So, I didn’t keep up like I said I would. I missed last week, but I’m back this week with lots of news.
Kindergarten, here we come!
Kindergarten is right around the corner (brief pause to pull me out of the I-can’t-believe-it’s-time-to-send-my-little-monkey-to-big-boy-school funk), and we are getting ready! On the Thursday before last, we went to the Kindergarten Open House at Andy’s elementary school, Belmont Station. Andy was a bit hesitant to sit with the other kids in the small chairs at the front of the auditorium, but was a trooper when I promised to be right next to the picture of the baseball glove on the wall across the gym. True to my word, I waved every time he did, which turned out to be every 22 seconds.
The current kindergarteners sang some songs for the rising kindergarteners (and hoards of parent), including the Belmont Station song and the tearjerking “make new friends, but keep the old”. When that was over, the rising kindergarteners were ushered out of the gym for a tour of the school, a ride on the bus and a snack in the cafeteria while the parents watched a presentation and asked questions.
My Mom assures me that Andy’s hesitation (translation: whining, hanging on my hand, begging me to go with him) is well-deserved based on my behavior when I started school. I’d love to say she isn't being truthful, but one of my first memories is of hanging on her leg and screaming when being dropped off at Four Corners.
The bus ride was a lot of fun for Andy, who LOVES bus rides. He was thrilled to know that many of the children on the bus go to “his” library, which happens to be the only library in town. Andy ended the night with the following declaration: “You know what, guys? I feel really good.” Sappy Mommy cried and proud and easygoing Daddy let out a sigh of relief (and a chuckle at sappy Mom's expense).
Take me out to the Ball Game!
The night after the open house at Belmont Station, Andy went to his first Red Sox game with his friend, Kayla. Cory, Kayla’s Mom and Dad and I also got to go (we got surprise tickets a few days before). The trip to Baltimore took an unusually long 3 hours, but the whole gang was still in good spirits and ready to cheer when we arrived. Thank goodness our friends have a DVD player in the car, and that I brought 2 movies, just in case.
Andy was not quite as taken with the ballgame as he was with the people around us, the cotton candy, the dancing, and, well, pretty much anything that wasn’t the game. He did perk right up when it was time to cheer for Big Papi (when, if said ala Andy is followed by “David Ortiz, number 34” spoken so fast, it is almost incomprehensible), to yell “Youk” as his Gigi taught him when Kevin Youkilis was at bat, and to root for Manny Ramirez to hit his 500th career homerun into Andy’s waiting mit. Though Manny didn’t hit the homerun until the following night, Andy expanded his list of favorite players from 1 to 3, with the “long-haired player” Manny and fun-to-say "Youk" making the cut.
In preparation for the game, we had been practicing the song, "Take me out to the Ball Game". Andy has no idea that the lyrics aren't actually "Root, root, root for the RED SOX...". I can't wait until he can sing the song for Uncle Bob soon :).
Fickle
As many of you know, Andy has been hesitant to play soccer for most of the season. We are not sure what triggered it, but it was bad enough that even Cory and I were hoping for rain many Friday nights through the season. Ever fickle, Andy snapped out of his soccer slump just in time for the last game of the season! I am not sure if the trophy motivated him or not, but he is now anxious to sign up and play again next season. Go figure.
You can see some pictures from the Red Sox game and the last soccer game above. If you'd like to see the whole group, click on the URL below and start at the end.
