Go Cards!

For Fathers Day in June, I told my dad that his gift was a Cardinals game with me. He just had to choose which game and I'd take care of the tickets. 3 months later, we finally took that date. We saw the Cards play the Cubs and unfortunately, they loss. However, I don't go to see a win, I go to go. The wonderful man I married isn't so much a baseball fan and although I'm not a fanatic I am a St. Louisan who was raised in a home with boys who love their Cards. So going to a Cardinals game brings huge doses of nostalgia to me of being a kid, sitting with my family at Busch. We didn't go often, it's not a cheap outing for a family of 5, but when we went it was spectacular. The crowds, the lights, the peanuts.

Being a kid and having a brother who was huge fan, I became a fan by default. I joined in his excitement for games, and wore my red proudly. In Richmond heights, where we lived for a good portion of my early childhood, the police officers would pull over and hand out Cardinal baseball cards. We'd compare what we had in hopes of collecting the whole set by the end of the summer and baseball season. I remember going to an autograph signing as a kid. It was so exciting to get to meet these players that in our little minds were so worthy of their fame. I remember being able to recite the names of the players from season to season and joining in my fathers disappointment when a favored player was traded to another city.

Cardinals Baseball isn't just a sport or a team to me, it's a part of my childhood. One that brings back so many fond memories of my dad. Going to the annual game with him isn't just fun. It's a chance to sit their and be a kid. To take in all the excitement around me and pretend that I'm 12 again, to participate in the wave, to throw my peanut shells on the ground, to clap and sing to all the customary stadium songs and chants. To relish in my home team who right now are doing a bang up job! Go Cards!

Oh Yea, and on our way to the game we walked through the Taste of St. Louis on Market. We had some delicious BBQ Pulled Pork sandwiches for dinner. YUM!

Family

This past weekend was my brother Lee's wedding. All of us, minus the baby, were part of the wedding party. My new sister in law, is a wonderful person, and i'm excited for what's in store for this young couple.

At the rehearsal dinner we had a time where people could stand up and say something to the couple. My mom had told me about this a week in advance but i didn't think about saying anything until in was my turn. My other brother Mondo got up and said some nice words so i figured I better say something. Being unprepared was silly of me but no one is going to remember what was said anyways. I kept repeating how happy I was for them, and how excited I am to see what is instore for them. They're young, like Carlos and I were when we were married. A lot has happened in 6 years, some good, some rough, but we're happy and thankful for one another.

At the reception the next evening, my brother Mondo gave his best man speech. He had planned what to say and did a stand up job. One thing he said really stuck with me though. He said that his family is the coolest family he knows. I'm not saying that I agree with him because I'm so cool. Lord knows i'm not. But aside from that, he's right. A lot of people have amazing family relationships. They don't just get along, but they love being together. They rejoice with each other, they grieve with one another and they long for time together. This is the Davis family. We've always been big on family bonding. Whether it be through meals, holidays, vacations, camping, or music we sincerely enjoy being together.

We're all grown up now, and the family is only getting bigger as time passes. And as Meredith takes this leap into our loving, quirky, attention deficient and often overly emotional family, I hope she can see what Mondo meant. It's never about whose got the better family. It's about rejoicing in the one you have through love, sincerity, and laughter.

Moving

No, we're not moving. We'd love to but we're not. I won't bore you with the details but lets just say the economy sucks. You know somethings wrong when you can afford a newer, nicer, bigger home, but you can't afford to sell the smaller, older one you're already living in.
So in light of making the best of it, I've been thinking about re-organizing. We've frequently done this in the past 5 years that we've lived in our two bedroom home in order to make best use of our space. But now with two kids who are only getting bigger and a real estate market that doesn't look anywhere close to improving in the near future, it's becoming even more important to make the most of what we have.
I've always been one of those moms that tell people when buying gifts for my kids to stay away from anything big.
1. I don't want to have to find a place for it in a home that is running out of corners, and
2. Why spend big bucks on a life size kitchen set when my toddler is happy playing with the sticks and leaves she found in the yard (seriously, this is her newest thing...On the bright side, Carlos doesn't have to pick up as many sticks before mowing). Thankfully, people have listened to me and because of that our house doesn't look like a ransacked isle of Toys R Us.
The "playroom" is B's bedroom. However, it's almost time for the inevitable sharing of the bedroom for our two kids. I've held off this long because R tends to be a finicky sleeper. Meaning he often wakes up around midnight and cries just long enough for me to give in and feed him in order to get him back to sleep. He's not hungry just spoiled. I know, people, back off, it's a small house and I don't want him waking his sister.
Apparently my brother and I (17 months apart) shared a room as young children and that worked out fine. It couldn't have been too traumatizing because my mom barely remembers it.
All this to say, what are your thoughts? Kids sharing bedrooms. Different sleep schedules. They're young enough that the whole boy/girl thing shouldn't matter for a few more years. And by then, God willing, we'll be in a new home.
Tell me what you think.

