Fun-filled!

Well, what a day.  We started with going to breakfast, then to the park, then home to swim before making some sandwiches and preparing LJ for nap time.  He had a short nap, so we took Rookie out to play before my mom and I walked to the harbor for dinner, then on to the game.  We put LJ in childcare, and he happily played while we walked the field and enjoyed some mother-daughter time.  

After some great Orioles shopping and watching a couple of innings, we went and got LJ.  He had been crying because he didn't want the lady to change his diaper.   Makes me sad - he's really weird about who changes him.  I guess it's his private space!  So, we came home, took a bath and he's down now.  My mom just went to her room, and I thought Lance would be home soon, but it's tied in the 9th.  Bless his heart, could be another late one.  

Hope your day was good.  Our's was FULL -- can't wait for you, Nana and Pops.  We'll do much of the same!

Love,

Jamie

What a day!

Well, Just returning from an anniversary dinner with Lance.  It's been since February that he and I have had a quiet dinner like that together.  What a blessing!!!!!!!!!!!!  

I'm so thankful.  Thank you, friends and family, for all the well-wishes for our anniversary.  Our union is surely a one made in Heaven.  I had forgotten how much I needed time with Lance - tonight spoiled me - appetizer, dinner and dessert full of conversation with the one I love most.  I could get used to that!

Will write more tomorrow.

Good night!

Love,

Jamie

A better one today!

lovin' the wristband!

all wet from the hose!

his first drink from the hose!

big boy undies, just like dad!

throw!!

Swing, batter, batter!

Well, life was back to usual today - it was a good one.  Lance got to spend some of the day with us --he got in at 1 a.m. last night and headed back to DC today.  We took LJ to work out, and he ran to the childcare.  He hadn't been in two days, and I guess he missed it!  Afterwards, we walked around the farmer's market by our house.  I got a small jar of honey and Lance got some bison beef jerkey and hamburger patties.  The patties are frozen, so we will probably cook them for lunch one day before a game.  

LJ took a pretty short nap today, but we took that opportunity to head to Wal Mart.  We were able to get a few things we needed, (sorry, Lance - I forgot hangers!), and LJ actually got an acceptable passport picture.  We've been trying to get him a passport, and it's all coming together.  It's funny that in less than a month, he'll have his own passport :  a toddler.  Crazy, but necessary for when we go to Cancun with my family this winter.  

We played hard tonight, and now he's in bed.  Lance was going to be a crazy man and try to come back with another player after his game tonight.  He just wants to sleep at home with us.  Unfortunately, though, his game is in rain delay, so it looks like we'll still wake up apart...but he'll be home for a week tomorrow.  It's our anniversary, and my mom is coming in to keep LJ so we can go out, (among other things, too...we'll go to games, enjoy the sites, and we can't wait for her to get here!)

So, I'm going to go wind down.  I"m always tired at the end of the day, but I find a way to stay up way too late.  Maybe I will get in bed early tonight :)  Enjoy these few pics!

P.S.  Congratulations on your first major league save, Lance!  Hope you got that ball...there's definitely room for it in the bonus room!  :) By the time you read this, it will probably be June 29th...Happy Anniversary! It's been the craziest 6 years of my life, but the BEST!  Think we can do 60 more?

Some days are just tougher than others...

Well, I just got back up to the apartment from putting my bike together...that's right.  Someone stole my tires again, well...correction:  one tire.  They must have gotten scared and fun before they got the other.  I filed a report with the police and they suggested these locks on my wheels that take a special L-wrench to take them off.  I just finished installing those, bringing my bike up to the apartment and bathing sweet LJ (what a trooper!).  I'm no mechanic, so it took me about an hour (and the bike falling on me twice) to figure out how it worked.  I think it's fully-functioning, though.  we'll see tomorrow.  I'm trying to get a reimbursement from the apartment, so I'm working on that, too.  

Still, at the end of the day, I have LJ to cuddle in my lap.  It ends well.  Please have a good night's rest -- will write more tomorrow.

Love,

Jamie

P.S.  I finished this blog 15 min. ago, but had to come back on and post --- just made the best sandwich for my late dinner -- toasted "white wheat bread", a fried egg (over easy), root lettuce, onions and bell peppers...it was awesome.  I already feel better :)  Time for a bath and bedtime!  Goodnight to you, too, Lance!  I'll probably be asleep before I get the chance to talk to you.

