Good Lord – how is it that this summer is flying by?!? Well, let’s see…you knew we had soccer from the last post. We had Summer Camp, Aunt Megan came to visit, then Grannie Vee, then we had swimming lessons – all of which were interspersed with playdates, trips to Aunt Eva & Uncle George’s farm, dinners with Grandpa -
You get the idea. Whew!
Liam is growing like a weed, funny as heck and equally as sassy, depending on the day. He’s become a HUGE Indiana Jones fan, and will likely go as Indy for Halloween. (He actually thinks he’ll get a real whip. pffffft.)
Holy Cow – I feel like a heel for not posting anything here in over a month! Summer is starting off with a bang and shows no sign of slowing, but I promise to make a more concerted effort to get pictures up – even if they’re “on the fly” like these!
(Remember, you can click on each photo for a larger view, or to download. )
Enjoy some random shots here of: Soccer practice…soccer games…Aunt Megan’s visit…Ash’s visit…a trip to the Aquarium with Maggie…last day of Pre-School with Ms. Jan and Ms. Penny! I’ll try to get more up tomorrow morning. (Maybe even some video – fingers crossed!)
Well, okay – maybe elevating Liam to the dizzying heights achieved by soccer’s elite is a *bit* premature. But, you have to start somewhere, right? And he has…
Last night was his first Pee Wee Soccer practice!
Now, this was a fairly momentous occasion, as it marked Liam’s first foray into “Team Sports”. Since he’s the only kiddo at home, we’re hoping that as he grows he’ll enjoy the camaraderie that goes along with being a part of a team…although it’ll be fine if he’d rather do something individual. Like, I dunno – fencing?
But, for now it appears he’s in his element with bunches of munchkins! Per league rules we showed up to practice outfitted with the requisite shin guards and optional cleats, and in an odd way these pint sized athletes all recognized their cumbersome leg apparel as an instant sign of belonging. The fact that many of them (including Liam) had never met each other was immaterial – there was bonding. It was truly a sight to behold.
Now, Brian and I had expected a sort of free-for all at this age, but noooooooo sirree! The coaches immediately had these 4 – 6 year olds doing DRILLS. Dribbling. Passing. Weaving between cones. Taking laps. And through it all, Liam had a gleeful grin permanently affixed. L-O-V-E-D it.
After they went full tilt for an hour, the obligatory orange slices appeared and were doled out to the players amid high fives and calls of “Great job!” from the coaches. As a sweaty, beaming Liam trotted over to us with his orange peel clasped in his teeth, I could see in Brian’s proud Papa grin the realization that his son had achieved a rite of passage.
Yup, that's Brian!
We’ll have three more weeks of Monday night practice, then four weeks of Sunday morning games. Stand by for the “play by play”!
So…back on St. Patrick’s Day, I played some Irish Music for Liam in the car on the way to school. All I happened to have with me was a Clancy Brothers’ CD of Irish Drinking Songs, but I popped it in anyway thinking it would just be that one time, just for the duration of the ride to school. (It was just to get him “in the mood” for the festivities.)
WELL. Evidently hearing just those few songs in a ten minute period was enough to awaken the balladeer in our boy. After that, EVERY TIME we’ve gotten into the car, he’s asked for – nay, DEMANDED “the Irish songs.” To see him sitting in his car seat, swinging his legs, swaying and grinning is priceless, and the music is lively and fun, so I haven’t thought much of it.
Until I realized he was memorizing them.
Now, I took video of him singing yesterday, but before you listen – if you’re not familiar with classic Irish drinking songs- you may need “translation”. I’ve added a playlist below of what he’s actually been listening to, and the ones he sang/talked about…and then the lyrics…and THEN the video. Enjoy.
(*sigh*…this kid just kills me, I swear…)
All For Me Grog
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin on the lassies drinking gin
Across the western ocean I must wander
Where are me boots, me noggin, noggin boots
they’re all gone for beer and tobacco
For the heels they are worn out and the toes are kicked about
And the soles are looking for better weather
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin on the lassies drinking gin
Across the western ocean I must wander
Where is me shirt me noggin, noggin shirt
It’s all gone for beer and tobacco
For the collar is all worn and the sleeves they are all torn
And the tail is looking for better weather
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin on the lassies drinking gin
Across the western ocean I must wander
I’m sick in the head and I haven’t gone to bed
Since I first came ashore from me slumber
For I spent all me dough on the lassies don’t you know
Far across the western ocean I must wander
And it’s all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog
All for me beer and tobacco
Well I spent all me tin on the lassies drinking gin
Across the western ocean I must wander
Real Old Mountain Dew
(Edward Harrigan)
Let grasses grow and the waters flow
in the free and easy way,
but give me enough of the rare old stuff
that’s made near Galway Bay.
