Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

Being from Massachusetts means many things. First, "R" doesn't really exist in our vocabulary.  "Wicked" is a word frequently used. You are used to traffic. September brings all the college kids who don't know how to get around the city. Fall means Patriots games on Sunday. Winter means Celtics and Bruins. But Spring and Summer are dedicated to the Red Sox. You knew who Yaz was before you could walk. And at some point in your life you will make your inaugural visit to Fenway Park.

Fenway Park is a religious experience for Baseball fans. Friendly Fenway, is what many opposing teams visitors call it, because (unless you are a Yankees fan), we are a pretty decent group of people. One time Mr. and I became friendly with a couple sitting next to us. Turns out they were Cubs fans who were told that Fenway Park was an experience they had to have. They made the trip to Boston just to come to the game. They knew no one on the Sox except Ortiz, being that the Cubs were in a different division, and things were changing for the Sox. We were able to help them out. Having always wanted to see Wrigley Field, we talked about the two parks and the curses (ours had been lifted 2 years prior) that plagued our teams. We ended up buying the couple a drink and chatting in between innings. We sang Sweet Caroline and when the Red Sox won, we heard Dirty Water.

When you enter through the gates and onto the concourse, it is not as fancy as many of the ballparks today. Sure, they have spruced it up, but it is still the same old Fenway. But then you walk up the walkway and into the stands. That first moment that you look out onto that field.... it takes your breath away. It is like a first kiss from a very attractive man. You get those excited butterflies in your stomach. You smell the grass, the beer and the popcorn. You see the field. At Fenway, you always seem so close to the field when you walk out.

My first trip to Fenway took place in July of my Sophmore year of college. (I was too cool to be seen with my parents when they took my brother and sister to a game when I was in Middle/High School.)  I had purchased tickets to the college student game. It cost $5.00 for college students and I was really sad when it was rained out. It was scheduled for July and I took the day off from my summer job to go. I took the train downtown. I was alone, because the people who were going to go with me lived in other states or had to work. I remember getting there early, grabbing a program, and going into the park. I grabbed a soda and Fenway Frank (fully loaded of course) and headed up the ramp. The sights and smells hit me at once. It was like I described in the paragraph above. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I brought a Happy Birthday sign for my favorite player, Nomar Garciapara. Not only did he come over to talk to me as I stood on the first base side. He signed my poster and posed for a photo. (Which CVS later botched while developing. I lost the whole roll.) I was in heaven. Because it was a rain game, I was allowed to stay in a seat about 5 rows back from the first base line. I chatted with the usher, a really sweet elderly man who ended up sitting next to me and enjoying the end of a game. And man was it a game! Nomar hit 3 home runs and the Red Sox won! I even ended up on the broadcast with my sign.

Little did I know that Mr and I were both at the same game. We didn't know it at the time, but later we would joke about how that day was too early to meet each other, fall in love and get married.

Even now, walking up into the stands from the concourse sends shivers down my spine. I was in the same ballpark that my grandfather would sneak into with his buddies in the thirties when he couldn't afford a $0.15 ticket. My Grampy took my mother and uncles to Fenway to catch games. I went there with Mr. on a June night to boo Barry Bonds, who had just been outed as a steroid user. There was so much history here. Not just sports history, but family history.

Today marks the 100th Anniversary of Fenway Park. The first game took place April 20, 1912 and was won by the Red Sox who were playing the New York Yankees. (Then known by another name.) They won 7-6 in extra innings. Today, the Red Sox and Yankees meet again. As is right. The greatest rivalry in the ballpark's history is renewed.

Fenway is not going anywhere, and I am glad. I can't wait to take my little Monkey to his first game. I can't wait for him to cheer for his favorite player and help him make a sign. I can't wait to share popcorn and buy him his first Fenway Frank. And, if the ballpark is still there, I am looking forward to taking my future children and grandchildren there. There is nothing like seeing a child and their parents enjoying time at the park.    

Fenway Park on Opening Day 1912:

Fenway Park Opening Day 2012:



Today... Fenway will honor the past, present and future of this amazing ballpark. And yes, my former crush "Nomah" will be there and I will be watching.  

Happy 100th Birthday Fenway, may we all look so great at 100. 

Can you believe...

This is my 10 month old.

His hobbies are crawling, pulling himself up, getting into things he shouldn't, playing with his little people invisible plane, and petting our cat. He enjoys the Wiggles and going to school. He also enjoys the sandbox. Good thing Summer is on the way!

Springtime is here.... Can we all be well now please?

So they always say the first winter is the worst...or at least that is what I was told.

I never imagined that winter would start with two hospital stays and end with one really long hospital stay and two ear infections, three colds, allergies and a sinus infection.

Really? Karma needs to stop being a ... well you know.

In the last month since I wrote my post on meeting the Pioneer Woman; our household has been more like a house of the infirmed. I was in the hospital for two weeks and then home for another week battling a case of Irritable Bowel Disease. Then Monkey got a cold which turned to an ear infection. Mr. got the cold from Mikey and he got an ear infection and sinus infection... and me.. I am now battling with my allergies.