The park, laundry and the bike...

Enjoying Fells Point Park

So Dirty!

Lovin' it!

Playing in the laundry!

...it's kinda comfy :)

pretty park bench picture

...another one

I love my camera!

Well, I have had a great time with my camera today -- LJ was a willing subject, so I've been playing with it a lot.  That explains the picture overload!

I can't write much because I'm about to meet a nice person downstairs who is bringing me replacement tires for my bike...that's right ...someone stole the tires off my bike.  I had it locked to a pole, but that didn't stop someone from taking the tires.  LJ and I walked up to take it somewhere, and he says, "uh-oh"....  Uh oh is right!  Light Street Cycles of Baltimore is awfully nice to bring tires TO ME, late at night.  They didn't charge me for tubes and gave me a "this kind of thing shoudn't happen, but does" 10% discount.  It upset me, but thinking of the people in Iowa and Missouri who have lost all they have, I got some perspective.  It's a bike - I'd pay more on gas than new tires, and I've learned my lesson....I now have a metal cord that would take 4 foot clippers or a chainsaw to get through (that's what they tell me).  Watch out, suckers, Jamie's wise to the bike locking now.  :)  Just playing, but I'll make sure it's all secure before I even leave it for 10 minutes now!  

Hope your day was great.  Lance is home tonight for a bit ( heads out to DC tomorrow, but we're thankful he's sleeping here tonight!)

Love,

Jamie

Do you see Rookie watching us play?  So sad - dogs are not allowed out on the terrace!

Fun at the pool and on the terrace!

Wearing Momma's shoes - we actually had to go for a walk in these after!

Throw!  Playing like a pitcher at the pool!

:)

It was a good day - lazy morning with swimming, a good lunch at home, playing outside and then a good nap.  We went to work out after snack, came home for dinner and then played with Rookie and took him outside.  

I know it's short today, but I got some great pictures that will make up for it tomorrow!  

Love you,

Jamie

What can I say? Another great one...

It's a bit after 9 p.m. LJ just went down and I have finished cleaning up his toys. ( It's like a tornado hit when we play :)  )  I hear the dryer in the background drying our last load of clothes (yay!).  It's a relaxing night, and the day was even better.

When we woke up today, LJ and I took our time getting out of the house.  He had some cinnamon toast crunch while I cooked his sausage and cut his fruit.  After breakfast and cleaning up, we headed out on the bike, no particular destination in mind.  We were going to go visit our friend and her new baby, but I think it takes them  a little while in the morning -- as it does anyone with a newborn!  Instead, we rode around then headed to the park.  LJ played hard with some other boys who were probably about 4.  They were picking up dead leaves, throwing them at the tree trunk, and LJ was laughing like it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen.  I wish I could capture a giggle fit for you -- it is probably the BEST thing on earth to me.  I really can't think of anything that makes me laugh out loud over and over.  I don't know why he was laughing - it was just leaves, but it was hilarious to him.

At about 12:30, we hopped back on the bike to find a place to grab some food.  I had cut up some fresh fruit for him and packed some goldfish, so we really just needed a meat and veggie.  I found a great little restaurant, ( a little like a Northern City Cafe) and he had some chicken fingers while I had chicken salad.  It was nice, and when we finished, we hopped back on the bike headed for home.   After taking Rookie out and watching a little Blue's Clues, it was time for a nap.  

He slept for almost two hours and was in SUCH a good mood after.  He had a snack and a juice box then we headed to the gym.  I wanted to do an exercise class tonight, and I figured the timing was good for LJ.  I was right - he was rested, content and ready to play.  She said he was awesome, so I'm going again tomorrow night.  He was the only one in child care so they played all hour - mostly with the ball we brought.

After returning home, we at a bit of a late dinner before taking Rookie out to play one more time.  Then, it was play-time before bath-time, now bed time.  Lots of "times"....He knows what they all mean by now.

I hope you had a great day.  Ours was wonderful.  I miss Lance so much, but I don't know what I would do without LJ ...or Rookie.  See the pictures below that I uploaded earlier.  Rookie is yelling at me to "please throw his toy".  LJ and I were leaving him out, I think.  :)

Have a great night's sleep!

Love,

Jamie

just some pics

Just some fun pics -- enjoying fruit in the morning, climbing on a booster seat and Rookie yelling at me to play :)

Tag! 4 Things

4 Things I was doing 10 years ago:

1.  Packing my bags to head to cheerleading camp with the Uof A J.V. Cheer team :)

2.Preparing for my parents' move to Brussels, Belgium.

