June 5

I enjoyed a pleasant day with this girl (who doesn't have class on Fridays).

In the morning hours, we went to the Mother Ship, Safeway, and Target. 

Then this evening, we enjoyed a stroll around Central Park in San Ramon before we settled in to watch Brady's baseball game. (They lost again, but Brady had a solid pitching outing and busted out of his hitting slump, going two for two with a well-struck double. So I'm definitely thankful to see his effort finally pay off!)

Anyway, I'm increasingly conscious of how short-lived the "zero to 18 parenting" stage truly is, so I'm grateful for time spent with my babes.

June 4

Ah, my heart: my babes were together again today.

It was a night class day for Abby, so when Isaac got home from his guys' trip to Napa, the three amigos were all home again.

And at some point, after Brady decided he wanted to take a dip in the pool, Abby mused (once again, because she's shared the observation many times since she got home from Chicago) that BearBear needed a bath. 

So they took him outside, filled a bucket with a hefty cup of detergent and water, and got the job done just as they did a year or so ago. 

They were all suitably amused by the process of watching everyone's favorite stuffed predator as he was submerged into the water and then squeezed over and over and over again.

I guess it seems like a strange activity, but it was a blessing to see them laughing and doing something (oddly productive) together. I know these days are growing fewer by the moment, so I am grateful for this opportunity for them to spend some time together and bond.

June 3

I think I've mentioned before that Brady has struggled with batting of late. He had a game today, so this afternoon, he spent a few hours trying to diagnose his issues and working on his swing.

When go-time rolled around, he still didn't get a hit, but he made contact each time and I noticed that he was running better. So that was something.

And then after he went upstairs and did a few hours of driver's ed (because he could get his permit in less than two weeks if he finishes, as crazy as that is), he came back down and asked to watch the video of his at-bats today that I took on my phone.

I know he's frustrated, but I'm grateful that he's still trying because I know he enjoys the game. And I know how important it can be to keep focus and determination when the going gets tough.

June 2

This loving sibling scene unfolded in my kitchen just after noon.

Abby, fresh from her morning jog around the neighborhood, went in for a hug from pajama-clad Brady, who had recently emerged from his bedroom to explore the food options in the pantry. Brady deflected his sister's overt play for affection with a palm to the forehead, and Abby responded with a foot to the stomach.

It was antagonistic sibling cinema at its finest.

But seriously, they didn't actually harm one another, and the exchange made me laugh. And laughter is a blessing.

June 1

A single, simple sentence came to mind multiple times today: 

And then there was one.

For more than 20 years, my hours have been filled to brimming with the sounds of childhood: giggling and laughing and shouting and crying and yelling and exclaiming.

But today, with Adam at work and Abby off to the first meeting of her credentialing program and Isaac on a trip to Napa with his pals, it was just Brady and me. 

And then there was one.

To his credit, he handled the his first real day of summer vacation --and being the only kid in the house-- quite well. He played a video game and then got in the pool, where I joined him on a giant floatie and watched as he dove into the water over and over and over again. And then we took a trip to the AMPM for an Icee (for him), and then went to the grocery store for milk. And then as the sun moved closer to the horizon, he went out back and practiced his pitch grips by hurling a rubber ball against the side of the house. 

It's probably going to take some time to get used to the relative quiet, but I'm grateful that my children are growing and changing and taking advantage of opportunities to stretch their wings. And I'm grateful that for the time being, one is still a kid, because I'm not ready to be an empty nester just yet.

May 31

Brady had a game this morning against a team that includes two of his friends from his high school team.

Jack and Ben are both good guys, from all that I know about them (and from their moms, who are both fabulous ladies). And Brady likes both of them, too.

Brady's team came out on top of the match-up, which is great. But I'm more grateful that my kiddo had the opportunity to play against some familiar faces. (And that they were all willing to pose for a pic for me after.) Because at the end of the day, I think playing a sport should be fun, and friends make everything more enjoyable.

May 30

We began our summer vacation with a crack-of-dawn (okay, 9am, but it may as well have been the crack of dawn) baseball game.

Although Brady's sole contributions were a walk and a run scored, the Royals cruised to their first win of the Big Season by topping the A's 7-0. 

I didn't take many photos and as strange as it sounds, this is probably the best of the three or four I snapped. The blurred little figure in the background is, of course, Brady. He's not the fastest runner but his coach is very big on stealing bases, so he took off shortly after reaching first base.

Anyway, I don't have any big observations to share, other than to say that I am grateful to have another solid school year in the books, and I am grateful for more opportunities to watch Brady play ball. As I'm finding out over time, the early years of life may feel long and drawn out at times, but they are most definitely shorter than I ever would have imagined.