Family Rugby Weekend

A few weekends ago we traveled to my parents' house for a visit and for a rugby game. 

But first-- before we left, Ian and I did a little autumnal activity. His PMO teachers told me how much he loved sorting leaves at school, so we collected a few to sort from our yard. They were right! He LOVED sorting the leaves and telling me what colors they were.

Back to the rugby game and family weekend!

We drove up on Friday afternoon, arriving after dinner at my parents' home in Paris. Virginia, that is.

The next day we hopped in the car and headed to the rugby game near Fredericksburg. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to spectate at a sporting event.

 While the guys warmed up, we spent some time with this beautiful lass.

 Ian & Bea, as some MOPS caregivers have stated, act quite like siblings. They love each other one minute and then fight the next.

 Soon the game started and Dad joined Mom & me on the sidelines. Due to having to keep track of Ian throughout the games, I still haven't really learned the ins and outs of the game. Jim and I plan to have a few rugby-watching dates in the future, so I can learn more. Dad, having taken a new interest in the sport since Jim's started playing, was able to teach Mom and me a bit.

In these photos, Jim is sometimes quite hard to identify. Most of the time he's the one tackling someone, and therefore he is quickly buried under a pile of men. Tips for finding him include looking for a black scrum cap (to protect his ears from becoming "cauliflower ears") and a small bun sticking out of the back of the cap and the number 5 jersey on the blue team. He is also wearing a pair of maroon spandex (what else do you call them?) under his rugby shorts and is wearing white cleats. Look for the maroon shorts. He has had them since high school, but unfortunately they ripped during the warm-up for this game. 

In this photo Jim is the one pushing closest to us, for the blue team.

This is Jim after protecting one of his teammates. He hardly ever gets the ball himself and mainly is a support player. He loves this job.

This is called a "scrum."

Here you can see Jim pretty well. 

 Jim is normally hidden within the scrum. Here's a set of pictures of them getting set-up.

 Here they started spinning the opposite team. 

 For some reason unbeknownst to me, they called a foul on the scrum the first time. So, they started again.

 Our friend Matt is normally waiting to receive the ball from the scrum and start the play down the field.

 It was so fun to be able to share the game and watch it with Mom & Dad! Thanks for coming!! They got grandparent awards for walking Ian around the field until he fell asleep in the stroller, as well as helping to take care of our friends' dog. Thank you for your help!!

The famous "Baby Dale."

I am so grateful to have Anna & Val, two other doctor spouses and rugby player wives, to watch the games with. They are great friends and I'm thankful to enjoy fellowship with them, while watching the games week after week.

Jim's team won by a great deal. I don't remember the exact score. He was thrilled with the game and really pleased that it was the game my parents got to see. At the very end of the game Jim made a great tackle and, for the first time I've ever seen, he got the ball and moved it close to the endline. I think he even made the final assist!

NEXT, we enjoyed a really nice family evening! Phoebe & James hosted everyone at their wonderful home for a soft taco potluck dinner. It was our first time seeing their new abode and it is so spacious and lovely. I am really happy for them!

Ian was quite intrigued by their new kittens, leading them to hide for most of the evening. He then tackled Äma into some pillows before singing a few songs with her on the floor. It was a very sweet moment. 

 And then it was time to play with Aunt "Beebee."

One of the kittens decided to be a little brave. 

Out of the blue, earlier that week, Ian walked up to Jim, looked him in the eye, shook his hand and said, "Nice to meet you, Papa!" Jim and I were both shocked and laughed and made a big deal out of it. That weekend he had fun showing off his new trick to our family. Here, he surprised James and did it. Thank you for the photo, Pheebs!!

I asked at PMO and they said that they hadn't taught this to Ian. 

One of the teachers said, "That's all Ian. 

Mr. Northrup, my principal in elementary and middle school would be so proud.

We waited until all of the beautiful natural light was gone before deciding to get a family photo. It's pretty dark, but captures all of our smiling faces.

So nice to be with family.