Vaca

After 7 days away from home, I am glad to be back. We had a whirlwind adventure that included two 15 hour drives, one beautiful wedding, lots of cranky attitudes, two first trips to the beach, and good food. Lee is happily married to the woman of his dreams. The top of the line built in car tv's was money extremely well spent. R and B hated the ocean but loved the beach. Carlos and I were able to go on a much needed dinner date ocean side.
All in all the trip was a success! Now if the younger half of this family would just get out of their post vacation funk, we'd be good.
But then, what would I complain about...?

Language

For the past year I've been curious about how B's bilingualness will develop. She's been a bit slower to start talking than most 2 year olds I know. But I've always chucked this up to the fact that she has to learn two languages. I don't know many parents that speak two languages in their homes so getting advice or hearing about other experiences is limited.
At home, the kids hear both languages pretty equally. I use a lot more English of course, but I try hard to use as much Spanish as possible. Carlos speaks Spanish almost exclusively to B but English to me. So she hears him use both. She clearly understands both languages. However as her vocab continues to grow rapidly, she seems to be verbalizing more English than Spanish. She uses a good number of Spanish nouns as opposed to their English counter part. However when it comes to verbs, she seems to speak in English. Ex: "I want, I don't want, Go, eat, etc.
I'm pretty confident that at some point her verbs will become bilingual as well.
Anyone else have experience or thoughts on this? Just curious.

Why Life Is Good

1. Both kids are on a schedule. This is huge. Granted it's not always the same schedule, but I'm ok with that.
2. We bought the monster of all blow up pools. Carlos had been telling me to buy one all summer so I finally caved and spent 26 buck-a-roos on one that we all fit in.
3. Our home is getting closer and closer to market ready. Our basement has been an ongoing/3 year project. We're nearing the end and once that's done and some minor aesthetic touch ups, this house will for sale!! We can't wait to find a new and bigger home. We've definitely outgrown this one, though of course we are grateful to have one at all.
4. I've recently started attending a bible study. I have looked off and on for a few years to find one for moms and a close friend recently suggested that since we all are getting together often once a week for play dates, why not kill two birds and throw a study into the mix. Genius!
5. My brother is spending the summer in Colorado as a back packing guide. I love that he's doing this and am living vicariously through him.
6. My other brother is getting married in less than two months. He's young, and the general consensus is shock when people find out. But he's happy, in love and I can relate. Vaca in S. Carolina, Yes Please.
7. In 4 weeks Carlos and I celebrate our 6th year of marriage. in 6 years, we've had our share of ups and downs. We've taken on parenthood, home ownership and a plethora of other things. I'm ready for the next 60.
Otherwise, we're just good. We're happy. Not perfect, of course, but can't complain.

There Must Have Been a Sedative In Her Sippy Cup

We've been having some issues. On average my kids are great sleepers. They came out that way...from day one. Lately, like 2 weeks or so, its been a battle to get B to nap or to sleep at night. She went through a more intense version of this right after R was born. Which tells me that this is just a phase. Once she's in bed, she goes right to sleep, it's getting her there that is so exhausting. On top of this she's been waking up at the most ungodly hours in the morning. Two mornings this week she woke up at 5. It's been a long 2 weeks with little sleep for everyone. However, this morning just makes me laugh. Carlos convinced me to let B stay up a little later last night to see if it would help her sleep later in the morning. And so, 7:00 bedtime became 8:00 bedtime. And sure enough, she slept until almost 7.
When she woke up I went and got her out of her bed brought her to our bed and then gave her a sippy cup of milk...this is our routine each morning. I then laid there with her as she drank, just wating for the inevitable "I want Dora, mami". She finished her milk handed me the cup, and just laid there for a few minutes. The next thing I know Carlos is poking me and pointing to the sound asleep toddler next to me. That was almosts 2 hours ago.
So we may or may not have turned a corner, but it's good to know she's catching up today on all the missed sleep over the past few weeks.
Now if only I could roll over and go back to sleep for a few more hours. Geez, wouldn't that be great.