3.Saying goodbye to old friends in High School while already making new ones in Tuscaloosa.

4.Enjoying my last minutes of Snellville, Ga.

4 Things I was doing five years ago:

1.  Not missing the wind of Lancaster, CA.

2.  Falling more and more in love with the cacti in Tucson, AZ or the "aguas naturales" in El Paso.

3.  Working at cheerleading gyms/tutoring agencies across the country to help Lance and I make rent!  

4.  Finding out that a humid day in El Paso, Tx. still doesn't compare to the "dry heat" of Arizona.

4 Things I did yesterday:  

1.  Finally broke down and got LJ in the car to go to the "real" grocery store - Safeway.  Sometimes, you need food with preservatives, so Whole Foods has to wait :)

2.  Biked to church and sat with LJ in childcare.

3.  Watched LJ eat soybeans while sitting in a "big boy chair" overlooking the harbor at Edo Sushi.

4.  Yelled for "DUCKS!" with LJ while walking Rookie...they never came.

4 Shows I like:

1.  Grey's Anatomy

2.  ER

3.  O'Reilly Factor

4.  George Lopez...probably my favorite right now.  "Sabes que..." - Lance that made you smile, didn't it?

4 of my biggest joys at this moment:

1.  Knowing I can go in there and watch LJ sleep if I want to.

2.  Rookie sleeping/snoring next to me on the chair.

3.  Looking forward to Lance's return.

4.  Living in a great place and looking forward to being at home in a few months.

4 things you might not know about me:

1.  My Keurig coffee maker is pretty much the only thing that can get my feet on to the floor in the morning right now...15 minutes and a cup later, I'm good to go.

2.  I believe in Orioles Magic :)  

3.  I would eat a diet of just Berger cookies if it hit all of my nutritional requirements. ( Baltimore's famous cookie - soft sugar cookie drenched in chocolate)

4.  I am counting down the days until WallE comes out into theaters -- even though I may not get to see it for a while.

I was tagged by Alicia Webb.

Elizabeth, Sarah, Jessie, Jenny and Candice, you're it!!  I'll be checking your blog...:)

Hello!

Well, what a day ...a day like every other day, but I guess that makes it a good one?  LJ slept till 7 a.m. ( that's something that's out of the ordinary!), and we played hard all morning long.  Toys everywhere, running, throwing the ball, doing "SuperMan", you name it.  By 10 a.m. when we were going to the gym he was already tired!

The rest of the day has pretty much gone as usual -- lunch at home, nap, (although it was short), play time inside and outside after, dinner at home, playing and just being together.  He's able to play a bit on his own now, too, so I actually got the place all picked up before bath time tonight!  

I hope your day was great - I told Tomy I'd post a picture of LJ napping.  Unfortunately, his nap was too short today, but I'm on it tomorrow!  I took a couple of cute pictures today and will upload them with that one then!

Love,

Jamie

A bit tired, so it's short!

I'm just finishing unloading the dishwasher, reorganizing some groceries I just bought and stuff.  I had to write, though - we had a very good day.  LJ and I went to church, ( I stayed in childcare with him, but he was more comfortable), then biked back home.  On our way home, though, we stopped for lunch on the harbor - he was so good.  What a little handsome man he was in his linen pants and argile shirt!  After a good nap, some grocery shopping, dinner and playtime, we are finishing our night.  I hope you had a great day!

We love you and miss you!  I'll write more tomorrow!

Love,

Jamie

Art and Music Festival!

Well, as LJ and I headed out this morning, lots of tents were being set up all along our street.  We asked what it was for, and we were told it was for the Art and Music Festival.  We had NO idea what a big deal it would be.  After playing there a bit this morning, going for a swim and then napping, we went back out.  To our surpise, there was a stage, a band playing "Louisiana Saturday Night" and tons of people dancing and singing.  The vendors were still open, and so were the treat stands.  We got a lemon with a pepermint stick, (YUMMY!) and sat to enjoy the music.  We played, danced, met new friends and were eventually joined by Avery and Hudson Guthrie.  They are sweet neighbors, and we love hanging out with them.  Please enjoy the picture show below - can you see what a good time we had?  I 'm so thankful!  I hope your day was at least half this fun! :)

Love,

Jamie

Art and Music Festival!

