Cruz's Baseball Party

If you've been following this blog for some time, it's no secret that I get a little in to planning parties.  Give me a good theme and my wheels start turning, dreaming up color schemes, food ideas, and little details that personalize and coordinate together.  In my second life, I'd do this kind of thing for a living.  I love brainstorming different ideas, organizing the corresponding outlines and to-do lists to make sure it stays fun and not overwhelming, watching it all come to life the day before the party, and of course, documenting it all with colorful pictures that the kids can look back on and remember.  I come across blogs more often not that criticize what's become labeled as "Pinterest parties" and that kind of thing drives me crazy.  Do what you love, be the best parent you can be, and realize that parenting comes in all shapes and sizes.  I love being inspired by other moms out there who have particular strengths similar or different from my own and try to not let myself go to a place where I feel inadequate, or worse yet, put them down in order to make myself feel better.  The older I get, the more I realize how important every minute of the day is, and there's just no time to dabble in things that don't make me feel good.  But I digress...

I will admit, though, that when I look back at Cruz's first couple of birthday parties, I went a little overboard. :)  I had more time, of course, with just one little person in my life, and was also in what I call an exploratory phase. :)  I didn't really know what I liked to do or what worked well as far as parties go, so I just did a little of everything!  Needless to say, I ended up with a lot of leftover candy, favor bags, unworn party hats, and more cake than any of my non-sweet-toothed extended family cared to choke down.  Little by little, I scaled back, focused on the small details I love to create, and tried to personalize it to highlight what Cruz (and now Mila) love the most.  Cruz's pirate party, last year's superhero party, and Mila's baptism party are some of my favorites, and this year's baseball party might have just topped them all. 

I start dreaming up my parties early, and create a list of things I can work on little by little when I'm feeling creative or find myself with a half hour of free time.  I refuse to throw a party if it's going to get in the way of enjoying the true importance of the occasion, and have found that I can do so much ahead of time that it never really feels stressful.  This year was the first year we could host our growing family in our new house, a house with much more room than we had in the past.  It was also a little daunting, as I had gotten so used to doing things a certain way in our old house.  Because I was planning for a new space, I was forced to be more creative with the supplies I had made and it was really rewarding to see it all come together.

The other really fun part was that Cruz's party came the Saturday after the Cubbies won their first playoff game at home in twelve years.  When Cruz decided he wanted a baseball party shortly after his little league season ended, we had no idea the Cubs would have quite a run in the post-season.  Not only were they well on their way to the playoffs, but we also got to watch them win the second game of the NDLS the same night we celebrated Cruz.  It couldn't have worked out more perfectly and definitely added to the excitement of it all.  And to top it all off, the weather was perfect.  

Using the Cubbies' colors, I went with a vintage baseball feel for the party.  I made a baseball banner with some burlap and craft paint and added a lot of baseball pictures of Cruzer over the years.  I also made a felt pennant banner with some pre-cut felt pieces from Hobby Lobby and some bulletin board stickers, as well as a big wood C & 5 that I painted and added some red "thread" with permanent marker.  Other than that, I added a lot of baseball stuff - old gloves from my parents', balls from t-ball, shelled peanuts, and Cubs paraphernalia from around the house.  It was simple and easy to make look cute.

The focal point of the party was my vintage concession stand.  I ordered a banner from this site on Etsy, as well as these vintage snack bags from Amazon.  The simple cupcakes and most of the baseball fixings -- peanuts, popcorn, Big League Chew, Baby Ruth candy bars, and Cracker Jacks, were from the grocery store.  I also found these mini Mexi-Coke bottles at Hy-Vee that said "Superstar" and them, and they looked so festive with red and white striped straws.  The concession stand was a hit with ages young and old!  And I loved that Cruz blew out five candles on a cupcake tower instead of ordering a separate cake.

For games, we kept it simple.  Cruz adamantly requested "Pin the Donkey on the Tail" repeatedly the week before.  We played several games of hot potato to the song of "Go Cubs Go."  And we spent some time coloring some baseball printables while I got the food ready.  Everyone wore their favorite sports team attire, which made for a lot of red and blue with all our Twins and Cubs lovers.

The food spread for this party might have been the highlight of the day.  It was so great, it deserves it's own post. :)  But here is a hint...

After games, food, presents, and birthday cupcakes, I heated up some apple cider and the adults settled in for the Cubs game while the kids played with all of Cruz's new stuff.  It was relaxed and fun, with a Cubbies win to top it all off!  Afterwards, I sent the cousins home with favor bags filled with baseball cards and chocolate.  It was a really great day, celebrating our five year old with our people.

  

Much more on our birthday boy coming soon.  I am so behind! 

            

41/52

"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2015"

 

Cruz: We had one of the best days with our five year old yesterday.  We had a theater to ourselves for a morning movie, mini corn dogs for lunch, and an afternoon of quiet to do what Cruz loves most - play and play and play.  It was a busy weekend of parties and road trips, and yesterday was our much needed opportunity to celebrate our boy as a family.  

