So...it's that time of year. Drill Teams are lined up on football fields across the state, poms in hand. Madi started Drill this year with the Texan Darlings. Libby is on the Texan Stars, a smaller, younger group of cheerleaders for the same team. I am now, officially, my mother. Running like a taxi cab without the benefit of a roof light or tips.
It's only been a couple of weeks, but the flashbacks are coming hard and heavy for me. The Darlings field is MY old field. The very same grass, the very same stands. Of course, I was a Cowgirl...(I've been called a traitor for signing my girls up for the Darlings-ha ha!) and though the colors are different (We are now Red, White and Blue as opposed to La Porte Orange and White) the joy is the same. The routines are similar. The marching...well it just never changes.
'Left, left, left, right, left.'
I'm so proud of Madi. She is ME on the field. She is sharp, dedicated and doesn't miss a beat or a move. She doesn't complain, and she doesn't goof off. She's dancing on the same field I danced on over 23 years ago; it's hard not to get a little teary watching her.
Libby is my sister, made over. I'd swear she was hers, if I didn't recall actually having her. She is a cheerleader from head to toe. Five years old and she gets out there and belts those chants, smiles like a piranha, and has a bit of the 'I'm the bomb' attitude that goes so well with pom poms and high ponytails. She's a mess, but a darn cute one!
Stevie spends his time complaining about having to go to 'cheer' and for the past few weeks he has managed to coerce a mother or two in the neighborhood to let him stay and play until 8. I hate to break the news to him; that's going to come to a full stop next week when school starts back up. Poor boy. Next year, if he seems like he wants to, he'll play football on the Texans. Grace will join the little pom cheer squad with Libby, and all four of my babies will be on the same team. If I have to be running all the time, at least it would be nice to run on the same field. ;)
We had a big scare this week at Drill Team. Madi was out on the field, and I noticed her start to mess up, her arms started dropping, her posture became limp. From the bleachers, she looked like a lazy dancer. When I looked back up, a coach was walking her off the field, arm around her. Madi didn't look like Madi. Her face was as white as a piece of paper, her lips were absolutely bone-white. I hardly recognized her. It took ten seconds to know for sure that something was really wrong.
I shot off the bleachers, trying to get to her in the Darling stands. She was out of it. Her eyes were rolling in her head like marbles. Madi looked up at me, said, "Momma? Momma help me!' and her eyes fully rolled back- nothing but white showing.
They called 911 of course. She came back around, after the Team Mom started dumping water on her head from a nearby bottle. Suddenly the field was full of sirens and ambulances and EMT's. Madi was still out of it, but conscious and I'm pinching everything on her body, trying to will her skin to 'pink' up. She's just white, from head to toe. The EMT's gave her Oxygen, and water, elevated her legs, etc. She came around, but was still is not 'right'. What she had was Heat Exhaustion. It took until 10:30 that night before she quite vomiting and started to get some color back to her skin.
There is no feeling in the world like the one that washes over you when your child says, 'Momma help me' and you watch them lose consciousness in front of you. It was just for a few seconds, but long enough to terrify. She's okay now. But she drinks water all day long now, knowing practice is in the evenings and a water break 40 minutes into it will not be enough.
Madi has scared me so many times in the past....when she fell through an upside down, 10 gallon fish aquarium and had to go to the ER and get 70 stitches. Or when she fell off her bike and broke her arm.
As this young man (our sound guy I think) was carrying her off the field (like a princess) to the ooh's and ahhh's of the 40 something drill team members looking on, Madi says to me,
"Hey Mom, you can just add this to my list of accidents."
and I'm thinking....'Hey Madi, you can just add this to my list of heart attacks.'
Earlier this week, Gracie was laying in bed with me, with Austin relaxing next to us. Aunt Tracie had just left and Grace had been admiring her growing belly, wanting to know all about the baby that was inside.
So Gracie asks me (insert absolutely precious little voice), 'Mommy? Did I live in your tummy?'
"Yes."
"Was I little bitty like Twacie's baby?"
"Yes. You were tiny."
"Did I play in your tummy?"
"ummm...I suppose you did."
"I DID! I played! Mommy? Did I have TOYS in there? Do you have toys in your tummy?"
"ummmm, sure! I have toys in my tummy."
"I loved playing with toys in your tummy. Mommy? Can I go back? Can I go back in your tummy?"
Of course I had to break the news to her that once you are out you can't go back in. ;)
But it was a price-less conversations, none-the-less.
So, for the weekend we decided to all stay at Austin's hotel. It was opening weekend as well as having the Comedy show Friday night. We took all of the kids, packed just a few clothes, coloring books, and the xbox. The hotel is in Kemah, minutes from our house.
On Saturday, I took Gracie, Libby, and Madi down for a late breakfast. The other kids (and Austin) were still sleeping. Afterwards, I told the kids we had to run home (we'd left Austins bag with his change of clothes at the door in our rush to leave). Here comes the fun part....
Gracie says she wants to stay with Daddy, and lay down in the room. Ok, that's one less kid for me to tote around. Madi takes her up, gets her settled. I call Austin to give him a heads up that she wants to stay. All is well.
