Grandpa, Part II AYSO

Dear Taylor, Anna and Hudson,

As we have watched you play AYSO this year I am so strongly reminded of Grandpa and his many years as my (or my siblings) AYSO coach.

When he coached us, he ALWAYS brought snack to practices.  This was back when nothing was local, organic, or sustainably farmed.  He brought Coke and Oreos or those vanilla sandwich cookies.  If it was really hot, there was a popsicle.  He always wore a whistle, and in our green machines team picture, he matched his shirt to our jerseys.

The phrases I most remember are "go after that ball"  "the balls is yours" and "look alive." I have so many funny memories of his coaching, but find it strangely hard to put them into words.  Grandpa loved to coach us!

So, as we watch you, and cheer/yell for you to "go after the ball" or "look alive" you can know I am thinking about Grandpa and how proud he would be if he could see you playing!
xoxo
mom

15 months

Dear Hudson,

You are 15 months old today buddy!!  I can't believe how quickly time is flying by as we watch you grow up.  I don't have any idea what you weigh, or even a recent picture, but let me tell you a little bit about yourself.

You love to eat pumpkin bread/pumpkin muffins.  They are your favorite, and you will go to the cupboard, get the box and hand it to me, which is your way of saying, "hey, whip up some muffins mama!" I usually do, so I can see why this keeps happening. Other than that, you are not a great eater.  We are struggling to find things you will eat, and think you might have some issues with milk.  You are going to take a trip to see Dr.  Jay next week to figure this out.

You LOVE your books.  The minute I get you from your crib, you point to your books and say, "boooooo."  You love to snuggle and read book after book after book.  You love sitting with Taylor too!  She is usually willing to read you a book or two before she wants to get back to her own reading.  Anna will happily hold your books to you and tells you great stories about the pictures!

You are such a busy guy.  You are constantly cruising around the house either moving books, trying to find a cupboard to open/empty, looking for your sisters, or just checking things out.  Thankfully you steer clear of the stairs, and only play in the bathroom every so often (it is so gross and we have SO many toys)!

You love anyone and everyone you meet.  You wave to all your friends at pick-up/drop off, and say bye bye and blow kisses to anyone!  You have such a warm, loving smile.

If there was a record book of best sleepers ever, you would be in it!  You are still taking two naps each day, usually about 90 minutes in the morning and 90 minutes in the afternoon, and by 5:45 you are done for the day.  When you are ready for bed, you usually start walking to the stairs saying, "night night, night night" until we take you up to bed. You wake up between 6 and 7 each morning and we think that is pretty great!!

Ok, just so you don't think you are perfect... I will say, you have exactly one flaw.  You screech when you don't like something.  If the sisters walk out of the room- screech.  If you want to get out of your high-chair- screech.

So there is the update bud!  We think you are pretty much the greatest little guy ever and bring so much joy to our lives.

xoxo
mom

ps- I am adding this picture, but it is blurry.  it is blurry because you won't really sit still long enough for pictures.

Letters

Dear Anna,

You are working so so hard on your letters these days. We have spent a lot of time making the letter "c" "o" and now "g". In the past, your dad may have called me "mommy dearest" when teaching your sister to print.

We downloaded an app for you to practice letters, and when you are really focused, you stick your tongue out. Missed getting a picture of it. While I have been sick, you have hung out on the couch with me doing letters!

Great job!!
xoxo
Mom

ps- next I will tell you about your love for pointillism.

So sick

Dear kids,

Sorry I am abandoning you. I have strep and feel like I have been hit by a truck.

More later on our adventures with wheel chairs, passing out during an x-ray, and why your dad is the best ever.

Xoxoxo
Mom

The Superfan

Dear Hudson,

You are such a great little brother. You spend your week taking your sisters to and from school, soccer, hip hop
and errands. Mostly, you are a good sport (thanks to movies in the car). Sometimes you are a wreck. You miss naps, snacks, and generally get annoyed that you can't participate.

Today, you won the Superfan award at Taylor's game. When we cheered, you threw your arms up (touchdown) and said "yeah"! (not really but it sounded like it)

When Taylor subbed out, you marched over to her and put your hand on her shoulder. Buddy, you are just the best little guy!! Thanks for taking such good care of your sisters.
xoxo
Mom

Trader Joe's

Dear Kids,

This is a love letter from you, to Trader Joe's. Here are a few products you are loving right now. A few notes: Hudson could survive on pumpkin muffins alone, your dad claims these blondie bars are the best.cookie.ever. Lastly, we have been offering breakfast for dinner, yeah! Now that pumpkin pancakes are here, you can have plain or pumpkin!

So, clearly there is a lot of "from scratch" baking going on around here!