Mila: All last week, anytime we would say something about Cruz's birthday, Mila would hit her chest and declare, "No, Mena's birt-day."  She was our wild card and we were unsure how she would respond to all the attention Cruz would get at his party on Saturday.  Turns out, she did great!  She watched him blow out his candles with the biggest of eyes and then grabbed that number 5 candle out of the cupcake as fast as she could!  Sorry, Mila, they are not edible! :)    

Cruz, today you are FIVE

I get so nostalgic around birthday time, and my thirst for memorabilia only accentuates this nostalgia.  Last week, I felt pulled to my Shutterfly books, to old blog posts, to that silly Facebook memories app that brings me back to the day you were born, the day we showed your sweet wrinkly face to the world and introduced you as Cruz Bennett Jorgensen, born exactly one week late on October 12, 2010, weighing in at a perfect 8 pounds and 21.5 inches long.  Sometimes, it's hard to remember those moments and days that followed after becoming your mom, and I worry that those memories have all faded into this big blur of happy, crazy, busy, wonderful years of giving our all to raising you the best we can; however, when I give into those rare moments to stop, reflect, and get lost in these pictures and stories of you, it's amazing how so many images and vivid snapshots reappear as if they happened yesterday.

This picture is epic.  He's ALIVE!!! 

I remember waking up in the middle of the night to that first real contraction, the first moment I realized, this is it.  Beau wasn't in bed beside me, and I went to find him on the couch.  He was tossing and turning and was afraid he would wake me up, so he went to the basement to sleep.  I sat on the edge of the couch and whispered to him, babe, I think I'm in labor but everything's alright.  Just go back to sleep.

Even as I type those words five years later, I realize how ridiculous that request was!  Beau immediately shot up and asked if I was ready to go.  And then he proceeded to pace for the next two hours while I tried to be patient, time the contractions, put some final things in my bag, and of course, do my makeup. :)  

I remember eating a half a bowl of cereal and finding that my tummy was too unsettled to finish.  I remember driving to the hospital in the dark, feeling like the only two (well, three) people awake in the universe.  I remember walking for two hours with Beau and the made up games we invented to pass the time.  I remember those terrible socks with rubber on the bottom, the socks I felt ridiculous in but still to this day cannot part with because they always make me smile.  And I remember how slow the day started and how quickly it all changed when Dr. Hines smiled and said, we are ready to have this baby."  You were born at 3:28 pm, and you were perfect.  

I vividly remember our very first Friday night at home with you.  Our friends, Mike and Donna, taught me the art of being a new baby visitor, as they stopped very briefly to hug us, peak at you in your swing, then get out of our way, leaving us a four course home-cooked meal of fresh bread, lasagna, salad, and a bottle of vino on our kitchen counter.  I remember how comforting that food tasted, how I wanted to slow down and enjoy every bite, yet I ate with this newfound feeling of nervousness, just waiting for you to wake up from your sleep.  I remember how clean the house was, how the swing made that swish swish click sound, and how serious your little face looked as you slept.  I remember the edigness and peace I felt all at the same time, feeling as if we were lost in our own little universe with this helpless little human, completely dependent on us.  It was scary and surreal, overwhelming and amazing.  

I think about those moments that feel like yesterday, and then stare at you and can't believe it's been five years since those first days of figuring out how to be a mom.  All those ladies in the grocery store aisles, who watch as I try my best to keep you from falling out of the cart, to point you to a granola bar instead of a candy bar, to smile through my impatience as Mila fights to swipe my card through the debit machine, the ones who tell me the years go by so fast and I half listen and half roll my eyes, I know deep down they are right.  That every year, I watch you get a little bit bigger, a little bit smarter, and a little bit more independent, and I know that someday, you won't need me the way you need me now.  These years go by in the blink of an eye, and in this case, in your very big brown eyes.

   

This birthday is perhaps more emotional than years past, because I feel like your baby years are nearly gone and I'd be lying if I said that didn't break my heart a little.  But the boy who has emerged is one I am so proud of and can't get enough of.  It's pretty amazing to have a front row seat to watching you grow into this handsome, smart, creative, and spirited little person who brings so much joy to our family.      

I wish I could bottle up all my favorite things about you at five and store them on a shelf that I could revisit any time I wanted to.  In the bottle, I'd include this transition you seem to be in, where one day you act like a grown up and leave your daddy and I shaking our heads and mouthing the words "where did he get this?" behind your back, and the next day, you are a wild, stubborn little boy who tests the boundaries to see how close to the edge you can get.  I'd pour in the bottle those first few weeks after starting in Mrs. W's room, how polite, calm, and grown up you talked and acted, how you developed a quick love of the writing center and worked on your letters every night at the kitchen table.  I'd bottle up your look of concentration as you learned to hold your pencil the right way, finish your little 'u' with a perfectly straight tail, and learn to write your 'zs' the right way.  I'd bottle up the first time you asked me how to spell a word and went to your paper and wrote every letter it included and when I asked you how you learned to do that you replied, "I just use my brain to do it."  I'd throw in all your little letters, your drawings of our family found in your cubbie every night, and the ones you often want to bring to show Mrs. W.  

