Birthday Dinner

I think every birthday calls for a delish dinner with friends...but when Amanda said she was coming to town I wanted to pick something special. We met my friends Brantley & Sally (with her hubs and new baby girl) at Cola's...Brantley's husband was missed, but dinner was yummy for sure! But the company was even better!



It was so much fun to see one of my closest friends from my past have fun getting to know some of my closest friends from my present...but I'm only friends with the most fabulous people so I knew they would all get along great!

My Friend's Kids

So as happy I was about spending time with one of my best friends, Amanda, I was also very excited to spend some time with her kids...and meet this sweet girl...



Sweet Selah. I've seen lots of pictures of this sweet pea, heard lots of good things about her...but I couldn't wait to get my hands on her! And thanks to Amanda's broken ankle, I got to get her out of her crib each morning, dress her and get plenty of snuggle time in. Selah's bag containing all her clothes for the weekend was accidentally forgotten...but since I haven't consigned Ruth Ann's summer clothes in size 6mth-9mths, I got to play dress-up with a baby girl for just a few more days...I loved it!!  She is just about the sweetest baby girl I've ever known!

Ruth Ann also got to hang out with Amanda's oldest...Asher. He's a year older than Ruth Ann and I have big plans of him watching out for Ruth Ann when she's a freshman at Auburn...



Even though I don't get to see these kids as often as I would like, I love them because they belong to Amanda. I feel the same way about all of my good friends kids...but Asher needed confirmation...

During his visit he had a rough night on Thursday night...he slept very little and when I woke up I found him on the couch in the living room. He told me he was keeping his parents up all night and they kicked him out of the bedroom. Amanda was positive he had and ear infection because he only sleeps like that...or rather doesn't sleep...when he has an ear infection. I needed to go by the ENT practice where I work anyway to pick up something from a co-worker so I told her I would check his ears. Turns out he did have fluid and one of the doctors I work for...who always restores my faith in where I work and reminds me that I work for & with really fabulous people...checked him out, confirmed he had an ear infection and wrote him a prescription. Amanda's husband had finished his work at Michelin, so he was back at my house waiting on us...when dropped off the kids for naps and then Amanda and I enjoyed a kid free afternoon. We picked his prescription up and headed home for Asher to take it and then Ruth Ann had soccer practice. Asher was dying to join her...but Amanda was really exhausted at this point so I offered to just take both of them...it was just soccer practice, I could handle this solo...ha!!

Practice went smoothly and when they were finished I passed out bottles of water and loaded up Ruth Ann and Asher. A little over half way home I heard Asher start to cry, I looked up just in time to see him begin to throw up in the 3rd row of my car...Ruth Ann looked over to Asher sitting next to her just in time to get a front row seat...and she began crying like he had thrown up on her...oh, and keep in mind this is all happening on my birthday...and the Friday night before Tripp threw up all over me forcing me to take my clothes off in the back yard and hose them down.

Amanda and I have laughed about this...which is why we're friends. I told her I felt positive that I love Asher just like I love my own kids because while seeing him throw up and and then be forced to ride 5 more minutes home with it in my vehicle, I never got the urge to do the same...clearly, it's love. Asher just needed to make sure it was true. Amanda and I feel like this is the real test you should put anyone you're thinking of raising your children if something were to happen to you. I hope watching Asher vomit and not doing the same put me on the short list of who the Newmans would trust with their kids!

I tried hard to get a good picture of the whole group of hooligans...here's a few cute ones...



Even those this group of kids won't be seeing each other as much as I would like...you know, like at least once a week...I have high hopes that the strength of my friendship with Amanda is going to be an example to them & no matter what the distance, they'll always pick right back up where they left off and enjoy the time they get to be together!

Thirty-what??

So for those of you who don't know me in real life or maybe you do but didn't realize it, yesterday was my 34th birthday. I'm posting this the day after my birthday since I didn't want to be all "It's my birthday!!"...but also because my hands were very full...more on that later. And as previously mentioned...I turned 34...blah...after I exited my 20's I've not been super excited about each birthday. But as this birthday got closer one of my best friends from college, Amanda, called to tell my husband had to make a business trip to my area and she wanted to tag along with her 2 kids...and it would be the week of my birthday! Also, in the weeks prior, her husband ended up with a giant infected wound on his shoulder which required surgery and is currently using a wound vac. Then, not to be out done, Amanda fell 2 weeks ago and broke her right ankle which has required a cast and the use of super cool...and very heavy...scooter in order to allow her any kind of mobility. Did I mention they are bound for Africa with a church mission trip in 2 weeks...they could use serious prayers so if you wouldn't mind pausing now to pray for some real life miracles for the Newman family I know they would appreciate it!