The gaugers all, from Donegal,
Sligo and Leitrim too,
Oh we’ll give them the slip,
and we’ll take a little sip
of the real old mountain dew.
Hi the skiddley-al-the dall
dal the skiddley al-the dee,
dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee,
Hi the skiddley al the dal,
dal mthe skiddley al the dee,
dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee.
At the foot of the hill
there’s a neat little still
where the smoke curls up til the sky,
by the whiff of the smell,
you can plainly tell
that there’s poitín, boys, close by.
For it fills the air with a perfume rare,
and between both me and you,
as home be go, we will take a litttle bowl,
or a bucket of the mountain dew.
Hi the skiddley-al-the dall
dal the skiddley al-the dee,
dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee,
Hi the skiddley al the dal,
dal mthe skiddley al the dee,
dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee.
Now learned men who use the pen
have writ the praises high
of the sweet poitin from Ireland green,
distilled from wheat and rye.
Sure away with your pills,
it will cure all ills,
be ye Pagan, Christuan or Jew,
so take off your coat, and grease your throat
with the real old mountain dew.
Hi the skiddley-al-the dall
dal the skiddley al-the dee,
dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee,
Hi the skiddley al the dal,
dal mthe skiddley al the dee,
dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee.
The chorus varies – everyone seems to do the lilt a bit different (skiddery al,
or
dithery dal, or skiddley al etc.
And in Colm O Lochlann’s Irish Street Ballads (1938) he writes in the notes: “I
first heard this song at a meeting of newly released political prisoners in
December
1916. I am told it was written by Phil O Neill of Kinsale.”
Finnegan’s Wake
words and music by traditional
Tim Finnegan lived in Walkin Street,
A gentle Irishman mighty odd
He had a brogue both rich and sweet,
An’ to rise in the world he carried a hod
You see he’d a sort of a tipplers way
but for the love for the liquor poor Tim was born
To help him on his way each day,
he’d a drop of the craythur every morn
Whack fol the dah now dance to yer partner
round the flure yer trotters shake
Bend an ear to the truth they tell ye,
we had lots of fun at Finnegan’s Wake
One morning Tim got rather full,
his head felt heavy which made him shake
Fell from a ladder and he broke his skull, and
they carried him home his corpse to wake
Rolled him up in a nice clean sheet,
and laid him out upon the bed
A bottle of whiskey at his feet
and a barrel of porter at his head
His friends assembled at the wake,
and Widow Finnegan called for lunch
First she brought in tay and cake,
then pipes, tobacco and whiskey punch
Biddy O’Brien began to cry,
“Such a nice clean corpse, did you ever see,
Tim, auvreem! O, why did you die?”,
“Will ye hould your gob?” said Paddy McGee
Then Maggie O’Connor took up the cry,
“O Biddy” says she “you’re wrong, I’m sure”
Biddy gave her a belt in the gob
and sent her sprawling on the floor
Then the war did soon engage,
t’was woman to woman and man to man
Shillelagh law was all the rage
and a row and a ruction soon began
Mickey Maloney ducked his head
when a bucket of whiskey flew at him
It missed, and falling on the bed,
the liquor scattered over Tim
Now the spirits new life gave the corpse, my joy!
Tim jumped like a Trojan from the bed
Cryin will ye walup each girl and boy,
t’underin’ Jaysus, do ye think I’m dead?”
(That last one was the “Fireman Sam” theme song. See below!)
Let me just get this out of the way: we didn’t make it to Mass on Easter Sunday. I know, I know…*sigh*. I’ll do better.
We DID make it to an Easter Egg Hunt the day before, though. Well, I say “Easter Egg Hunt”…what I really mean is “Reinactment of ‘Braveheart’”. Never have I seen such a mess – parents going right in with their kiddos and PARENTS grabbing eggs! Ah, well. Didn’t bother Liam any, so I guess I shouldn’t let it bother me.