Seriously. I have had enough. This needs to end now.

Me 'N Ree... An Accidential Country Girl meets an Accidental City Girl

So last night a co-worker and I went to the Brookline Booksmith/Coolidge Corner Theater to see Ree Drummond.... better known as the Pioneer Woman. It was fabulous. I kept my car at the office and the co-worker (who works part time) picked me up and off we went.... the mile down the road to the bookstore and the theater.


Prior to the book signing, we had tickets to hear her speak about her life on the ranch at the Coolidge Corner Theater. She talked about sun in and meeting the Marlboro Man and her lovely children. She even sang "Endless Love" to photos of her adorable pup Charlie. She was as down home, lovely and funny as we thought. And... She is GORGEOUS. I want to look that fabulous after having four kids. It ended to crazy applause and people beelined for the door.


Since the book signing was open to the public, they were lining up in the store while she was talking, which meant we had a wait in front of us. I went into the store while my co-worker held our place in line. I got 2 copies of the new cookbook (one for each of us) and her autobiography "High Heels and Tractor Wheels" for me. I got back in line with my friend and we waited... and waited... The line stretched around the corner and down the street. Finally we made it inside the store. It had been about an hour and a half at that time. The line in the store was up the center aisle and around and back down to the back. She took a moment to meet everyone and she chatted with people. We got up there after another hour and twenty minutes or so. By then my phone died but the sainted co-worker took a picture with her phone. Me 'n Ree. A moment trapped in time.

I talked with her a little about kids and about Monkey. I told her that I read her whole blog while on bed rest awaiting the birth of my son. To which she replied, "You must have been sick of me!" My response: "I was sick of my bed!"

After my co-worker saw her and got her book signed, we waived goodbye to Ree and left the bookstore, not envying the people behind us in line. We had waited almost 3 hours and every moment of that was worth it.

After that we went and grabbed a slice at Upper Crust and I was returned to my car at work. I made my way home talking with Mr. the whole ride. I would have loved to read the book all night, but the alarm rings early on Fridays and I was back in Mommy mode - making bottles and getting ready for the next day.

Today, despite being exhausted, I am in a super cheerful mood. Last night was much needed and super fun.

Memories...

A good friend of ours went into labor yesterday and all the memories of my own labor and birth come back to me. All the pain, panic and the delight and pure honest love a mother has for her new baby. I suppose it is the same for every mother.

Last night while Monkey slept, I crept into his room (as I often do) to watch my little man sleep. It seems like yesterday I was laying his small body on my chest and covering him (and I) in a blanket post surgery. Now he is 30 inches or so and sprawled across his bed in his sleepsack that he is growing out of faster than I can replace it. He is active and smiles when I walk in the room. Now he tries to blow me kisses. He never needed to smile to tell me he loved me, that love connection was made the first moments we saw each other.

That friend had her baby this morning, and what a cutie he is. I can't divulge names right now, but I know that her heart is bursting with one of the greatest loves a person can have. And that makes me happy.

I am so happy for these friends.... We got married a month apart and we live down the road from each other, so hopefully, our boys become friends. I know they are going to be amazing parents.

Daycare just called...

Apparently Monkey really coveted the Ritz crackers that his friends were having. The teacher asked if he could have one.

"Of course" I said and hung up the phone.

Then I realized it... Slowly my baby is growing into a little boy.

It made me want to cry.

Maybe it is just the lack of sleep...

So, I was on my way to work this morning and I heard it again...an argument about banning children from restaurants.

Now, don't get me wrong, I understand the desire to have a nice quiet meal and that SOME children mess that up. But when I tell you this whole "kid free" thing pisses me off, it is the understatement of the year. We take our son to restaurants to teach him how to act. And he acts well or we go. It is as simple as that. But people seem to want to punish good families for what bad kids have done. And that is not acceptable and not fair.

When we go to a restaurant, we bring baby food, milk, and something for him to play with. When we walk in it always happens... we get a dirty look from someone in the restaurant. A look that says "how dare you bring your child here?" We ignore it and sit down and our son happily eats his puffs and plays with his toys. Occasionally he will look around and flirt with the table behind us. He is good as gold and if the dirty look people leave before us, I will shoot them a dirty look of my own.

I also don't appreciate going to a restaurant and being seated as far away from everyone as possible. We don't have a disease, we have a kid. Kids happen. If they didn't then there would be no one to leave the world to when we go. Exposure to social situations need to happen; otherwise we will potentially be left with a generation of socially awkward kids.

I am going to go on the record here. If a restaurant we go to EVER institutes a kid free rule, then it is the last time we step foot there ever. I shouldn't have to call a babysitter last minute or have to plan when we want to go to a restaurant instead of cooking.

Sorry, just the entitlement of people sometimes really gets to me. It is a PUBLIC place, and like it or not, my family is part of said public. Institute your kid free policies if you don't like it, I guarantee you that there are many parents like us who won't give your restaurant our hard earned money anymore.