Insanity!

It has been a couple of crazy, crazy weeks in my life.

Last weekend, in between days of back to back baseball games, I co-hosted a bridal shower for my future sister in law Lynda while Chris headed north of the border for my brother Travis's bachelor party. The shower was lovely. Great food, wonderful gifts, and a good time had by all.

And yes, my sisters in law are tall. Either that or I am freakishly short. Maybe a little of both.

I also made cupcakes! Pretty, flower shower cupcakes!

This weekend, in between back to back baseball games, we hosted a 60th birthday party for my father in law.

Chris also played in a two day golf tournament and I had a minor breakdown when I realized I am leaving for Italy in two days and I have not packed. Not. A. Thing.

In between this social madness, I have had a crazy week at work. Of course (of course!), I was asked to give a presentation at my biggest client's offices to the heads of all their internal departments this past Thursday. My last day in the office for two weeks and I spent the afternoon off-site talking, talking and well, talking. I spoke for just under two hours in a room packed with people. It was stressful and pretty exhausting. But beyond my almost inadvertently throwing my microphone across the room (twice! Yes, who likes to talk with their hands? Who?), it went well. (It's always something. Always.) The client has asked me to repeat the presentation throughout their offices. (We are calling it: Tara Does Trademarks on Tour!)

Now if I could only find time to pack, do some laundry, and generally organize the house for my impending much too long absence. Instead, I must shower and pretty myself up to attend a dinner/drink thing for Chris's golf tournament. Let the insanity continue!

Brennan is Orientated to Kindergarten

Brennan was thrilled when I announced today was his open house and orientation for kindergarten. He has been waiting for this moment for the past six months.

We met his teacher, toured his future classroom, and met his classmates. His classmates include ANOTHER boy by the name of yes, you guessed it: BRENNAN. I almost swore when I found out. I mean, really, what are the odds? We named him Brennan so he could be, well, Brennan, and not Brennan H. for the next eight years of his life.

The highlight of the orientation was the bus ride. Brennan hopped on to the bus without a care in the world, even agreeing to chaperone his little friend Natalie from preschool who only agreed to get on the bus if she got to sit with Brennan. (Stark contrast to Aidan's orientation when I was forced to ride the bus with him and all the other future kindergartners.)

Brennan learned all about bus safety, how to cross a street, and took home a treasured bus eraser as a reward.

Yes, I did cry watching him ride off on the bus smiling at me through the window. I cried. I was also the only parent at orientation with a camera. The crying, picture taking freaky mom. I'm okay with it.

Our Poet

Aidan is currently obsessed with poetry. He likes to read it, preferably aloud, to anyone and everyone. And he loves to write it.

A few weeks ago, we had a little incident at bedtime. Griffin dropped a gigantic, anthology, heavy as hell book on my toe, causing me to yell in surprise and then, a whole lot of pain. (I swear, I thought he broke it. Really.) My crying in pain made Griffin cry because he felt bad. Griffin's crying because he felt bad made Brennan cry because well, Griffin's crying hurt Brennan's ears. (G has some lungs. He can really out yell, outcry, and generally out-drama any of us in this family.)

The only one not crying? Aidan. Aidan quickly retreated to the quiet of his room to find some peace from all the chaos.

We recovered and when I finally made it to Aidan's room to give him a good night hug, he handed me a piece of paper ripped out of a notebook.

"Here Mom." He said with a shy smile, "I wrote this for you to help you feel better."

"What?" I asked as I sat on his bed. I was quiet for a moment as I read this:

to Mommy
from Aidan

Roses are red
Violets are blue
I love you

Tearing sweet!
As sweet as Roses!
Red is her favorite color.
Awesome mom.

Yes, I sobbed. SOBBED. Not a cute, tearing up, normal sentimental cry that I do around the house. No, it was full out, heaving, ugly cry. After I finished my sob fest, Aidan gave me a big hug and told me to take my poem with me, but to put it in a very special and safe place. He didn't want me to leave it out where Daddy could see it and get jealous over my poem.

I keep it in my jewelry box. It's probably more precious to me than anything else in there.

For Mother's Day, Aidan authored a second poem for me. He has allowed me to put this one on the fridge for everyone to read.

MY MOTHER

Magnificent
You love me

Make me dinner
Owns a dog
Totally awesome
Happy
Everlasting love
Recommended as cool!

Love, Aidan

I think I like having a poet in the family.

Italiano!

I am going to Italy. For real! In just over one week, I am boarding a plane with my grandparents and my cousins and heading to Rome, Florence and Venice. My grandparents orchestrated the whole trip and are treating us to the experience of a lifetime.

I almost can't believe it will really happen.

