturday 2/16 (today). Bryson has had a snotty nose for 2 weeks. The child has never, ever in 19 months been to the doctor for anything other than a well-baby check up. Last night, he woke up in the middle of the night. He wasn't crying but awake. I immediately had a flashback to when Nathan was a baby and had ear infections all the time. I knew that Bryson had one. Even though he had no symptoms, I took him to the MD. I was right. He had an ear infection in the right ear so....more antibiotics. This time, Amoxicillin x 10 days. He's feeling fine, just a little snotty and a little grumpy from the meds.
Now, let's home the upcoming week is healthy!!!
Who ran to help me when I fell, and would some pretty story tell, or kiss the place and make it well? My mother. - Ann Taylor
Monday, February 4, 2008
party
Nathan's birthday celebration was Friday night; we started out at our house with 4 of his little friends, took them bowling and then back to our house for cake and presents. Following this event, I promised myself that I will never, ever, again speak ill about my children's behavior, nor will I allow my husband to speak of the children's behavior in a detrimental manner. The reasons are as follows: at one point at the beginning of the party I entered my sunroom to find two of the partygoers SCREECHING at the tops of their little lungs. I have never heard such a sound come from a human body, much less a human so small and a human who is not being hacked to death by a machete. These little boys RAN through my house, made bodily function noises at the table and continued to disregard any requests on my behalf for quiet. I am not sure what happens to these little darlings when they arrive at someone else's house but I have warned all of my boys that if they should ever think of acting this way at our house or at someone else's house, they will surely be sent away to military school. I am so very thankful I have good boys.
From this birthday celebration, I have also learned that as a parent, you must ALWAYS use caution when speaking about personal information in front of your children. I have shared the following story with my friends, because it makes me laugh and it also scares me to think about what children say OUTLOUD sometimes. My husband Pat and I took two vehicles to the bowling alley Friday night. I had two little darlings with me and Pat had 3 with him. I was discussing sports (imagine that) with my two little passengers (both 7 years old) and then the two of them went on talking about various sports injuries and getting hit in the "weenie" with a ball...the weenie conversation went on for most of the drive (just a short drive...maybe 5 minutes...but) and then I heard something come from the mouth of one little darling that has scarred me for life. The little boy says..."you know, it hurts getting hit in the weenie but 'my dad, he has one of his testicles that don't work'". YES, he said that...exactly what I wrote. At that very moment, I thought I was going to wreck my car and wet my pants. How could I not laugh outloud? It is very hard to hold a laugh like that inside your body but at the same time I was completely MORTIFIED because I know this man and his wife. He would die a thousand deaths if he knew that his baby son told the world (well, just me and another 7 year old, but still)that one of his testicles did not work. Can you imagine ???? I guess I am thankful that all of our body parts are in working order and this is a glaring reminder to me and my friends to watch what we say in front of our kids. (it was tooooo funny though).
I suppose the main thing is that Nathan had such fun with his buddies and they are a sweet little group.....I did notice however that Nathan and his little buddy Jack (who was our neighbor in our other neighborhood) were so much better behaved than the other children, which makes me very proud of my boy!!
"My mother taught me to walk proud and tall, as if the world was mine. - Sophia Loren
From this birthday celebration, I have also learned that as a parent, you must ALWAYS use caution when speaking about personal information in front of your children. I have shared the following story with my friends, because it makes me laugh and it also scares me to think about what children say OUTLOUD sometimes. My husband Pat and I took two vehicles to the bowling alley Friday night. I had two little darlings with me and Pat had 3 with him. I was discussing sports (imagine that) with my two little passengers (both 7 years old) and then the two of them went on talking about various sports injuries and getting hit in the "weenie" with a ball...the weenie conversation went on for most of the drive (just a short drive...maybe 5 minutes...but) and then I heard something come from the mouth of one little darling that has scarred me for life. The little boy says..."you know, it hurts getting hit in the weenie but 'my dad, he has one of his testicles that don't work'". YES, he said that...exactly what I wrote. At that very moment, I thought I was going to wreck my car and wet my pants. How could I not laugh outloud? It is very hard to hold a laugh like that inside your body but at the same time I was completely MORTIFIED because I know this man and his wife. He would die a thousand deaths if he knew that his baby son told the world (well, just me and another 7 year old, but still)that one of his testicles did not work. Can you imagine ???? I guess I am thankful that all of our body parts are in working order and this is a glaring reminder to me and my friends to watch what we say in front of our kids. (it was tooooo funny though).
I suppose the main thing is that Nathan had such fun with his buddies and they are a sweet little group.....I did notice however that Nathan and his little buddy Jack (who was our neighbor in our other neighborhood) were so much better behaved than the other children, which makes me very proud of my boy!!
"My mother taught me to walk proud and tall, as if the world was mine. - Sophia Loren
Friday, February 1, 2008
birthday
Today, February 1st, is my Nathan's 8th birthday. I can hardly believe that this child is 8 years old. For many years, after Nolan, I didn't think that I would ever have another baby so when we finally made it past 20 weeks and were home free during my pregnancy, I was elated knowing that we would have another son. My children's actual "birth" days are memories so fresh in my mind, they are almost like yesterday and I hope it stays that way forever; those 4 days were the happiest and most memorable I've ever had or will ever have. The moments following his birth are so clear to me that I can still remember what his skin felt like and tasted like when I kissed him on his forehead for the first time. I remember asking over and over if he was alright and I immediately ordered my husband to leave my side and go straight to Nathan and the nurses who were taking care of him. The little guy had some trouble with fluid in his lungs following the c-section and was in the NICU for 8 hours or so, but he did just great and came home right on schedule.
Being Nathan's mom is a true gift, ,mostly because of his gentle, sweet spirit and his kind heart. As I have mentioned in an earlier post, he sees the good in everything and everyone and I truly wish that I could be more like him in so many ways.
I try earnestly to teach my boys the things that are important in life - strong morals, standing up for what you believe in, trusting in God, loving your family, being kind to others, etc, yet I find that the children teach me just as much or more than I teach them. I never really thought about that happening until I'd been a parent for a while, however now I learn from my boys on a daily basis.
My prayer is that Nathan will always be the loving, compassionate person that he is today; I know in my heart that he will be. I hope he knows each and every moment of his life that he is truly a gift from God; he proves it every day! I love you Nathan.
"Who is it that loves me and will love me forever with an affection which no chance, no misery, no crime of mine can do away? It is you, my Mother". -Thomas Carlyle
Being Nathan's mom is a true gift, ,mostly because of his gentle, sweet spirit and his kind heart. As I have mentioned in an earlier post, he sees the good in everything and everyone and I truly wish that I could be more like him in so many ways.
I try earnestly to teach my boys the things that are important in life - strong morals, standing up for what you believe in, trusting in God, loving your family, being kind to others, etc, yet I find that the children teach me just as much or more than I teach them. I never really thought about that happening until I'd been a parent for a while, however now I learn from my boys on a daily basis.
My prayer is that Nathan will always be the loving, compassionate person that he is today; I know in my heart that he will be. I hope he knows each and every moment of his life that he is truly a gift from God; he proves it every day! I love you Nathan.
"Who is it that loves me and will love me forever with an affection which no chance, no misery, no crime of mine can do away? It is you, my Mother". -Thomas Carlyle
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