All Star Game Party 2015

Last year Jason and I had a discussion about family traditions, not just those surrounding holidays and birthdays, but also the little rituals we both remember from our own childhoods. We really like the idea of adding unique traditions to our kids' lives that will add fun to the year and build memories for them to look back on when they're older. While I love holidays, I also love the idea of making a big deal out of less mainstream days: a Pi Day party on March 14, a red carpet affair for the Academy Awards {I've wanted to do this ever since college because I get oddly excited for award shows}, or a pirate-themed party for National Talk-Like-a-Pirate Day {my sister's in-laws do this every year}. Isn't there pretty much a "national" everything day now? So, I guess you can take your pick.

If you've met my husband or even just know our oldest son's name, you know that baseball is kind of a big deal around here. So on the day of the MLB All Star Game last summer, I got home from work to find the living room filled with baseball decor that the boys had made while I was gone. Gehrig got to stay up late to watch the game and we had fun making a big deal of it.

This year, since we could now call it the "2nd Annual," things got taken up a notch. We invited my sister and nephews so that more kids could partake and, rather than just celebrate during the game, we decided to make a whole day of it. {I use the term we very loosely here as this became Jason's summer obsession project. He spent so much time planning and putting everything together that I really just got to show up and enjoy it with everyone else. Don't feel bad for him. That teacher energy has to go somewhere during the summer and he loved every second of it.}

The night before, while the boys were sleeping, we decorated the house and put out little gifts for the boys {Jason dubbed it "Baseball Christmas"}. They each got a jersey and a custom book for their baseball cards. We had baseball donuts for breakfast and watched replays of the Home Run Derby from the night before. 

Jason made a mini baseball field in the backyard, complete with a fence so that we could have our own Home Run Derby {won by yours truly, thanks}. The snacks were all baseball themed {the pepperoni on the pizza was even put in the shape of seams on a ball} and there were little crafts to do in the afternoon.

Basically no detail was forgotten. Probably the coolest part was when Jason surprised the boys with their own baseball cards, complete with stats and personalized descriptions. Did I mention that he's awesome? Or that he gets a little excited about projects like this? Or that he really loves baseball? 

You know it's a successful party {at least I do} when the next day you start planning next year's festivities. As the kids get bigger, this tradition is bound to grow as well, with the boys inviting their friends over someday for a highly-competitive Derby, or filling our yard with family and friends for a barbecue before the game. It's sort of great to make up your own holidays sometimes. I highly recommend it.

Halfway

So apparently I'm 20 weeks now, which is pretty cool. Full on into that blessed second trimester and feeling a little bit more human-like, despite the stomachaches that hit every few days and the exhaustion that just keeps hanging around. I told Jason last night that I was just going to complain about always being tired and then realized that this might just be my life now. So I really shouldn't even talk about it, right? Of course right.

I must confess that I'm sort of a silently-neurotic pregnant woman. I like to keep it cool and collected on the outside, but really I worry about every little twinge and ache that comes along. Luckily {for my midwife} I'm good at talking myself down from my "what if??" scenarios before rushing to the hospital. After going through this twice, I've come to accept that this is how pregnancy after miscarriage goes. I usually ride the high of hearing baby's heartbeat for a couple weeks after each appointment and then spend the remaining two weeks quietly panicking until my next appointment. My best advice for anyone else like this {or my future self}: stay away from Google.

Despite my sometimes-tormented mental state and constant exhaustion, things have been good on the pregnancy front. So far I feel less uncomfortable than I did with Milo, who sent me to physical therapy for hip pain that drove me to tears. Staying active and doing yoga helps, though I haven't been as great at this as I should be. I'd love to be able to commit fully to either regular pants that usually still fit in the morning but are a no-go by afternoon, or maternity pants that are still just a tad too big to stay up all day. Most clothes look sort of ridiculous on me, maternity or not, so I'll be happy to be out of the 'tweener stage.

This summer has been a wonderful mixture of slow and busy, with camping trips and beach days, a little work and a lot of play. My summer class ends next week already {!!!}, which is exciting, but also a bit disappointing since it means that fall is quickly approaching. I'm not ready to let go of my endless Saturdays yet. Somehow I always am once the time comes, but this year it might mean giving up my daily nap, so a bigger protest may be in order. Anyway, as my niece used to say, "I'm walking away from that talk." Here's to the last month of summer and the last 5 months of pregnancy!