Beyond my excitement, I am also nervous. I will be gone for nine days. I have never left the boys for longer than four days. Chris has never had the boys alone for longer than four days. I am worried I will be a weepy mess, my husband a stress ball and my children will need therapy for mommy abandonment issues.

In order to prepare the boys for my absence, I wanted to show them where I was going on my trip. I brought home a dvd on Italy for all of us to watch together. We watched the section on Florence first.

After the first up-close and personal shot of some of Florence's sculptural nudes, there was a huge gasp from my children.

Aidan pointed, turned to me with disgust and said, "Mom! THAT is SO inappropriate! Inappropriate!"

Brennan looked closer at the screen, laughed and said, "Wow. That is one giant penis."

Yes, it is going to be a great trip.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Batter up!

After a whole slew of rain outs, Aidan and Brennan finally christened their new life as little leaguers with their first games.

They were so proud to break out their crisp new uniforms and don their spankin' new baseball caps. And they were too cute for words.

Brennan's game went off without a hitch. Apparently, in tee ball, there are no outs - just a whole lot of patient batting, patient fielding and very, very patient coaches. Brennan did his thing, hitting, fielding and third base-ing with joy. He loved it. I loved cheering my heart out for him. (I hereby lay claim to being THAT mother. THAT crazy mother who screams her fool head off when her kid manages just to run to first base. Hey - it's exciting!)

Aidan's game was a little more competitive. Well, sort of. They keep track of outs and runs and it is more of a "game" of baseball. But it appears Aidan's team is more of the Bad News Bear variety, while the opposing team was stocked full of ringers. (Seriously. These kids were like twice the size of our team. And they hit it out of the park! I think we need to request copies of their birth certificates.) Aidan's team stayed strong though. (And there was a whole lot of giggling from the parents in the stands. It never gets old to see the ball slide through one, two, three, four hands of our sweet little leaguers.

Aidan's first time up at bat, he made a nice hit, but unfortunately it was pretty close to first base. He ran his little heart out, but missed it by just a second. His heart broke and I could tell he was close to crying. Later he told me, he was "just disappointed." Oh my sweet boy.

The second time at bat, he got onto first and slowly rounded the bases as the other hitters came up to bat. He ended up with his first run of the season. And yes, as THAT mother, I cheered my fool head off at his accomplishment. (Even though this was all of run 3 or 4 for Aidan's team, while the other team was on, like, run 100 or something.)

The game ended with a splash. And when I say splash, I mean it literally. Just a lesson for all of you out there. When your three year old tells you he has to go to the bathroom, but then shakes his head, smiles, and assures you he can hold it, he doesn't really mean it. Nope. He doesn't. Because two minutes later, he will appear in front of a bleacher full of parents with soaking wet pants, a pungent urine smell and yell, "But I told YOU I had to go to the bathroom."

And to finish you off, your husband will smile, turn to you and say, "I guess we should have paid a little more attention to him."

I think we are going to make lots and lots of new friends from little league. I can tell.

A Cheesy Celebration

Busy, busy Friday afternoon for our family. I dropped Aidan off at his weekly golf lesson and continued on to the Mother's Day teas held at Brennan and Griffin's preschool. We were, predictably, late and all the kids in Brennan's class were already lined up to do their special performance.

As we walked in the room, all the boys lined up, shouted with pure excitement, "It's Brennan! He's here! Brennan's here! Brennan! Over here Brennan! Hi Brennan!"

"Wow B!" I said to him in his ear, "You are like a rock star!"

Brennan smiled, shrugged and joined his classmates. He seems to take it all in stride. Always.

I listened to their singing with, of course, tears in my eyes. It was a beautiful and poignant moment to see Brennan, so grown up and self assured singing "You are My Sunshine", the song I sang to him every night before bed for the past five years.

After Brennan's performance, we hightailed it over to Griffin's classroom for his celebration. Griffin, being our G, had not an iota of interest in any type of performance. He preferred, instead, to partake of the many snacks set up for the party and shoved handfuls of cheese in his mouth as quickly as he could.

Griffin's teacher eventually lined all the kids up, but Griffin refused to line up and instead sat down on the floor next to me.

After years of Aidan refusing to do any type of performance, I was not surprised in the least. I still teared up watching the sweet faces of his classmates singing their hearts out to their moms. My dear friend Danielle's little boy Ryan sang with gusto and shot his mom so many loving, adorable looks, it broke my heart.

As I smiled at Danielle and Ryan's interaction, my own G turned to me and said over the sounds of singing, "Mommy?"

"Yes G?" I whispered back, anticipating his own words of love and devotion.

"Mommy, I could really go for some more cheese."

Okay then. More cheese it is.