The Newmans arrived just after lunch on Wednesday and we had two and half days of FUN! My next post will be more about the fun with the kids, but right now I want to talk about the fun I had with my friend.



Amanda and I met when I was 17 years old at Camp War Eagle...which is college orientation for Auburn. I didn't realize this math until I was thinking about this post, but that means as I sit here typing these words as a 34 year old, Amanda and I have officially been friends for 1/2 of my life...I guess officially it wouldn't be until the summer of 2013...but it's pretty close. I can't explain to you just how nervous I was about leaving SC to move to Alabama to start college. But as I've said in past blog posts, God has always provided me with some of the greatest people to befriend me...and although Amanda will tell you she thought I was a bit freaky looking with my highlighted short hair cut and cartilage piercing in one ear...on our first day of classes in the Fall of 1996 we were both looking for familiar faces and in our freshman math class our friendship got started. I still spent weeks calling my mom crying about not having any friends like I had at home, but by the time I graduated from Auburn I had gained some of the best friends in my life.

So turning 34 doesn't feel any different from being 33...but the numbers don't match up with how I feel...I still feel 21. But this year, on my 34th birthday, I discovered the perfect way to celebrate any birthday...spend it with someone who knew you well at the age you actually feel! I had so much fun during my visit with Amanda...on her first night here I went to bed WAY after my usual bedtime...because when one of your best friends is in your house you just don't want to waste your time with silly things like sleeping...I guess girls are always that way when having a friend spend the night! And although I still feel like we were just at Auburn together, there were a few sobering reminders this week that we are now mommas in our mid 30's...like leaving dinner to come home and pay the babysitter or cleaning a child's vomit out of the backseat of my car...but all those things show how our friendship has evolved...from two scared teenagers starting college to confident college graduates, being in each others weddings to sharing in the excitement of welcoming our babies into the world. I can't imagine my last 17 years without Amanda in my circle of friends and I'm looking forward to the next 70 years! Thanks for the birthday visit Newmans!  I loved every last eventful moment of your visit and can't wait to do it again soon!

Grandparent's Day

So I think technically Grandparent's Day was last Sunday...but today they celebrated Grandparent's Day in Ruth Ann's class...Grammy was the only one who could make it...



I was surprised to find I was the only parent there...last year there were parents & grandparents...apparently "the cord" gets cut at Mt. Hebron Day School between the 2 & 3 year old class. Each child was called up one at a time to introduce their grandparent(s) and then tell everyone what they liked to do with them. There were 2 kids who didn't have a grandparent there...one looked heartbroken, I wanted to go hug her neck. After living in Auburn for 6 years I could have easily moved anywhere else and probably been just fine...I'd gotten over the initial feelings of homesickness years earlier. But I decided to move home because after an entire childhood of living 4 hours away from my grandparents and only seeing them about 4 times a year, I really wanted to live in the same town as my parents so my kids could see their grandparents often. Then I married a local guy and I'm lucky to provide my children with lots of time with both sets of grandparents. Ruth Ann doesn't know how lucky she is right now...she thinks everyone gets to see their grandparents on almost a daily basis and is confused when she finds out not everyone does the same thing. When those 2 kids didn't get to introduce their grandparents today I was never more happy about my decision to move home...and for a mom who was willing to go into work late so Ruth Ann could have a grandparent there today...thanks for coming to school today Grammy! Ruth Ann showed Grammy her favorite center to play in....



And showed her who her best friend is...



Then we looked at some of Ruth Ann's latest art work...the eyes were made from the tops of pill bottles which Grammy...the pharmacist...noticed right away...



Then we picked up Tripp-man and got a quick picture before Grammy headed back to work...

Soccer...Game 1

Sunday afternoon we got our first soccer game under our belts. Overall I think Ruth Ann had a good time. The coaches wife, Rachel, had a blanket for the team to sit on and she stayed there when it wasn't her turn to play...for the most part. She did randomly run over to me to hand me her water bottle during the game, only to return a few moments later to retrieve her water bottle...I'm not sure what that was about, maybe it was first game nerves and she wasn't quite sure where her water bottle should go. As she ran back to the team my mom told her she was doing a good job which she replied to by saying "Yeah, I know!"...I was told later she responded in the same manner when Rachel praised her for doing a good job...clearly not lacking in the confidence department around here...her older brother was always the same way, so it's a McCarty trait. They're all born feeling like they're bound for greatness! Here are a few pictures of the highlights of the game... 