Trader Joe's, we heart you.
xoxoxo
The Davis Family

Go Niners!

Dear Taylor and Anna,

One thing you love to do is cheer for your dad's beloved 49ers. This past Sunday was their first home game and Daddy was so excited!

We didn't let his absence ruin the fun! You two took turns wearing this helmet yelling go niners at the tv! Hudson thought this was so funny he walked around throwing his arms in the air every time one of you said "Touchdown!!"

Grandpa, Part I

Dear Taylor, Anna, and Hudson,

It has been just over three months since your Grandpa died, and one of the things that worries me the most is that you will not remember him.  You tell funny stories about him, and sometimes I tell you my favorite things about him from when I was your age.  In the meantime, I want to remember him. More importantly, I want you to remember.

• Grandpa LOVED you guys so much.  He thought grandchildren were the greatest thing about life so far.  He loved seeing your pictures, and hearing about your adventures.  
• Grandpa loved an attraction.  Disneyland, a crowded park, any "event" that would draw a crowd.  He took us to DisneyWorld in 2006 and was so happy to have his whole family together to experience the park.
• Grandpa was great at magic tricks.  He could make a quarter disappear and somehow, it was always behind your ear, in your nose, or hiding between his fingers.
• Grandpa sent the most random but great gifts.  A popcorn machine? A coke ice chest? A motorcycle rocking horse, a sushi set, lobster crackers.  Grandpa was most famous for envelopes of cash.  He was so generous with his family.
• Grandpa had a funny way of parenting.  I tell you this story a lot, and it cracks you up.  If I was fighting with my brother or sister, and one of us would tattle, his response was always, "Great! Super!"
• Grandpa was a voracious reader.  He read so many books, and kept all of them.  If a topic of conversation came up, he would always say, "I have a book on that, I'll go get it." Almost without fail, he would come back and say, "I couldn't find that one, but I found this other one."  
• He was famous for giving books to people that he loved.  Rather than giving them the actual book, he would photocopy the book he had, and give that away.

There is so much more I want to remember about him, but let's start with this, and I make this a series.  Your grandpa was a pretty remarkable man, and I have been missing him so much.  I am hoping that these little memories will help you remember him.

xoxo

mom

The Schedule

Dear Taylor, Anna, and Hudson,

I think I spend half my life trying to sort out your schedules. Okay, maybe not half, but between you three and your dad's schedule I spend a lot of time staring at the calendar, realizing I need help, and then sending emails to the moms (your two grandmas) to see who will come help!

So, we set off to Target looking for a certain kind of pencil grip (which was sold out at the EIGHT places we checked) when we stumbled into the office supply/ organization section! I think my pulse quickened with excitement when I found this magnetic for the fridge dry erase organizer!!! The perfect weekly schedule. Next to it on
the shelf was this handy thing that holds all the paper you would usually stick on your fridge! Now all the school calendars and AYSO snack schedule are all in one spot! Woo hoo!

So, while this will not change your life directly, it is likely that you will not be left at school, and that you will get to
all your classes/practices. You are welcome!!

Boys!

Dear Hudson,

I am new to raising boys and all that this entails. Your sisters are not the tidiest people, and they certainly don't keep their clothes in perfect shape, but you are testing me and my laundry ability.

I found your white shorts in the hamper and ummm, they are GROSS! I thought about throwing them away but decided to test OxyClean and Bleach. Anything in the bowl that isn't white is your shorts. (they are in the trash now, the bleach/OxyClean combo did not work).

What is even crazier is that for the first time we took you shoe shopping yesterday.  Your sisters selected pink suede with sparkles and leopard print with bows, the more glitter the better!  You, well, you didn't say exactly what you wanted, but I think you were telling me you wanted these, and I am thrilled. I can't believe you have real shoes buddy.  You are growing up before my eyes.

Thanks bubba! Maybe we can try to test another one of my domestic skills and leave laundry alone.

Yours truly,
Mama

ps- you have learned to wink, and it melts my heart.  If I wink at you, you will do a big blink back and then a huge grin comes across your face.

My mighty Cardinal

Dear Taylor and Anna,

We are not Stanford alums, but we are loyal fans.  You have been to a couple football games this year and love them (or the cotton candy).

We hit fan fest before the game and you got to dress up like the players, get your faces painted, play in the jumpy houses, and of course, have pizza for dinner.  We were on time for this game so we saw the players rush the field, and sat above the band!

We went to the "make your own poster" station too!

