My Foot In My Mouth

Saturday, October 25, 2014

TJ

As I sat next to Taylor while she puked non stop yesterday, she apologized for the mess and said she felt bad that I had to take care of her. I don't think it was because of anything I said or did to make her feel that way. I think she's just a genuinely caring individual. It's very telling of her character and her heart. Of course when she felt better and was filling out her "Star of the Week" poster, she wrote that her hero and inspiration was our dog, Zero, because he "looked after me while I was sick." I seriously wanted to kick the dog and send her to time out, but I'll give her a pass and chalk it up to her being a bit delusional from the past 48 hours.

She had a wonderful birthday, though. Thankfully she was healthy for it and enjoyed a dinner with family and a birthday party with friends. She was spoiled rotten, per the norm for birthdays around here. I decorated her bedroom doorway and the breakfast table, and sent her to school in a "ITS MY BIRTHDAY" shirt. I think I enjoy her birthday as much as she does. It's nice to see her light up when she's shown so much love.

At 8, Taylor has just started to love soccer and is a fantastic defender. She enjoys school and never really complains about going. She's still a crazy dog-lover, which is something we assumed she'd grow out of but there's no end in sight. She's doing well in piano, and will sit and draw for hours on end. She loves to sit on the floor and put Legos together, which is something I just can't wrap my head around as it seems terribly tedious. She's a daddy's girl through and through, and loves to watch Face Off with him and Corinne every week. She still fills up notebooks with stories and has inherited my math block. More than what she does, she's just a loving and sweet soul. She makes me proud and I love her more than she will probably ever know.

I was messing around with my lighting and backdrop in the garage the other day, and Taylor and Corinne volunteered to be my models. I love these pictures of Tay.

Taylor had the best party ever this year at VT Ranch. They all did a giant rope swing (which scared the crap out of me), and archery.

A birthday party that included harnesses and helmets.

The more the kids pulled, the higher their friends went.

My happy girl.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

The reluctant soccer mom

I was guaranteed the AYSO would give me a refund if the girls hated their first soccer practice. But they didn't. I was even told that if they played their first game and decided it wasn't for them, I'd get part of my money back. But luckily, we won't be asking for any refunds. Every Saturday for the next few months will be spent on the soccer field because they love playing. And even though I thought soccer moms were out of their minds for sitting out in the heat and screaming their heads off, I'm really enjoying my time amongst them.

Taylor is her team's super defender and goal keeper. It baffles me how she could go from being so timid in basketball to so aggressive in soccer. She flops down on the grass to grab the soccer ball in the goal box (Is that what it's called?), while the other team is still kicking at the ball and barely missing her face. She has a wonderful coach who really encourages her, and she's quickly made friends with her teammates. I'm really thankful it's turned out to be a real confidence booster for her.

Corinne spent the first two soccer games doing cartwheels and round offs on the field. She was really distracted by other players who had the same shoes as her, and she was really pissed off that her team didn't have matching hair bows like Taylor's team. But she's motivated by bribery, and today I buckled and told her I'd buy her an easel I was actually already planning on buying, if she'd just show a little effort. Three goals later, she runs off the field and says, "NOW can I get an easel?" She is weird and wonderful, that one.