Nate cocoon

It was a bit cold at Nile's baseball game Monday evening. 

Five squared

Geneseo GSox baseball

This year, Nile played "travel" baseball for the first time. The travel was limited, as this team mostly just practiced together and then played one tournament. No actual "traveling" required. 

The tournament was this weekend in Geneseo, nice and close to home. It was an 8U tournament that was hosted by the 8U teams, they allow the 7U teams to play in order to get the experience. But man, were the 7U kids outmatched. 

The 7U team split into two for the tournament, and each was in a different "group" on Saturday. Three games later and both teams were 0-3. 

Nile played really well on Saturday, actually making contact with the ball every time he was up to bat. Many times he was thrown out at first, but we were thrilled that he was hitting, even if he didn't get to run the bases. He did have one RBI, and was on base at least once. 

Sunday brought two more games. The first game saw the boys doing better - scoring runs and making plays. Nile had another hit but also a few strike outs. He did have an RBI on his base hit and I caught a picture of him at first:

(Doesn't he look tiny?)

The second game found the two GSox 7U teams playing each other for 3rd and 4th place. It was great to see the kids all back together on the field, and I loved it when the outfielders on one team were cheering for the batter of the other team. So cute. Nile had one hit and one RBI in this game - and the ball he hit made it to the outfield. Not bad!

All in all, he really enjoyed the tournament and is excited to play again next year. Of course, next year brings more games, more tournaments, and a higher level of commitment. (From mom and dad!)

2014 Geneseo 7U GSox

Can you find the scowling Nile?  Here's a clue:  third from the left. 

John Deere Harvester night at the ballpark

I woefully need to catch up on blog posts. Especially our vacation. But tonight I took the two older boys to a baseball game. 

John Deere Harvester Works offered free tickets to employees as a celebration of recent success. They also provided a free dinner. And...it was bobble head giveaway night!

Steamy Kansas City

A few weeks ago we took the two older boys to Kansas City for their first Major League baseball game.

Did I mention it's been hot this summer? For this game it was 101 degrees. Luckily it wasn't a sellout, and we were able to move up from our sunny seats to some in the shade. It wasn't too humid so it was actually bearable. The Royals lost, but we still had fun.

One other highlight of the trip? Opting for ice cream for dinner instead of real food, and feeding the sparrows bits of waffle cone.

old stomping grounds

Last weekend we took a family mini-vacation to Des Moines.  We spent three days and two nights there, and I was able to share some of my childhood favorites with my boys and the Roodhouse family, who came along for the trip.

We started with a trip to see the Iowa Cubs play at Principal Park.  Yes, all the boys were wearing Kansas City Royals shirts. :)

One of my favorites!

Nile and Novak, at the game.

That night we swam in the hotel pool and the next day...Adventureland!

All the kids (those who can walk, that is!)

Nate found his new favorite ride:  The Scrambler.  This makes me beyond excited.  This was my absolute favorite ride as a kid.  We rode it twice and were planning to go back before the rain hit.

Nate's new favorite ride!

Nile on "Puff the Magic Dragon"

I had to include this picture because you can see James riding Puff with Lily... ;) 

Adventureland was a lot of fun - this year the boys were able to do a bit more (except for poor Novak...) and that meant I got to do a bit more too!  Apparently, though, we attract rain.  Three years in a row we have made trips to Adventureland, and the last two years it has rained.  True to form, the day was interrupted by a thunderstorm - we took cover in one of the restaurants on Main Street and ate lunch, then headed back out.  Unfortunately everything was wet, and cold (65 degrees), so we only lasted about an hour more before it was time to go.  We headed back to the hotel for a little bit more goofing off...and the Roodhouses headed home.

Typical Nile, Typical Nate, and look at Novak's eyes!

The next morning we headed to Blank Park Zoo.  We have a membership to the Niabi Zoo here, so we were able to get in for free.  The zoo is undergoing quite a bit of construction but we still spent a good two hours there looking at the animals.