I'd include your heart for Jesus, your breadth of knowledge of all the bible stories, and your innocent, unyeilding faith in heaven.  I'd include your suppertime prayers that include things like "Pless our mommies, pless our daddies, pless everyone."  I'd include our bedtime routine, your love of chapter books, and how you always curl up with your head on my shoulder as you listen to the words and always add your two cents at the end.  I'd pour in a good amount of cozy, as you have seemed to latch on to my deep love of the word, always requesting extra blankets, cozy pants, and sleeping bag movie nights on a Friday night.  And I'd include your sweetness with your little sister, how you lean in to kiss her or nuzzle her belly (even when she pushes you away), and often seek to make her happy by sharing a snack or giving her something you were playing with in the car.  There isn't too much you get worked up about, something I've always loved about you.

Mixed in with this concoction of smarts, sweets, and all things cozy, there'd be lots of color, too, for your wild imagination and stubborn ways.  You've always been so good at playing, creating imaginative worlds with any kind of toy and getting lost in your own little world of superheroes, race cars, building blocks, or crayons.  Sometimes, it takes a bit of coaxing to get you to enter this world, but once you're in, magic ensues.  And of course, it wouldn't be a bottle of five without a little stubborn to include, specifically at the dinner table where you play quite a game of stand off when it comes to trying new foods, especially vegetables.  Except the green beans shaped like a one. :)

  

I'd finish your bottle off with all the good things - with Uptown Funk and Pharrell's Happy because you're always game for a dance party, with banana bread and a plastic tub of chocolate chips cookies from Casey's, with cozy pants and movie nights, and a glass of milk and good snuggle before bed.  And of course, those big brown eyes of yours, the way they stare right through you and light up when you tell a story or listen to one of ours.  You're a story-teller, especially when it comes to Halloween stories and superheroes.  

Happy fifth birthday to you, Cruz.  It's been five years of wonderful with you in this world and I am so very blessed to be your mommy.

**I took these pictures one late August night, shortly after Cruz's baseball season commenced.  It was a sweet night, just me and him on the baseball field, with ice cream to follow.  He's a photogenic boy, with so many expressions in those eyes of his.  If only I could bottle up every one of them.                             

Twenty Questions for Five Years...

The last two years (4 and 3), I've had some fun with my birthday boy by asking him the same twenty questions as a way to remember his interests and put a time stamp on his personality before heading into another year older.  This year, I decided to try a little live footage of his responses.  He's full of ideas and most of the time, a one-word responses doesn't quite cut it for the Cruz Man. :)  If you watch, you'll notice he has hard time narrowing his favorites to just one!

You can watch the video here if you'd like.  Preferably not right after a meal as my hand is a little shakier than I thought. :)

  

 

ready or not, here comes FIVE!

When we decided a vintage baseball party would be fitting after Cruz's inaugural t-ball season this summer, we weren't expecting the Cubbies to give us something to celebrate, too.  They've got such a fun team to watch, a manager who buys footie pajamas for his players and doesn't change his socks for a month because he's " just stitious, not superstitious, and they found a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2008 after a 4-0 win in the wild card game with the Pirates tonight!  I told Beau maybe we should throw a baseball-themed birthday every year. :)    

Looking forward to our very first birthday party in our new house, for a stadium dog buffet fit to please, and all the concession stand fixings to go with it.  We kept things simple this year and look forward to a gorgeous fall day celebrating our birthday boy with our families.  

And Go Cubbies!  Fly the W, y'all!!!

40/52

"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2015"

Cruz: One week from today this sweet boy turns five.  I can't believe it.  Five years ago today was Cruz's due date and when I give myself the space to go back there, I can vividly remember so much about that season.  I was dilated to nothing, cleaning the house like crazy (oh to remember a house before kids!), and spending free moments freezing casseroles, blogging a whole lot, and trying to wrap my mind around the reality of become a mommy and meeting my baby.  Little did I know I would have one more week to wait!

 

Mila: This was the second Sunday in a row that Mila fell asleep on her daddy.  We were trying to keep her up for a visit from her great grandparents and Great Uncle Tracy and Teresa, but she gave in during the Bears game (I don't blame you, Mila).  It worked out perfectly, though, because she was extra cuddly with her Great Grandma for most of the afternoon.  Being this is quite uncharacteristic of Mila, Grandma took full advantage of her snuggles in front of the fireplace.  With the cloudy day it was, it was the perfect way to spend our Sunday afternoon.