Brennan and Griffin each made the requisite Ode to My Mom poster that is required each year. This year, Brennan's classmates answered the question: "My Mom Always... " In Brennan's class, moms always "give them hugs", "tell them they love them", "play games" or "bake cookies." Brennan's poster said: "My Mom Always: Makes Me Do the Laundry."

Yep. Make Him Do the Laundry.

In Griffin's class, his classmates answered the question, "My Mom Always Says to Me..." Griffin's classmates mom's always say: "they love me," "do your best" "be happy" or "smile". Griffin's poster said: "My Mom Always Says: Go Brush Your Teeth."

Yep. Go Brush Your Teeth.

Their sentimentality overwhelms me. Truly.

After we were all celebrated out, we were off to pick Aidan up at golf and take Brennan at his first soccer practice. Chris is the assistant coach for the team and Brennan was dying to play. Dying! He had his uniform on since the moment he woke up. It only took some superior negotiating to get him to keep off his shin guards until we got to the fields.

If only the temperature hadn't dropped about twenty degrees. It made for a frosty game and practice at the soccer fields.

At the end of the day, we were all wiped. Today was supposed to be a day of little league parades and games. I am taking it as a personal mother's day gift that the windy weather has resulted in all activities being canceled. I was never happier for bad weather. Hurray!

Instead, we may head to the movies this afternoon. But first, I may make all the boys do some laundry. I will blame the idea on Brennan.

X Factor

Aidan was lying in bed when I came into his bedroom to kiss him good night.

He had one leg up in the air close to his head and moved his arms up and down his leg as he yelled to me, "Look Mom! I am climbing the beanstalk!"

"What?" I asked confused, "You're stretching?"

"No," Aidan laughed as he switched legs, "I am climbing up and down the beanstalk!"

"Oh, I get it." I said laughing, "Did you learn this in gym class at school?"

"Nope. That is just what the guy tells us to do on Daddy's P90X Workout. It's an AB ripper!"

There is something seriously wrong with hearing the words "ab ripper" coming out of your seven year old's mouth. Seriously wrong.

It's Showtime!

If I wasn't reading as a child, I was putting on shows. I have distinct memories of bossing around all the neighborhood kids in order to put on a talent show that featured, well, me.

Last night, the boys announced at dinner that they had a show they wanted to debut. Chris and I were thrilled to take our assigned seats on the couch as the entertainment began.

The opening act, introduced by Brennan ("Introducing Aidan! He's reading something!"), was Aidan reading a poem about a robot. Aidan has spent the last week obsessed with poetry. We visited the library today and every single book he took out was a book stuffed with poems. He spent the rest of the day reading the poems aloud to anyone and everyone that would listen. (He even brought the book outside and walked around the yard for a good hour reading poetry aloud.)

After Aidan was finished, Aidan introduced Brennan ("Introducing Brennan and his Magic Tricks! And me, helping him!") Brennan had five or six tricks planned for his act. Chris and I spent the entire time we watched Brennan trying to contain our bursts of laughter. Before he did each trick he would introduce it with: "Introducing the Card thing! Introducing the coin thing! Introducing the ring thing!" It never got old.

After Brennan wowed us with his magic prowess, Griffin got up to do a dance routine. He had forgotten about music to accompany his groove and instead of hunting down my ipod, he asked if I would sing for him as he danced.

"Sure G! What do you want me to sing?"

Griffin thought for a moment and then said, "Eye of the Tiger."

And so I sang "Eye of the Tiger."

It was quite a show. Don't worry if you missed it. We may be all going on tour soon.

What's in Your Bag?

Before we left for Florida, I told each boy to pack up a backpack of things they wanted with them on the airplane. Books, toys, games - whatever could fit and whatever they wanted to carry.

The night before our flight, I took each packed backpack and went through each of its contents, understanding I would most likely have to repack each child's bag.

Aidan packed every single school book in his bag. Social studies, science and reading books. He packed homework sheets and workbooks. Being mother of the year that I am, I vetoed bringing the school books (they were heavy!) and told him to find his DS and one of his Diary of a Wimpy Kid books to read. Aidan, of course, protested.

"But, Mom, I want to read my school books! I want to read ahead! I like to do my school work!"

"Yes, Yes, I know, but your bag weighs like a hundred pounds with all these books! And it's vacation. Let's bring your DS instead, okay?"

Aidan gave a huge sigh as he took out his thick study guides and school books and repacked his bag full of video games and comic books. (I like to think I am really making a difference in my kids' lives, setting them on the right path, being a good influence. All those sort of things. Truly.)

Next, I grabbed Brennan's bag. Brennan's backpack was mysteriously, rather light. I unzipped it, peeked inside and saw three things: a pair of dress up yellow sequin sunglasses, a superman wallet stuffed with cash and a slinky.

And that tells you everything you need to know about Brennan. What more could a boy possibly need?