Thank you all for hosting us!!!

Here are my two ruggers. Ian is starting to memorize books and wants to read certain ones over and over again. This book is from Aunt Sherri and he wants to read it multiple times daily! Thanks, Aunt Sherri!!!

Our Singing Bird

"But there's none of them can sing so sweet, my singing bird as you."

- Old Irish Song

These are lyrics from one of the songs that my dad's children's group, SCORE, would sing. The words ring so true for our little singing bird.

There is no sound sweeter than listening to him sing. Seriously.

He sings the following songs, "Baa Baa, Black Sheep," "Old MacDonald" (mainly just suggesting animals and their sounds), "The ABCs," "Twinkle, Twinkle," "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed," "Four Green and Speckled Frogs," "Five Little Monkeys Swinging in the Tree," and fumbles along to  "The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night," "I'll Fly Away," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and "Down in the Valley."

He always seems to choose "I'll Fly Away" as one of his comforting nap time or night time songs. It's one of my favorite songs and holds a lot of meaning to me, so it's been really wonderful to enjoy with him.

He has enjoyed singing to our baby in my belly, too. It's sweet to watch him lift up my shirt to sing to him/her. What a good big brother!

Singing calms him down, gives him joy, and brings him great comfort. I hope this love and passion for music continues throughout his lifetime.

Follow Your Gut

I have to share the latest development that has me SO VERY THRILLED!!

Much of my parenting journey has been a struggle between following my mama's instinct and wanting to know and do what's best for my child, based on research. Ugh! It was a battle to find the balance. In the second year, I was much better about only following my gut rather than asking for advice and searching for articles every time I wanted guidance.

I can already tell that I will be much more relaxed for the second child. I truly believe that you have to do what works best for YOUR child and YOUR family. That's all that matters.

Well, we certainly took the route of survival when it came to nursing and sleeping and raising Ian. During his pregnancy we were determined not to co-sleep and then immediately chose to co-sleep on the night we brought him home from the hospital. We never turned back. We had to in order to survive. That's what Ian wanted and needed. And, in the end, it's been a really beautiful journey.

We nursed until he started really slowing down and it became a bit too painful and much during this pregnancy. The last time he nursed was during his 22nd month. That was much longer than I ever expected we would.

Co-sleeping and breastfeeding have been truly incredible adventures.

Due to the fact that we co-sleep, I had been lying down with Ian until he fell asleep for both naptimes and bedtimes. We'd read books, sing songs, and then lie next to each other until he fell asleep and I would leave the room.

In the last two weeks, I found a new pattern and routine that's worked for us. He loves to say, "I'll be right back, Mama" and then leaves and returns.  Or, he doesn't mind it if I say it and come back. He even repeated it the whole time I was at the beach... "Mama be right back." He feels secure in that we will always return for him and that's a wonderful thing. A fantastic bond that's been built.

Well, I have started telling him that I will be back to check on him after he falls asleep. We read books, sing songs, and then hug and kiss before I leave the room. He has fallen to sleep for naps and nights for a week now, comfortable and secure in the fact that he is safe in his own bed and without his mama.

This has given me so much extra time in the evenings and more freedom in the afternoons. It's given him independence and an ability to fall asleep, securely loved, but on his own. I am so glad that we waited and did this at his own speed, even though it was certainly challenging and exhausting at times. He's able to come to us if he needs to, but he doesn't choose to.

This weekend we were at my parents' house and he needed me to return to the room once or twice more each night, but this was only for extra hugs and kisses. Extra reassurance in a place other than our home. It was a need and it was met. He then felt secure and fell asleep.

Every child is different. This is what Ian needed. He is a truly active and busy child by day, sits very still for book after book, loves hugs and kisses, and by night, he loves cuddling.

Our next step will be trying to move him back into his own bed at night. He moved back into our bed during the first trimester of this pregnancy because he would wake once in the night, and that was too much for me. Now he sleeps through the night in our bed, but soon there will be another baby waking often. It will be best for all of us if he's in his own bed and rested (we think!). But the most recent accomplishment of falling asleep on his own, happily and contently, is huge and wonderful.