When we get back to the hotel, and as I come into the Lobby, we see Gracie sitting on the little settee, in front of the front desk chatting away with Ashlee- the girl working behind the front desk. There are a few people milling about the Lobby, and the occasional phone ringing. And my little girl, sitting all nice and pretty in her pajamas on the little couch in the middle.
I probably look pretty perplexed, but not near as much as the front desk girl. She's got this look on her face that was priceless. Sort of like, "they didn't train me for this, and do I call my boss and tell him his kid is down here, hanging out in the lobby?' Just priceless. And Grace is just jabbering away with her.
I ask Ashlee, 'why is Gracie down here? Where is Austin?'
She replies, "Ummmm...I don't know. She (Gracie) just came off the elevator about 30 minutes ago. She came and sat down and started telling me that her mom went to get her bathing suit. She's been talking to me all this time."
I guess Ashlee knew better than to let her roam, so she just kept her talking as she answered phones and checked in guests knowing she was better off sitting there in front of her.
You know I am just completely freaking out! I mean, here's this 4 year old little girl, cruising around Daddy's hotel in her jammies and talking with people. I found out later she headed to the restaurant/bar and had a little talk with one of the server's as well. He said he asked her, "where's your room?" And she said, "in my house, duh."
As we are headed up the elevator I ask Gracie how she got down to the Lobby; how did she know which number to push. She said the sweeper/cleaner lady helped her. (housekeeping)
I told her how dangerous it was to leave the room without a grownup and how she could've been stolen!
Her reply: "No Momma. Ashlee saved me. I not get stolen."
Ahhhh. Gracie. Crazy, completely fearless Gracie.
After I started working on this blog, I began to pick thru some of the pics I have saved on the laptops. I've come across some great ones. Newborn pictures at the hospital of both Gracie and Libby, Stevie's very first day of school, years-old Easter pics. I had the idea that maybe doing a 'Flashback' sort of post every now and again would be fun! That way I could include pics and record memories that have long past.
And then I came across this snapshot. WHOA! Talk about flashback.
This is my mom and me...looking a bit 'Dukes of Hazzard' if I must say so myself. lol
I can still remember this time; maybe not the days specifically, but that time in our life when it was just me and mom against the world.
Doesn't she look amazing?
This pic would have been about 1983 or '84, I think. The car belonged to a family friend (?). It looks like a perfect car to attempt to slide across the hood and swing in feet first, Dukes - Style, but my guess is that I never got to do that on this car. lol Something tells me I probably tried but didn't get very far.
Back then, my best friend was Tracie Williams (the peanut butter to my jelly- the st ends to my be fri). To this day, she still is. My favorite toy back then was my 4' tall doll (what later became the 'my size barbie) and her name was Daisy. (Yes, after the Dukes of Hazzard!) Only, by this time she had one arm, maybe a leg was hanging precariously, and what was left of her hair was matted. Oh, and lets not forget she had one, glaring, rolling, off center eye. Yep. Daisy ruled. We had a 'dumpster' funeral for her. Everyone attended. It was quite moving. lol (had to be-I remember it to this day)!
Well, that's a blast from the past. Mom still looks beautiful, I'm all grown up and Daisy (and that gorgeous car!) are long gone. But memories from the '80's are still the best.....;)
So, Libby and Gracie were cordially invited by Lauren to a fabulous (dress up) tea party this afternoon. Lauren's mom Ginger and I are best friends, and a little fabulous ourselves, so naturally we dressed for the occasion.
Libby and Gracie were so excited. They wore white, frilly dresses, bedecked with some of my costume jewelery, heels, and their hair piled up with curls!
The tea party was a success! But Gracie had that look on her face for most of it. The one that says, 'I'm about to really get rotten...' They had tea and cookies, took off to play in Lauren's room and then Gracie, my always temperamental youngest, flaked out right at the end. Something about wanting to keep a barbie. And then she did it....
She plopped right down on the floor, her white dress billowing around her, and wailed. Niiiiice..
I like what Ginger's mom said about the whole thing, after Ginger laughed and said someone might call CPS (joking of course). Judy said, 'Well, make sure you call them after, or else they'll just interrupt you.'
That little girl....she will put every gray hair in my head. Of that, I'm positive!
Well, here we go. Our first blog post.
I wish I'd known to do this sooner. There are so many memories we could have shared, and ultimately saved. There's no time like the present, however, so I hope our family and friends enjoy peeping in on our silly kiddos from time to time...
While I'm pulling this page together, I'm a little upset that I can't find one picture of us as an entire family that is suitable for posting on the blog. Right now I have Austin and I, but I think I'll get all the kids together this week and we will all go take family pictures.
This afternoon we have a Tea Party to attend. ;) Miss Lauren (7) has invited Libby and Gracie to dress up and come to her house for a tea party. We were instructed to doll ourselves up; gobs of pearls and fancy dresses and feather boas...(my girls have the 'Fancy Nancy' look down pretty well.) Looks like I'm going to get dressed up also. ;) I will post pics tomorrow.
Until then....