You're all clean now, Rookie!!

Well, today was bath day for Rookie.  I had promised Avery Guthrie that we would bathe him together, so that's what the pictures are.  Like most kids, she doesn't forget, so I wanted to include her in Rookie's bath time.  She was so good and gentle with him -- LJ and Hudson lost interest pretty quickly, so they're not pictured, but Avery helped the whole time.  

LJ and I had a great day - good workout this morning.  LJ's "BFF", Andrew, ( takes care of him in childcare), took LJ to the squash court and played ball the whole time.  LJ saw me, waved, and turned back to him.  He wasn't even interested in me!  When we were leaving, Andrew asked for a "five", but LJ leaned in and kissed his hand.  He LOVES him.  I"m so thankful for that!!

This afternoon, LJ and I stopped at Whole Foods before riding our bike to see a friend's new baby.  We wanted to bring the new mom some good food to munch on.  The baby was so precious, and LJ was in awe.  He kept saying, "baby ...bat" - trying to show her his bat.  Jada, baby Kinsley's mom, is doing well.  Her husband plays with Lance, so she's handling a new baby all on her own.  I think we'll bike over every day just to help with dishes, bring a snack, etc.  

After the visit, LJ and I biked to Hoolihans where he ate chicken fingers and I ate stuffed mushrooms. We sat outside, and it was REALLY nice.  LJ behaved himself, we played a bit after then headed back home on the bike.  When we got home, we grabbed Rookie and went to visit the Guthrie's for "bath time" and now we are closing our day.  It was a good one.  We actually got in just in time to see Lance pitch.  I love to see that sweet face on t.v.  It makes me smile, and I don't even realize I'm smiling until I feel my mouth doing it!  We miss you!!!

Have a great night!  Sleep, LJ Sleep!

Love,

Jamie

We miss you already, Lance!!

Well, we're closing up this day well, I think.  It's 9:15 - Lj is clean and in the bed, and after a bath, I won't be far behind!  It was a good day.  Lance, LJ and I went to a late breakfast at a place called "Blue Moon Cafe".  It's about a five minute walk, and it's pretty good.  It was actually featured on the Food Network recently, so the wait was a bit extensive.  We put our name down and walked around until our table was ready.  It's around Fells Point:  a historical area in Baltimore with lots of cute little shops and a little playground.  The restaurant may not be the best place to go with a toddler, but it worked out pretty well, I think.  LJ was such a good boy!!

After breakfast, which was really almost lunch, we came home and let Lance pack while we played.  It was fun to just hang out before he heads out again.  At 1:45 p.m., he was on his way, and LJ was ready for a nap.  During his nap, I uploaded some pictures to shutterfly, cleaned the apartment and just did some little chores.  Because Lance has been waking up with LJ for the past few days, I didn't feel tired at all!  

When he woke up, we went back to the park with the Guthries.  It was just too nice of a day to take advantage of the outdoor weather.  I spotted a snowcone stand earlier, so we had a snowcone as well.  What a nice afternoon!!  

On our way back to the apartment, we stopped at Whole Foods for milk and fruit.  In the store, I realized I was missing my change purse that contained a credit card and a few dollars.  There is a hole in my stroller I didn't know was there, so I am guessing it fell out!  I ran home, called American Express and canceled/ordered a replacement then LJ and I headed back out.  Before going back to buy our stuff, we stopped at a little Mexican place and had dinner.  When we returned to Whole Foods, our stuff was there waiting on us, so it was easy to check out.

After putting our groceries away, we took Rookie for a good walk.  I wanted to take some pictures with my small, older camera. Lance got LJ an Orioles hat and bat, and he thinks they are the best.  He even wanted to take a bath with both of them!!  Anyway - While I was snapping a picture of LJ, Rookie spotted another dog, went running, pulling me by his leash, and I dropped it.  It's having a hard time focusing now, so I think I'll stop in at Ritz Camera tomorrow.  Between a lost change purse,card and a wounded kodak camera, tonight has been a bit of a mess!  Some days are just like that, I guess.  I was able to extract a few pictures from the camera, though -- I hope you enjoy them!!  

Goodnight! Lance - we love and miss you so much!!!!!!  

Love,

Jamie

 

"bat...?"