They actually did this without coaxing.

Of course Nate had to get his picture taken with a frog.

The aquarium was one of Nile's favorites.

After the zoo we ate lunch and headed home.  Except for Novak's sleep issues, I'd say it was a really successful (and fun) trip!

T-ball brothers

This year both Nate and Nile are on the Twins t-ball team.  I'm enjoying this as it's probably the only time they will ever be on the same team.

The many faces of Nile

One month in...

Novak is a month old today. Well, four weeks old. I suppose he is a month old on Tuesday if you want to be exact.

And this has been the best month of my life. Really.

I'm home every day when Nate gets home from school. Nile and I (and Novak when he is not asleep) meet him as he gets off the bus. His smile every day as he races off the bus is infectious. I can't help but grin back.

And I have been able to take Nile to preschool. On days he doesn't have school, we have been able to go to the park and play. He is a really good baseball player (for a three year old). He loves soccer, and football, and hockey. It's been wonderful seeing his personality bloom now that Nate is in school. Without a big brother to imitate/follow/chase, I have been able to see who Nile really is. I've also learner he has the Boan stubbornness, and some of Papa's temper :) We are working on that...

Novak is truly a blessing. He is, so far, the definition of an "easy baby." He sleeps well (most of the time, he is only a month old), he nurses well, and he doesn't fuss or cry much. I know as he matures his personality will evolve and change, and I'm looking forward to watching that happen. He is truly a joy.

I've never been a mom who felt the tug of my children should keep me from working. I always knew I was going back to work, and never felt guilty or torn about it. I always said I would miss work too much, that I needed that adult interaction. I can honestly say that those times have changed. The last month has shown me what it could be like. Now, I know that it would be hard, and I would have stressful moments. Or days. And I would get frustrated, and yell at my boys, and feel REALLY guilty. But those things happen when I am working too.

To put it into perspective, I am even enjoying doing housework. Yes, I am. There are still a lot of things I am not getting done, but I am keeping up.

I do still love my job. Maybe not as much as five years ago, but I do. And I know that I have to work. I don't want to have to live our life with one paycheck. And, as I have to remind myself, I work part time. I still get to spend quality time with my boys two more days a week than a lot of working moms do.

But that day I return to work in December is going to be really hard. I am thankful that I still have eight weeks of leave, but I am a little sad that a third of my leave is already gone.

You're gonna love it at...

Sometimes it's nice to go back home. For the Fourth of July weekend, we did just that (for me at least). I was impressed by the things I did remember about how to get around Des Moines. I can't remember the last time I was downtown...

We had planned to go back for the I-Cubs game and fireworks on July 4, then stay downtown and hit Adventureland on the way home on Monday, July 5. Slight change of plans - it rained, and rained, and rained on July 4. So...no baseball game for us. The boys swam in the hotel pool and we went out to dinner.

But, we did hit Adventureland! These are a few of the better pictures I took, and I know Tom probably has some even better ones (probably some with me in them too), and some videos, which I may add later.

Of course we hit the teacups first, then the boys had to fly the planes.

Next it was the bumper cars. I don't have pictures of that. Of course, at 6 months pregnant I couldn't ride too many rides anyway. I do miss the roller coasters (not that I'd have been going on one with these two boys anyway!). The bumper cars were a stretch, but Nile needed someone to drive and steer. I just barely fit behind the bar with my belly. Then I spent a good part of the time in the bumper car worried that someone would hit me and it would hurt the baby. Fun times!

The boys enjoyed feeding the fish.

And riding the "kiddie boats."

Tom and Nile, waiting for the train to arrive.

The carousel. Nile was pretty proud of himself for riding the "biggest horse."

T-Ball Dancing

This is Nate's first time playing T-ball. Our camera has been on the fritz, so I didn't get any photos, but I did get to try out my new video camera. This moment was more than priceless. Check out what Nate does when he gets to home plate.