Take Us Out

It's baseball season, and the famed 28+ Orioles are back in action.  This year the team is playing at a fancy new sports complex called The Rock.  Awesome for the players.  Awesome for the spectators who aren't dragging along small children.  Less awesome for the rest of us.  There are four fields all adjacent to each other so the chances of a foul ball from one field landing in another are good.  Really good.  And since the games are no longer at parks, there are no playgrounds or splash pads.  But since the entire place is still under construction there ARE a lot of loose construction materials, mud, and holes in the ground.  Nonetheless, we try to go see dad rock the field as often as we can.  Go 3's!

say "cheeth"

daddy's bringing the heat

the lineup

itching to be on the other side of the fence

geeg runs the bases

lukie kills me in this shot

a win for the O's!

another happy O's fan

Baby's First Buzz Cut

Luke's blonde locks - although adorable and shiny and soft - were driving me nuts.  He had had two or three haircuts but it was growing so dang fast.  I waited until the first 75 degree day before busting out the clippers.  Our newly shorn boy hasn't looked back!

pre-clip.  would this sweet face turn to tears with the buzzing?

uhhhhhhhh, not so sure

ahhh, feel the cool breeze (hello, widow's peak!)

handling it like a pro

a little help from dad to get those tricky parts around the ears

ta daaaaaaaaaaa!  cool as a cucumber

G's First Recital

Genevieve has been in ballet all year, at a studio about 90 seconds from our house.  It's not been super fun to haul ourselves out of the house by 8:45 every Saturday morning, but the class has really done a lot to help boost G's confidence.  Her teacher, Ms. Kathy, is about the sweetest woman on the planet.  After she ushers the little dancers in the room, the door is shut and there's no parent peeking.  This has forced G to do her thing and rely just on herself in the room.  She's loved it, and I've loved being able to run over to Sendik's for 30 uninterrupted minutes of grocery shopping (the kind of luxury I now live for).

This studio has dancers from ages 3-18, and the recital was no small production.  At about 2 1/2 hours, there were routines from all ages and all talents.  G's class danced to "3 Little Fishes".  Best. Costume. Ever.

waiting patiently at dress rehearsal.  the studio director wouldn't let any class rehearse without all members being present.  naturally we were the one class who had a latecomer. "oh, we didn't know it was tonight".  really?  the 15-page list of instructions sent home two weeks before didn't give you any clues?  some kid's parents, i swear...

dinner break - dress rehearsal was about 4 hours.  and the littles were released early

Grandma Heidi and Pop Pop came in to town for this momentus occasion.  We spent Saturday hanging out and enjoying all Milwaukee has to offer, ie, eating. 

oh breakfast at le reve, how you are indeed a dream

mommy, i'm so full on chocolate croissant

After that we went to burn off some steam at the playground, and warm up for that night's big gig

the girl plies her way across elm grove

Saturday night I took G early to get dressed and make-up'd.  What a big girl!!  It didn't stop her from being silly.  Here are the many faces of GG the Fish

silly fish

stinky fish

happy fish

tongue-twisting fish

the whole school.  yes, my little fishie is the only one posing

backstage - tights, mascara, and bobby pins flying.  loved it!

our first performance is complete!

proud mama

and proud grandparents! (matt and luke took off during intermission to get the lad to bed.  although i will say, the babe did not make a PEEP during the entire first half.  matt says he's showing an early affinity for ballerinas. god help me)

 And preparing for the Sunday matinee:

arabesque

this is how divas roll to their stage calls

kills me

headed back to the dressing room - shades still firmly in place

SHOWTIME!

post-performance and dra...gg........ing.........also spent time rubbing her eyes hence the bar-fight-chic look

all that twirling and bro can't resist showing off his own moves in g's heels.  helllllllloooooooooo blackmail

HBD, Daddy-o

Matt turned 33 on June 2.  We had a great weekend, including an actual date night out at a real restaurant.  No chicken fingers on the menu?  Sign us up.

We had the Maio clan over for dinner Sunday afternoon to celebrate.  Happy birthday to our favorite hubby/dad!

happy family

squishy family!

I also captured this little gem of a moment between Matt and Luke, who was being his usual cheeky self and thought standing in his high chair was a much better idea than sitting: