Soccer Summer

Our summers are filled with soccer, soccer, and more soccer. Grey joined kinderkickz this year and LOVES it. His soccer bag is always packed and waiting by the front door waiting for his next soccer practice. His green uniform that matches daddy is always out and ready to go for when he goes and watches daddy on Sundays. Needless to say, soccer is a big part of our family :) And our family includes alot of the soccer community!

August was a huge soccer month for us...with lots of highs and unfortunately lows this year.

Zippy played at Sonoma State so every year they have a big alumni soccer game. The one advantage of living just around the corner from the college is that we get to play host family when everyone comes to town! The Parish's came to stay with us and it is always such amazing chaotic fun to hang out with them!! Tanya and I decided that the kids need to have outfits to support their daddy's this year... I think they turned out pretty good!

Enjoying some adult time later after the game...one of the alumni has a winery, Malm Cellars. Wonderful evening!!

 The next day, though, was a rough one. While Zippy was out playing with his Over-30 team, one of their teams mates seemed to go into a seizure on the sidelines and had passed away before he got to the hospital. Matt Sokol was only 42 and had gotten married only two weeks prior. Matt had been off the field for the first part of the season and Grey and him had spend many games cheering together on the sideline. He helped watched Grey when I couldn't be there. Grey was only a few yards from him when it happened and was there when the firetruck and ambulance showed up to take them away. It was devastating. It's hard to deal with a loss like this but even harder when it hits close to your children. We told Grey what had happened and every so often, Grey will say, " I really really really miss Matt." It just broke my heart! Here is an article about this amazing person who touched our lives too briefly:
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120819/ARTICLES/120819506?tc=ar

The Black Oaks at the service

 Bagpipe/team ceremony before the next game

Zoe: 18 months

 

Dearest Zozo:
It is official. You are a full blown toddler! Your two favorite words are "NOO-ah!"
 and "MINE!!!" You climb anything you can. You get into anything you can. You try to do anything your brother can. You are exhausting!! Take just this morning. You climbed onto the back of the lazy-boy chair, perched precariously on top, reaching out for a cup that daddy had left on the book shelf. Once I got you down and I went back to getting breakfast ready, you climbed onto the dining room table and proceeded to try to put on one of my necklaces that I had out to wear today...and broke it sending beads EVERYWHERE. I cleaned it up and while I was in there, you grabbed Grey's water cup (you moved the chair out, climbed up and got onto the table in the kitchen where his water was from breakfast) and proceeded to walk around, so proud of yourself drinking out of a big kid cup, until Grey noticed and tried to get it back from you. You ran screaming "MINE!!!" spilling the water all over the place. You helped me clean up that mess but while I was trying to finish packing up a bag for today, you came out with the tooth paste (opened) and trying to put it on your tooth brush. You had managed to carry your stool up 4 stairs and get onto the bathroom counter to help yourself. All of this happened in less than an hour!! I am glad you think you are self-sufficient...but seriously??! It is a good thing you are sooo cute!!

When you are not getting into trouble, you are busy following your brother around doing anything he can do. His favorite thing to do now is jump off our bed. He always is asking me to watch...and it wasn't long before you were standing on the edge of the bed yelling "WATCH!!" and throwing yourself off of the bed, too. You are going to give me a heart attack! It is pretty cute though that you say "watch" now anytime you want to jump. I was playing with you in great grandma's pool the other day and you kept saying "watch!! watch! " and pointing to the edge of the pool.  You have realized Grey can walk down the stairs without scooting on his bottom or going feet first..so you have decided you can do it, too. I think you take a year or two off my life every time you do it! If Grey kicks a ball, you kick a ball. If Grey yells, you yell louder. If Grey comes over to cuddle with me, you make sure you are in the middle of it!

You love to jump, you love to run, you love to climb, you love to slide, you just love being very active. You also LOVE LOVE LOVE reading books. We don't really watch Sesame Street (the only thing I have seen you actually sit and watch was the Olympic gymnastic floor routine and then you proceed to imitate them to the best of your ability) but we have a couple Elmo dolls and books at our house and you love to read anything with Elmo in it. You could look at books all day. You also love love love to accessorize. Buckets on the head, hats, shoes(doesn't matter who's), necklaces, gloves, watches, jackets, scarves, etc...anything you can put on your body.

You are pretty good at entertaining yourself and have amazing patience with trying to figure things out..you really don't get easily frustrated. You also must have no pain receptors either. I have seen you crash and burn so many times...crash into Grey, knots on your head, skinned knees, elbows, you name it...and you walk away like it never happened.

You are still a little cautious of other people though, especially guys. It takes a while for you to warm up to adults but you adore other kids. I am not sure how Andrew's daddy, Brian, managed to charm you, but you absolutely love him. You will even pick up my phone and pretend"call" him. I hear you say "Bri-na!! Hi, Bri-na!!" You still are not a fan of dogs. For as adventurous as you are, if strangers or dogs are nearby, you are climbing my legs and wanting to be held.

One of the cutest things you do is stick your finger in your belly button. Some kids suck their thumb or twirl their hair when self soothing...but you like to stick your finger straight into your belly button to help you fall asleep or if you are in a situation that makes you nervous, like when someone talks to you and you are not too sure of them. The downfall of this cuteness means that you cannot wear onesies anymore or footed pajamas.  And if you are wearing a dress, you bare all to anyone around!

In the last month your language has taken off! Here is the list of your most used words as of 18 months:
Catch
Watch
Zozo
Mine
"NOOO-AHH"
Hand
Tractor
Water

uhoh
mama
dada
grandpa
brother (bru-da)
elmo
hat
shhh (for shoe)
meow (cat)
ruff! (dog)
Why
hammer
"bob" (blueberry)
dinner
up
go
Bri-na (Brian)
Chelle (Michelle)
ball
on

If you notice, I think your brother has a pretty big influence on your vocabulary!! My favorite right now is when you pick up something random ( a hanger or stick) and start chopping with it and you say "ha-mmmer" and start hammering things. Or you will make the "jaws" sound track noise and chase us with something. You are silly and it fits in perfectly with this family :)

Love you,
Mama

Watching daddy's soccer game

Bucket head!

You are just now getting into your dolls. I think you were nursing your baby in this one...

You caught me watching!!

Love your blonde hair. And I apologize now, I am horrible when it comes to hair even myself so you will most likely always have crazy hair!!

It's all about the accessories!

You love feeding yourself yogurt!

You could play in water all day long!

Wee!!

Congrats, Uncle Tyler and Auntie Rory!!

We are so excited that Auntie Rory is OFFICIALLY Auntie Rory! Tyler and Rory got married this last weekend at Postinos in Lafayette. It was such an amazing weekend and we had lots of fun. Grey was a little disappointed at first he didn't get to dress up for the wedding but was soon over it when he realized he got to have a sleep over with sissy at Andrew's house! The weekend was full of lots of laughter, reconnecting with old friends and family, and meeting new friends and new family!The kids came to the welcoming BBQ at Rory's parents house and Grey had so much fun playing with Ty and Rory's dog D and then charmed all of her family who were out from Boston with giving everyone hugs and kisses :) All weekend long, everyone kept telling me how wonderful my children were and that they were both just SO loving :) It's nice to hear nice things about your kids, it makes up for the crazy moments that most people don't see ;)

Rory was the most stunning bride. From the shoes to the dress to the hair and makeup, it was just so perfectly her. There wasn't any major catastrophes which was great. I was very nervous though since I was put on flower delivery duty to the boys and also making sure the boys and Tyler were ready and where they were suppose to be for pictures and such. It was kind of fun being with the guys for a change and seeing how nervous they are too when it comes to weddings! It was especially entertaining since they were wearing tuxes and were having a hard time figuring out their suspenders and ties. I am glad I was there to help get them all dress!

Zippy was the best man and just happened to forget his written out speech at home...so here he was writing it last minute!

 I really hope Rory knows what she is getting herself into ;)

 Rory's dad came down to finish getting ready with everyone and it was adorable watching him, Rory's brothers, and Tyler interact :) 

Rory's brothers: One officiated, the other read an Irish blessing

Imagine that...Zippy on his phone. Still sexy though! Love a man in a tux :)

 On the limo bus on the way to the wedding site

Tyler waiting for his bride

Now you may kiss the bride...don't they look so happy?

Mother and Son Dance...Jane looked stunning!

First dance..

We weren't able to stay the next day for brunch but we made a special stop at Jodie's on the way to get the kids. If you are ever in Albany for breakfast this place is AMAZING. Zippy discovered it when some other EMTs took him there when he was working in the east bay. I had the eggs roysten, Jodie's take on eggs benedict. It seriously looks like a little hole in the wall and most people would walk right by without a second glance. But word of mouth is something and there is often a line out the door! I am glad we don't live closer :)

More Random Summer Pictures

I will be on the computer posting for the next 5 years trying to catch up if I do an individual post for everything we did this summer. So, here is a short synopsis of more summer in between all of our big events!

Grey took swim lessons again with Mary this year. He had a little scare right before his first lesson where he went under where he couldn't touch while waiting in the hot tub but continued to brave through lessons. I often wonder if he would be swimming on his own right now if he didn't have that underlying fear of going under. On the other hand, I am glad it happened because he is CRAZY when it comes to the water and now he might have a little more respect for it....

 Zoe and I spent quite a bit of time on the sidelines of soccer this summer-either watching Grey or daddy. She loved making pretty daisy chains when she wasn't trying to participate in the soccer game :)

 Grey's soccer...notice Zoe right in the middle of it. Grey really liked it when daddy was able to come out and coach!

 Zoe trying to do anything and everything her brother does..

 Police Zoe!

 I love it when the other kids come out to watch their daddies play...I barely see my kids and they are well taken care of!

 Advantages of being the second born around here. You get ice cream very early on...poor Grey was probably 3 before he had anything besides frozen yogurt!

 More soccer watching...

 More swim lessons. We did some one on one lessons with Nick at our local pool since Mary was booked the rest of the summer. It was FREEZING (notice the instructor in a wet suit!). It was the first time Grey had been in the public pool and it took him awhile to get comfortable and use to the chaos. When he did, he was going under water for quite awhile and was able to climb out of the pool by himself.

Bath time fun!

We are going to the US Virgin Islands this fall so we needed to get passports for the kids if we wanted to visit the British Virgin Islands....these are their passport pictures! I love how they capture their personalities...and that these will be their passport photos for the next 5 years! LOL!

More scooter time!

We have spent many Friday mornings hiking out at Crane Canyon. Love love love it. Climbing trees, the bridge, and finding lizards are our favorite things to do!

 Guess I didn't need that double stroller after all!

 Grey is rocking the training wheels on his bike. He has this one here and we took the one from Granny Jo & Grandpa O out to Grammie's house. 

I was singing to Zoe as she was sitting trying to pee pee on the big potty. I don't think she liked it!

Ok, the double stroller comes in handy when you have 3 kids!

Reint from Holland came to visit and play. Once Zoe warmed up to him, she wouldn't leave his side. If he did something with Grey, she would completely melt down until she had his full undivided attention again!

 We love our dart guns!

 Cool girl wearing her brother's shades

 Zoe was packed and ready to go!

More hiking

The Fischer family from Holland all came out for Ross' wedding and they were here for a few weeks doing the grand au paire tour (they have had a different au paire each year since Reint was little, about 16 years worth!) and most live in California so they made their rounds. They stayed with us a couple nights and went to watch Zippy play soccer. It was soooo good to see them. I am hoping it won't be as long next time! Our wedding was the last time we saw them 6.5 years ago! Jaap (standing up behind everyone) was Grey's age when we lived there and the girls, Ida and Martie, were Zoe's age. I still imagine them that way!

Grey went to his very first Ziemer brother camp. Zippy starting going when he was young, then coached as a junior coach as well as through out college. It is fun to continue the tradition. Zippy coached one of Grey's coaches when he was this little. Cute!

Ross' wedding in Occidental. Of course, Zippy is sporting a pink bowtie and suspenders. Do you expect anything else?

Uncle Bob and family came up for their annual trip. The house in Forestville wasn't available this year so they tried a new place in Glen Ellen. It was amazing. Pool, putting green, badminton, swing set, and the most amazing kitchen. The cousins all enjoyed playing together!

 Piper and Zoe even had the same swimsuit!

 As you can see Zoe even loves all swim accessories too

 A girl cannot have too many swim goggles!

Grey went to the dentist and these were the teeth he left with!

Just a glimpse of a little of our day to day for this summer. I am looking forward to fall hopefully slowing down a little bit but I feel like summer has gone by way too fast. What I wouldn't do to be able to stay home and play with these cuties all day long!