My fervent prayer is that I will be able to show our next child the same love and security, but in the strategies that work best for him/her. It will be a whole new ball game and I am trying to go into it with an open mind. We may or may not co-sleep and who knows how long our breastfeeding journey will be, but one thing's for sure... I'm going to cut myself more slack and know that eventually he or she will reach the same security that Ian has (even though sometimes it seemed like it would never come!).

New Mamas,

Follow your gut, 

lose the guilt, 

and love your child and yourself the best you can. 

Do what's best for your family.

The end.

One of the VERY few occasions Ian fell asleep on his own  (and not in the carseat/stroller) before this past week.
He was sick and obviously needed some rest.

Buds & Butterflies

These two. I just love these pictures

There's a video to go with this of Iris chatting about the book and Ian smiling and saying "Yeah," after each thing she says. It's adorable.

Thank you, Gramee, for giving them matching books about one of your favorite things: monarchs! They are really enjoying them.

They have a really neat relationship and play together a lot at PMO. Ian loves to give hugs and Iris isn't crazy about them every time. She stands up for what she wants and Ian is starting to learn to respect it. It's neat to watch them interact and fun because our parenting styles are incredibly similar, making all of us feel comfortable with the interactions. 

Full Fall Day

A few weeks ago my dad came to visit. He brought with him a little red wheelbarrow, which is perfectly Ian-sized and great for playing in our wonderful backyard. Thanks, Daddio!

We always try to get a little music session with him when he comes, so here he is playing the xylophone he gave us last spring and singing for Ian.

On his one full day here, we gave him the true New River Valley, autumnal experience. We went to The Palisades for brunch, which is an amazing restaurant tucked in an unlikely location in an old, run-down town. Seriously, I dream of their brunches. Each dish is unique and mouth-watering. It's reasonably priced, and kids eat free until they are five. Woot!

Next we went to Doe Creek Orchard, which has incredible views and a large variety of apples. We picked a whopping 84 pounds. Now, two weeks later, we only have five apples left. We used them to make apple sauce, butter, crisps, pies, chips, and then a whole lot of eating. Many bags contain frozen pie fillings and sliced, cored, and peeled apples to throw into baking and cooking throughout the year.

Ian napped for the first part of the picking and then came to join us.

He sure loves apples!!

This kid.

Ian and I picked a few more to add to the bounty that Jim & Grumps had already accumulated, and then we joined them down at the wine tasting. We didn't join in, though ;)

Next we headed to Joe's Trees, which is a wonderful pumpkin patch/Christmas tree farm between Blacksburg and the orchard. We couldn't have asked for better weather to show off our area.

Ian milked the cow...

showed us how tall he was...

and then led the way to the pumpkin patch.

Err, maybe just led me. Ha! I love this picture of three generations marching over the hill. We could have taken the hay ride, but the line was pretty long. We decided to take it on the way back.

Jim ran back to double-check on the pumpkin prices, so Grumps & Ian took some time to enjoy watching and waving to the tractors as they went by.

He was surprised to find that this one had a hole in it...

Me and my three pumpkins... that belly is growing, growing, growing.

22 Weeks Pregnant

"Hey Grumps, how about this one?"

We tried to take a few family pictures for our Christmas card. I'm saving them for later, in case we use them. But here's one of all of us :)

Me and my boy. He chose one little pumpkin to bring home.

But not after piling a whole bunch in my lap and counting them over and over again. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, two... one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, two..."

Here comes the hayride!

First let's explore this tractor...

While we figured out which pumpkins we wanted, Grumps played with Ian.

Ian helped us choose a bunch of pie pumpkins to process later.

And soon our pumpkin hopped into the wheelbarrow with all of the other pumpkins to head home.

Our car was full of people, apples, and pumpkins. The sign of a harvest-full, autumn day.