As I type, LJ is falling asleep...holding his little Red Sox bat.  He takes it EVERYWHERE.  When I asked if he was ready to go "night night", he said, "bat?..."  That means, "Can I bring my bat with me?"  I said, "sure", and down he went.  He's on his tummy now, holding the bat and falling asleep.  How precious!

I, on the other hand, am baking cookies.  Lance's sweet agent is coming to visit after the game ( if it ever ends, (it's tied in the 9th).  We plan to take out sushi and eat some cookies after.  It's nice to visit with them - we only see them about twice a year, but we consider them close friends.  

We had bible study at the baseball field, so I had to leave LJ in child care.  This time, he looked at me through the window, smiled and waved "bye".  He had his friends there, is used to the environment and feels comfortable.  That makes me very glad!  After the study, I went and picked him up -- took him to the game for a bit.  He loves the sound, music and even says "CHARGE!" at the right time.  He's definitely a baseball baby. Before dark, we got our bike and drove home.  It was a nice ride -- actually a bit cool.

Well, I better get back to my cookies!  I hope your day was nice and that you have a good night's rest!

Love,

Jamie

Some pics :)

These are some pics from the birthday party at Pump It Up and a picture of the beautiful flowers from the Farmer's Market.  I bought them to remember my dad on Father's day - they were just o.k.  then, but they are beautiful now!  Last weekend, they had the first Farmer's market on our block.  Every Saturday, vendors will be there with breads, veggies, soap, flowers...you name it. What a fun thing to have!  That's where I bought these beautiful flowers.  

We had a good day today - worked out, had a good lunch and nap at home, went for a bike ride to visit a friend's new baby at the hospital, swam at home and did some laundry.  Nothing too much, but a good day.  I hope yours was great, too!!!

Love,

Jamie

Off day!

Well, today was an off-day for Lance and we were so thankful he didn't have to go to the field today.  He's just returning from a 10 day trip away, and on Thursday he leaves for another 10-day away trip.  July, though, is stocked with home games.  It's just around the corner.

Guillermo Quiroz, the son of a catcher on Lance's team, celebrated his 2nd birthday today.  Lance, LJ and I headed to Glen Burnie ( a nearby city) to an indoor play gym for his party.  We got SO lost on the way ( our navigation didn't help when we had the name of the city wrong!  It was wrong on the play gym's web site and also the receptionist thought it was in another city, so we were flustered!)  It took us over an hour to make what ended up being a 5 mile trip.  After asking the woman, "are you sure we take 695 East ?" for the third time, we stopped at a gas station and mapquested our route from there.  We were SO far off - about 20 miles away in the opposite direction.  It wasn't a total loss, though --we arrived at the party with enough play time left and LJ also got a bit of a nap.  He needed it, and it helped him to play even harder!  We had left with enough time to buy a present beforehand, but we ended up being more than "fashionably late".  I'll post some pictures tomorrow -- Guillermo and his friends had a great time!  Lance and I did, too -- we were jumping in the moon jump, dunking basketballs with the kids :)

After the birthday party, we stopped to get LJ something to eat and to buy Rookie a leash.  We broke his yesterday.  Upon arriving home, we took him out and put LJ down for a nap.  Lance and I napped as well, and LJ slept for an hour and a half in his bed.  I guess he was tired!  

When LJ woke up, we got dressed and headed out for a walk and to look for some dinner.  It was POURING, but we walked anyway, (you know how I love the rain -- LJ does, too, but I think Lance just humored us).  I didn't think it was raining that hard, but by the time we were 10 minutes out, we were pretty wet.  Luckily it was warm so we didn't catch cold, and we found a chain-type restaurant that was kid-friendly to eat in.  By the time we were done eating, it was sunny again and we enjoyed our walk back.  

So, now we are just arriving in from taking Rookie out for the last time.  LJ is resting on Lance's lap while Rookie and I sit in the chair, type this and drink some hot tea.  It was a good day, a fast day, and it's business as usual tomorrow.  Thank goodness for these little breaks.  I hope your day was great!!!  

Love,

Jamie

Father's Day

night night!

Well, we just got home from a ball game and got LJ bathed and put to bed after milk and Blue's Clues.  It was a late night, but a friend from Atlanta was in ( her husband plays with the pirates now), so LJ and I enjoyed her company tonight.  He spent the first part of the night in childcare, but I couldn't resist bringing him up to the game after a while - he enjoys it and it helps to teach him a bit about sitting still!

