Updating, Updating, Updating!

So we moved to Wichita, blah blah blah, that whole episode will have to wait for another post. I've got videos to upload for antsy grandparents and aunts and uncles about all the excitement of the past couple weeks. Wow!! What first? I guess we'll start in order of age. In a two-day period Grant had his first ever t-ball game and his first ever BMX race. It was so fun to see him do these big-boy things. I guess he really IS growing up! Makes me teary! On Thursday, May 27th, Grant started playing t-ball with his team (the Scorpions) and he did great. Well, really, how great is a 5-year-old who's never played before and only ever even seen one other baseball game in his life? But he did get one out (except no one really gets out in t-ball) and almost a second one as well and he did get a good hit his second time at bat. He is the youngest kid on his team and it's really an exercise in frustration, watching these guys try to play ball when they don't have a clue what to do. We're working with Grant on his throwing but it's so hard to try to teach a lefty when both parents are right-handed. It's so backwards! Anyone have any tips for this? Anyway, the game is only three innings, no one ever really gets out and everyone bats every inning. They don't keep score and each kid has to play a different field position every inning also. Grant played pitcher, first base and right field this time. He did really good at first base, even got an out almost (he tied the runner to first with the ball). He did great at pitcher, running for the ball every time and getting it to first base right away. He had lots of fun and can't wait for his next game.

The next night, Friday May 28th, Grant rode in the BMX bike races at Emery Park in Wichita. It was his first time racing BMX. He got a BMX bike for his birthday last month and has been going out to the race track to practice on the track ever since. We went to the races in April and Grant loved it and really wanted to get out there and try it. So we decided to let him do it. He's not even the youngest kid out there racing, isn't that wild? There was a 4-year-old out there racing the night we went out to watch. Anyway, Jared's been taking him to the track about once a week or so to practice riding on the track. So we got him all signed up and Jared helped him practice starting at the gate, which he hasn't ever practiced on before. We got to the track about an hour before the races started so he'd have plenty of time to practice and he went around the track about 10 times or so. It's not as easy as it looks either. Jared and I have both ridden the track out there too. Anyway, he was all sweaty and tired before the races ever started, so Jared made him take a break, but he just wanted to ride and ride. So there were no other 5 year olds there that night who were racing in the 5 year old class, so Grant raced in the 7-year-old class. There were only 4 racers in that class and there was one little boy who Grant was able to beat in all three races. The winner of each heat goes to the 'main event' race. So they don't have to race all of the races. So in the second race, there were three racers and in the third race it was just Grant and this other kid. So he won one of his races and was able to ride in the 'main'. There are prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the main event, and since there were only three racers Grant got the 3rd place trophy. Before his last race, they introduced all the new riders that were racing for the first time that night, and they introduced Grant and he got to tell what he liked about racing. The trophy they gave him was almost as tall as Jacob. He thought that was pretty cool. So his first night racing, he got two trophies and won one of his heats. Not bad for a 5-year-old.

Jacob has become fixated on pretending to be various animals and characters from movies. He and Grant play together about all kinds of things. They make us call them by whatever person or animal they happen to be at the time and don't answer to their names. This video is from the aftermath of Jacob's playtime with a pen he found. He wanted to be a tiger, so of course, he needed stripes. Hmmm, how will I get them?? Say, there's a pen...

Jacob loves to follow whatever Grant is doing. He sings silly songs and they can both get each other going in the silliness department pretty quickly, especially at mealtimes or bedtimes. They are so funny. Jacob's practicing his athleticism so he can be like Grant someday. He goes with us to ball practices and bike races and swim lessons, all to watch what Grant is doing and then he talks about how we'll cheer for him someday when he gets big and gets to do all those things.

Lottie is growing so fast. She learned to clap her hands about 10 minutes after Grandma and Grandpa Sommers left to go home from their visit. Grandma tried and tried to get her to do that while she was here, but no luck. Now she's got it though. She also learned to sit herself up and is moving around the floor pretty well on her own now. Time to break out the child gate for the stairs. She had her first time in the swimming pool with the boys the other day and didn't like the cold water much. She enjoys spitting (especially when I'm feeding her stuff that stains clothes) and screaming during Daddy's Sunday School lessons. Those are her big pasttimes these days. She says Da Da Da Da and Ba Ba Ba Ba. And giggles a lot. She's VERY ticklish. Well, that's about it for now. I'll have to backtrack with pictures and stuff from the move, Easter and Grant's birthday soon.