Then of course, the Easter Bunny came to our house. He didn’t go bananas with the basket this year, I imagine since it had already been a BIG birthday week with presents, cake and candy. (Smart bunny. And modest.) He did leave a dozen eggs “hidden” in Liam’s new garden, though, which Liam sprinted outside to find before we could even get him out of his pajama top and sweatpants. (So much for formal Easter photos…we’ll try again next year! )
Remember “Uncle Robert”? (Our very dear friend who’s just like family.)
Well, Robert has a BEAUTIFUL garden. Seriously. All raised beds, trelisses, manicured perfection – looks like something right out of Colonial Williamsburg! And for Liam’s Fourth Birthday Uncle Robert built, delivered and taught Liam to plant his very own garden.
They poured the dirt, they planted the seeds and caged the tomatoes. They picked the pots and built the sign. They watered…well, the plants AND themselves! Liam even got his own wheelbarrow and tools out of the deal!
And Robert passed on his love of gardening. Liam now sings to his plants, checks on them regularly and can’t wait to water them. He’s joyful about growing his own vegetables. And that’s awesome.
More and more when I look over at him, I see a big boy where my baby used to be. I don’t know where the time has gone. His personality is blossoming – and he’s FUNNY! (I mean really. Comic timing and all.) He sings all the time, he makes up his own stories to narrate playtime, he talks a blue streak and can hold an interesting conversation, he’s empathetic and considerate – I don’t know how it happened, but he’s growing up to be a really great kid.
We’re so blessed.
SO…for the birthday fun. They don’t want us to bring in cakes or cookies to school – too messy with 14 kiddos + frosting! So, I adapted and ordered “Custom Black and White Cookies” from the Sugar Plum Bakery. (The icing on a Black and White cookie is hard, so Liam’s teacher said that was fine.)
Well. They came out AWESOME, but with a little too much black icing for me to feel comfortable. I mean – gobs of black icing sort of defeats the purpose, y’know? So we modified the plan – I wrapped up the Custom Cookies for each kiddo to take home with them, and brought in a Big Cookie to cut and share at school. Worked great!
(Notice the apologetic note that says "Sorry about the icing, Mom and Dad - the bakery went overboard!" and the attached Wet Wipe...)
Who doesn't love wearing a Birthday crown all day?
With the Spring Show, Easter Party at School and then Easter itself all in the same ten day period, we opted not to have a big Birthday Party this year. Liam was perfectly fine with the cookies at school and with having a cake to celebrate with family at Aunt Eva’s on Easter Sunday. (This was likely the last Birthday we can get away without a party, so we took full advantage! )
He had his heart set on a Thomas the Tank Engine Cake, and I had all intentions of making and decorating a 3-D version myself…but when I looked online and found a GREAT tutorial that looked as if it would take ten hours to finish…(including grey fondant for Thomas’s face that would need five days to dry!)…I caved and ordered one from the grocery store bakery. It was bland with way too much frosting, and Liam LOVED it.
(That’s what matters, right?)
Liam is a very loved little boy, and he got lots of great presents from friends and family! (Thank you cards are coming soon – we promise!)
Liam’s Pre-school held their “Spring Show” in the last week of March, just before Spring Break. (They go back April 12.) The theme was “Tropical”, so all the kiddos wore beachy/Hawaiian clothes with leis around their necks – it was a hoot!
They’d been working on their songs for weeks in Music Class, each with hand motions and gestures to illustrate the lyrics. A few days before the show, Liam’s teacher pulled me aside at when I was picking him up to tell me to be SURE to bring a video camera, because I was going to need one.
(I thought that was a bit curious, but we had planned to bring one anyway…)
Well. It didn’t take long to see what she meant. He was front and center, and let’s just say there’s no worry about Liam and stage fright. I didn’t edit this video because frankly, it’s too adorable the way it is. (And it’s too big to embed here, so click on the link below to see our boy in all his glory!)
This year Liam’s birthday and Easter fell in the same week…the week following Liam’s first Pre-School Spring Show.
I did not expect that these events would cause as much extra bustle as they did. (Next time, Mama will be better prepared…sheese!)
Now we’re into the second week of April and I can look around and realize that I haven’t checked in here since St. Patrick’s Day! I’m sorry – I’ve posted photos and a video on Facebook because frankly, it’s easy to dump them there. I realize that not everyone can access Facebook, though, so I’m FINALLY going to catch you up. (I’ll try to do better, I promise. )
So, I’m going to throw up some separate posts rather than make one huge gallery here. I’ll put them up now, in chronological order, or as close as I can come to it.
(It’s getting harder and harder to catch up with this kid, I tell you!)
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