It's late, but we had a good day -- I'm hoping for a better night tonight, (not enough sleepin' going on in this house) - we'll see!!

Love,

Jamie

Playlist!

I kind of feel like a "tech-y" (not even how it's spelled, I'm sure), but I uploaded some songs all on my own to this blog.  It has a lot of my favorite iPod songs and some old veggie tales, etc.  If it annoys you - (it comes on by itself) - just turn down your volume.  Feel free to scroll down to the right and listen if you'd like.  I thought it was so cool how you can take one part of the internet and move it to the other!!  Wow!  Beason, I bet you're proud!

Love,

Jamie

Boston Trip

Good night!

Well, as I type, our pictures from boston are uploading so that I can make a photoshow.  I'll share them soon -- maybe not tonight, but definitely by tomorrow.  

We had a great day -- In short:  Rookie is home, groceries are in the fridge and cupboards and Lance's favorite cookies are made ( the no-bake kind).  Sounds like a good day to me!  I hope you are well -- I'm going to get cleaned up for bed while the pictures upload!

Love,

Jamie

Ahhhh...

Wow.  LJ just fell asleep and it's 11 p.m.  Lance said, "didn't you get the memo?  after the road-trip, he's a baseball baby!"  Ahh...now if he'd only sleep in like the "baseball babies" do, I'd be happy to jump into this pattern!  :)  That being said, he is sleeping in a crib tonight!  Maybe this transition and being back "at home" for a few weeks will make our nights a bit better.  He does have a molar about to pop through in the top right, though.  With that one, there are still 3 others left to follow.  I now look at kids with mouths full of teeth with great respect.  It took a lot to get those teeth in there!  

So, we made it back to Baltimore pretty easily.  Lance traveled with my luggage, and that made it a lot easier.  Both the plane ride home and the cab ride were non-eventful.  He was such a good boy.  The positive to all this traveling is that before long, we will be pros!  

When we got home, we headed to babies r us to get a crib bumper.  He tosses and turns a lot, so we needed something to protect flailing arms and legs in the night.  When I returned home, I realized that the crib mattress was too high and that I didn't have the tools to fix it.  So, tonight, I"ll be jumping up to check every time LJ moves, making sure he's not jumping out.  We'll find the proper Allen wrench tomorrow and fix it.  

They came and took our table and chairs while we were gone.  While I feel a bit conflicted, (shoudn't we really be eating at a table?), we are in a tiny apartment and I needed the space.  WEll, LJ needed the space, actually.  A boy has to have room to play when the weather doesn't permit you to go outside.  

They were supposed to leave a chair, (his high-chair attaches to a chair for use), but they took them all.  So, LJ ate on the floor.  That's kind of sad, so I'm working it out to where we can at least let LJ eat properly in a high chair.  My biggest hope is for a compromise, though -- maybe getting a small table and two chairs here so that LJ and I can eat our meals at the table.  He's going to be ready to transition to just a booster in a few months, so I'd like to ease him into that here.  We'll see.  So, for me, today, it's been all about mattresses being too high, cribs needing bumpers, tables being taken away and a toddler eating on the floor.  If it sounds bad, it wasn't.  It was just full of those kinds of things.  It was actually pretty good.  :)

I'm glad to be back in Baltimore.  It's very homey and I am about to put clean sheets on our bed.  I am a home-body at heart, so wherever my home is at the moment, my body is happy there.  I hope you are happy where you are tonight.  Get some good rest!!

Love you!

Jamie 

Easy day

Ahhh...well, I'm just finishing up a relaxing day with LJ. He was in our bed from 1 a.m. on last nigh t - Lance and I have pushed two queens together, so he can sleep close to us without feeling our every movement. Despite us being here, he HAS to get some rest. So, LJ and I tossed and turned close to him, though not close enough to stir him. I'm thankful for that.
Because of the rough night, Lance got up with LJ and I went to bed from 8:30 - 10:30 to get a couple of hours rest. It's AWESOME being here with him, it's just been tough when we haven't been able to get some sleep. When we get back to Baltimore, we should have a crib waiting on us. That may make a difference as well. LJ has never been a sleeper, but I know one day he'll settle into a routine. It's just going to be later, rather than sooner.
That being said, we had a GREAT day today. We stayed in the hotel and played/rested all day. Because of our Starwood points, we were upgraded to a suite that has an extra room with enough room for us to play in. We didn't go out until after naptime when LJ and I went swimming. After our swim, we went down to the food court and shared a quesadilla and apple for dinner. After that, I let him run around outside in the court yard until he made me a dirty diaper, thus sending us back up to the room. Lance had picked me up an M&M cookie earlier, and as I type, LJ is picking each M&M out. Even this young, he knows which part of that cookie is the best!
So, that's it ...Lance is enjoying the chaos of Fenway Park right now, and I'm enjoying some play time with LJ. I hope your day was good -- Tomorrow, we head back to Baltimore and Lance will be in EARLY Friday morning.
Have a good night's rest!
Love,
Jamie