Pre-game warm-up...

 

Pre-game pep talk...




I think Coach Drew was reminding them the #1 rule was to not touch the ball...which everyone followed...



But when Ruth Ann turned around the coach may have also reminded the team to kick the ball in the goal...although Ruth Ann got really close 2 or 3 times...she didn't get a goal...this time!

There are 8 players and they take turns playing each quarter...Ruth Ann was up with the first group of 4...



I know it looks like she's about to score...but she just barely missed the goal. My friend Brantley said she thinks they should make the goals just a little bit bigger for this age...I agree!

 

Again, so close...



Here she is getting pushed down...



 I love her expression here...and even though she got right back up and never shed a tear...we had a long talk about not letting anyone push her around. I know there are rules about contact in the soccer, but it's full contact at this age...we told her to stop letting those boy knock her down! I'm hoping the tough little girl I know and love will take the field next week!



We ended up playing against the team our friend Mary Beth is on...here she is showing off her skills...let me tell you, this girl didn't let anyone push her around. She was in the middle pushing right back...Ruth Ann needs lessons from Mary Beth!



Our friend Roper scored 2 goals...one for our team and one for the other team! In his defense, he was very close to the other team's goal when he got the ball all to himself...that net was just too close to resist kicking the ball right at it!



 I love this picture because it kinda sums up the whole 3 year old children playing a sport...Ruth Ann is #5 (if you couldn't tell by the blond head)...she has the ball, but her team mate who is just a few feet away on the left is more concerned about the condition of his finger nail. The field we played on was just a few feet from the play ground...and at one point during the game one of our players took off for the playground!



And this was my favorite moment of the game...Ruth Ann had the ball, but someone on the other team got tangled up in the mass of preschoolers and fell down. Our player, Trey (#9), stopped and helped him back to his feet...so sweet! I told him and his parents after the game that this was my favorite part of the whole game!



Then the game was over and then parents and friends lined up to cheer for both teams!



 And I managed to get a picture of the cutest 2 little blonds playing U4 soccer!



 And poor little Tripp-man hung in there...game time was close to nap time...and he's in the middle of battling a cold...it helped that Pa-paw was there but he really was kinda miserable...but still cute!

Organized Sports??

So Arch thinks I'm crazy for doing this...but I decided to sign Ruth Ann up for soccer for the Fall 2012 Under 4 league. He's always bothered by little kids playing organized sports...but if you know my husband then you know he's often bothered by lots of crazy things. My expectations of this season are low because I'm not going to pretend this is the path that will set Ruth Ann off onto a life time of superior soccer skills. I've always said I wanted her to play soccer, not because I ever did, but because those kids run their behinds off...and while she still finds running to be fun (and not a huge obstacle like her mother) I want to help foster that fun and maybe she'll keep wanting to run forever...we'll see.

We discovered at the first practice that Ruth Ann is the only girl on her team. I requested this team for 2 reasons...our friend Roper is on the team and the coach is married to a friend I grew up with and she was a great soccer player so I knew Ruth Ann stood a chance of learning a thing or two about soccer. For those who read this blog and went to Lexington, Rachel Peter's husband is coaching...so it's been fun watching our kids play together too.

  We finished our 2nd practice last night...



Here's the team. Coach Drew is so patient with these kids...they all seem to listen and do exactly what he asks of them...I would feel like I was herding cats!



This girl is competitive...I have no idea where she gets it! She was so funny the first night of practice...every time she would kick the soccer ball into the goal she would discreetly do a small fist pump and say "Yesss!" very softly. One problem, she seems to think everyone is going to have their own soccer ball when they play Sunday...she's in for a big surprise!



Roper watched Mason play last year...and now he's ready to have his turn!



Ruth Ann, like her daddy, loves a bottle of water. Here she is enjoying a water break...my little blond girl gets very red cheeck when she's hot...unlike her momma, she just keeps going & going!



And what do little brothers do while big sisters practice...they get hot & sweaty...and a little dirty...



Arch thinks it's going to be chaotic tomorrow...and I'm sure it will be...but I can't wait to see my little competitive girl take the field!