Family

I love watching all three kids play together.  It absolutely makes my heart melt that they have eachother for support, friendship and best of all, fun.  The girls are playmates most of the time, and every so often, mortal enemies.  Hudson drops into the mix every from time to time, but for the most part he is really happy sitting on the floor or in my lap reading a book.  Last weekend we had to run some errands at the shopping center, and since I forgot Hudson's stroller, we all walked.....at Hudson's pace. It was about the most fun we have had in ages.  We never took the most direct route, but Hudson was so happy that he was cracking up the whole way, which made us crack up- we must have looked like loons wandering around!  

Taylor recently drew the picture below.  It is wonderful to see that she is thinking about family from such a macro view.  She is so focused on helping her brother and sister with homework or games, or helping me in the kitchen- we are so lucky that she is the leader of this pack of kiddos.

AYSO

Dear Taylor, Anna and Hudson,

Nothing says fall like a weekend of AYSO games, football, and cooler days.  I LOVE IT!  All we need to jump all the way into fall would be some pumpkin baked goods, and Halloween decorations.

Anyway, I love AYSO because kids can play soccer, learn the rules of the game, make friends, and mostly have a good time.  Anna, is in love with the game.  She charges the ball (with her tongue hanging out of her mouth) and runs right through most of the other little girls.  She was so excited to score a few goals (no goalies allowed) and even more thrilled that her dad had signed up to ref.

Hudson, the super fan.  (I am totally kidding, he was the worst fan).  You can't really blame him though, because A had the 8am game the grass was wet and cold- not great for crawling/walking.

Our second game of the day was for our Red Dragon.  Boy are they fierce:)  Taylor is on a team with three girls from her school and one of the moms is the coach!  We definitely lucked out this season.

 

This girls does a mean throw in!

And the super fan award goes to Anna!!  She got a little bit bored while we were at the game and decided she wanted to go home.  

All in all, a great weekend of soccer!  We can't wait to do it again next weekend.  

Back to School

Dear Taylor and Anna,

You have been back in school for one week and a few days.  So far we have the following:
Cons:
1. Someone was kicked out of PE twice (that someone has only had PE twice-yikes).
2. Someone lost her homework, homework folder, and lunchbox.
3. We have already had a sick day.
4. I *might* be in over my head as room mom.
5. I forgot to pack snack more than once for each of you.
6. I do not enjoy packing lunches and hot lunch starts tomorrow. God bless the makers of healthy hot lunch that I can order from my iPhone.
7. There is SO much paper. I have a mountain in front of me to read, sort, and fill out.

Pros:
1. We love a schedule in this house.  The star charts are up and we are slowly getting the hang of remembering to check things off (see #2 and 5).
2. There is nothing better than watching Taylor help Anna with her religion homework.  Anna watches Taylor with such adoring eyes while Tay teaches her how to do the sign of the cross and learn the Lord's prayer.
3. You are back with your friends and you couldn't be happier.
4. Your school community is amazing and we think you are so lucky to be surrounded my so many wonderful families.
5. Hot lunch starts tomorrow.  WOO HOO!!! If only they had a snack program we would be in business.
6. Your uniforms. I love them. Our life is so much easier.
7. Fall = AYSO soccer, and it is such a great program.  We can't wait for your first games this weekend.

When we started this process of picking schools for you, it was always with the goal that we would raise children that would be life-long learners.  We have spent hours upon hours, and many sleepless nights, anguishing over where to send you to school (I promise, ask your dad, really, hours) and we feel at peace about where you are.  We are so proud of you both!  It is going to be such a great year.
xoxo
mom

A great day at Happy Hollow

Dear Taylor, Anna, and Hudson,

We had our first family trip to Happy Hollow and it was so much fun!  We hit the zoo, the rides, the play area, and finished with the carousel- it was all a blast!

Hudson loved the slides, and riding on Dad's shoulders.  This place had something for each of you and boy did Hudson love it.

 You girls took a turn on the swing thing that whirls around.  Taylor just might have been over the height limit, but a very nice guy (by guy I mean 12 year old ride operator) let her through.

The Carousel!  Hudson didn't actually stay on for the ride.  He started screeching as soon as the seatbelt went on, but he got to test it out.   My favorite picture of the day is you two girls on the roller coaster!  You loved it, we loved your expressions of pure joy.

Dear Hudson,

You are walking everywhere now! You are exploring anything and everything, and sometimes that means you go
head first into the sidewalk.

You bounced right back after a quick snuggle with your beloved blankie,

Go Cardinal!

It's football season! Stanford prevailed and we had a great time. You girls
love your friends, and love to countdown to half time (or cotton candy time in your minds)! You settled for Sprinkles tonight but made us promise we get cotton candy next time.

Keeping Track!

Dear Taylor, Anna, and Hudson,

I probably won't create a scrapbook of your lives, but I will document the lauds and laughter, the firsts and lasts, and everything in between.

So here we go!