Fenway Park

All I can say is, Oh my gosh. LJ and I walked there from the hotel (not far - a mile or so), and it was like the city shut down - -like an Alabama football game or something. They close off streets just for vendors and pedestrians, and this happens every home game. It's crazy.
It was about 95 degrees tonight, and where we sit ( I can't even imagine what our tickets would cost on the street), there is NO air circulation. Lj's little cheeks were pink by our arrival, but got more pink by the minute.
Eventually it got to be too much so we found our way to the concourse where LJ could run. We spend the bulk of the game there, running up and down and even ate an ice cream until it was a puddle of milk. It was great. Between dodging the crowds, finding customer relations to leave our stroller, chasing LJ through the stadium, it was a busy night, but TOTALLY worth it. Lance's first day at Fenway was our first day, too - what an amazing day.
Tomorrow, the game starts at 7, so we won't be going. It's just too late for LJ. We did stop on the way home at a McDonalds, though -- we were passing and LJ said, "eat!" How's that for a one and a half year-old recognizing a marketing icon? He was SO good all night, and I'm so proud he's mine. If, for some reason, he sleeps till 8 tomorrow, we may go to the game just hoping for a repeat! Betting he doesn't, though, so we're planning on watching from the hotel - I feel so lucky that we got to experience that energy in person. I can't imagine playing in an environment like that all the time - it would be exhausting, I think.
Well, I'm making my way to bed. I took some more pics today, though not as many as I'd like. Lj is just too quick to run away when I pull that camera out, and I had to keep my eye on him. I did get a picture of him with his souvenier, though -- a little wooden Red Sox bat. He loves it so much and swings like crazy -- I'm shocked he didn't take out a shin in those crowds tonight!
Goodnight -- I hope today was good for you, if not memorable like ours!
Love,
Jamie

Boston, Day 1:

Hi! Well, we are just winding down after a wonderful day. When we woke up, we ordered breakfast from room service, ate it up and then headed to the hotel pool. It was so nice to just spend the morning together, not worrying about a schedule. We swam until noon, Lance and LJ hopping from the pool to the hot tub so much that LJ's legs were wobbly by the end of the morning! After swimming, we came home, showered and headed down to the mall, connected to the hotel, for lunch. We ate food from the food court outside and then headed upstairs to give LJ a little milk and put him down for a nap.
When he went down for a nap, so did we! What a great thing -- Lance didn't have to go ANYWHERE! When LJ woke up, it wasn't enough sleep, so we pulled him in the bed with us and slept some more.
When we woke up, we got dressed and headed back downstairs. Lance wanted to go to the Apple store across the street, so we did that and let LJ play outside before heading to dinner in the mall. We ate at a great little seafood place -- LJ polished off almost all his popcorn shrimp, fries and grapes while Lance ate his big appetizer sampler and I enjoyed stuffed shrimp.
After that, we let LJ run alongside us as we walked to the nearest grocer. All you have to do is say, "LJ, do you want to go in your stroller?" He'll say, "no", and you say, "well, then stay by mommy". He remembers this for a bit and stays close before you have to do it all over again. Needless to say, it is good exercise for all of us, but the boy deserves to be able to run!
After the grocery store, we walked around -- me sipping a godiva hot chocolate and Lance enjoying some ice cream. LJ doesn't like those sweets too much, so he just ran around the mall and we pretty much followed him.
Now, he's taking a bath and we're not going to be far behind him in going to bed. It has been a WONDERFUL day. I can't even say -- just being together is amazing. I hope your day was wonderful, too. I tried to upload some pics, but it didn't work on this computer. I'll make a photoshow when we get home -- I already have some really good ones!
Love,
Jamie
P.S. We can see Fenway park from our hotel room :)

We made it!

Just a little note to say we arrived! Lance has an off-day tomorrow -- we may be hermits and order room service and spend the day at the hotel indoor pool/napping tomorrow. It's good to be together again. What a blessing to steal these three days when we were supposed to be apart.
Goodnight!
Love,
Jamie

Just some pics I couldn't post last night:  1.  taking a swim break, 2. eating  a PB sandwich after our swim, 3. playing at the mall playground

Just finishing up laundry and packing - heading to Boston to see the Lance and the  "Green Monster"!  Will post pics soon!

Love,

Jamie

Quick one!

Just wanted to write a quick note before I finish packing.  LJ and I leave tomorrow at 5:33 p.m. and arrive in Boston at 6:55 p.m.  We will either take a shuttle or taxi to the hotel, and Lance will follow us soon after.  

It's amazing how much stuff I pack for LJ, (food, clothes, toiletries, etc.) and how little I am packing for myself.  Y'all please don't turn me in on "What not to Wear"...I promise I'll pack something other than nike this time!  I guess I figure if LJ looks cute enough, attention is directed away from me :)  My mom takes care of that, though -- I either leave the house in Nike stuff or something cute she has found.  Presently, the suitcase is half nike, half Me-Maw purchases! Hey - I don't want to go over my limit on the bag - you never know what they are charging these days!

So, we had a good day -- got Rookie safely to the kennel and both LJ and I were about to cry.  I hate leaving him behind...Lj kept saying "rookie...rookie", all night.  

We look forward to seeing Lance, though!  this week has gone by relatively quickly.  I hope you had a good day -- too bad for Big Brown that he didn't win -- maybe they can let him rest now and fall in love in a pasture, producing lots of "Little Browns".  

Goodnight!

Love,

Jamie  

what a boy :)

I am just sitting here, listening to LJ hic-up as he tries to fall asleep.  He's such a cutie!  Every once in a while, I'll have a day when I can't believe how much he's grown up.  He's talking, listening and learning so much ALL day long.  

We've had a great day -- he ate a funny lunch today - avocado sushi roll, soybeans, blueberries, some sun chips and milk.  He's eating that in one of the pictures, and in the other it's grits. He's sitting in his new "travel car seat" that we are bringing to Boston for the cab rides in the last pic.  We'll see how it works!  We didn't do anything special today, just a normal day, but it was a good one.  I worked out, we played outside A LOT, and enjoyed each other while missing Lance.  I hope your day was good as well!!!  

Love,

Jamie

P.S.  Check out this little boy:  Adam Bender is an 8 year-old playing baseball with one leg - what an inspiration!  Go, Adam, Go!  Never give up on your dreams!

http://www.heraldleaderphoto.com/2008/05/31/adam-bender

  

Taking it easy...

Well, today has just been a day to take it easy.  We didn't go to the gym, but just took our time eating breakfast, played and cleaned up, then headed to the pool for an hour before lunch.  LJ loves the pool!  He had me chasing him all around - he'd run straight to me, into the pool.  I try to get him to walk, but he doesn't seem to understand yet.  We swam, looked at the fountain, sat in chairs...just enjoyed a little while outside.  

For lunch, he had a bit of pasta, some chicken and a kiwi.  We took Rookie out to lay at the water, then he took a good nap.  He usually wakes up within an hour of laying down, but if I lay down with him, he can get a good nap in.  

When he woke up, we headed back to the water to pay with Rookie and look for ducks.  I brought my good camera -- that's where most of the pictures from today were taken.  That and inside while we were eating dinner.  He drank some of his milk out of his "big boy" cup today.  Usually he doesn't like the way it tastes, but it didn't seem to bother him today.  He drank about half of a cup before we put the rest in his sippy.  

He's talking more - saying things like "more tea", "hold you", "rookie...walk", "duck...eat".  He has no problem letting me know what he needs, and I think that is so cool.  We had a good, easy day.  I kept thinking he'd get bored, but he seemed to enjoy just lounging with mom.  I know he wouldn't like it every day, but we watched some Blue's Clues and Diego together, talking about what we saw.  It really was nice.  I've felt tired today, and I think he has, too, so it was just what we needed.

I hope you got what you needed today as well.  I'm going to put this computer up and get him in the bath before we take Rookie for his final outing of the night.  We miss and love you!  

Lance - see you Sunday night!  

Love,

Jamie