We’re heading to Wrigley Field in just three days with our boys! We couldn’t be more excited.

We’re praying for good weather. The forecast for game day changes daily. This morning they predicted it will be 68 degrees with a 60% chance of rain.

We realized this morning that it will be cheaper — and much more fun — to take the train and the El to the game! What a fun experience. Pray we get it all figured out.

One more thing: Go Cubs!!

Ferris has entered one of those phases of toddler-dom that is my favorite. (Actually, they’re ALL my favorite, but you know what I mean.) She’s well into being two, and has a few of the cute quirks that come with it.

For instance, I often tell her she’s beautiful (because she is.) Sometimes I’ll ask, “Ferris, why are you so beautiful?”

She’s started replying by shrugging her tiny little shoulders and saying, “‘Cause.”

She cracks me up.

Now that we’re into baseball season, she’s picked up another interesting, but totally random, habit. For no apparent reason, she’ll be walking along / playing /eating /etc and she’ll just pause and enthusiastically say, “Go Cubbies!” The she continues on with what she was doing.

Isn’t two the best?!

I was Dust Busting around the baseboards in our dining room on Saturday when Ferris came prancing over to me, all excited. She held out her hand and said, “I got him! I got him!!”

I turned to see and found she had a large, juicy black spider crawling across her hand!

If it had been a Grand-Daddy Long-Leg, I wouldn’t have freaked… but this one was so voluptuous that I immediately worried about the effect of a bite. I might have over-reacted because I shouted (above the whir of the still-on Dust Buster.) “Ferris, NO!! Put him down!”

I frightened her, because she jerked her little hand back and ran into her room. Thankfully, the spider must have been afraid, too. He jumped onto the floor.

With my cat-like reflexes, I sucked him up into the tiny vacuum cleaner and quickly dumped its contents outside.

I came back in and checked on Ferris. There was no bite on her chubby little hand, but she was still sobbing hysterically. “I wan’ him! I wan’ him!! Mines!! My ‘pider. I wan’ my ‘pider!!”

I kept hugging her and telling her I was sorry I scared her, but she was traumatized. She kept running to the back door and saying, “My ‘pider? Outside?”

I explained to her that he went to visit his family. (I hoped.) She soon caught on. For the rest of the weekend, any time she saw the back door or the evil Dust Buster, she’d say, “Pider outside? ‘Pider Gramma?”

I don’t know if spider truly know their grandmothers, but in the mind of my sweet 2-year-old, her pet spider is on vacation, visiting his grandmother.

I just hope he doesn’t bring her back to our house for a visit.

Ever have one of those days? Not the bad kind, but the kind where — no matter what happens — everything is still good?

That’s here today!

I think it’s partially baseball season that has me in a good mood… or the fact that I found the bottoms of the hampers today! Or maybe it’s the 14 days left of school idea… I don’t rightly know.

Yet, Evan woke up whiny. Ferris opened the fridge, retrieved a carton of eggs and cracked every single one of the dozen on the kitchen floor. Grayson had a big-time dirty diaper that required an emergency bath. Andy and Brady are struggling with school today (they’re just unmotivated.) Connor broke a mirror. I’m sleepy and looking forward to nap time!

Yet, I’m still smiling! It’s moments like these that I remember being pregnant with Andy, wondering what our lives would bring in the not-so-distant future. Fast forward seven years and there’s no doubt that we’re blessed!

Beyond measure!

Just imagine… the number of messes I clean up each day doesn’t compare the the number of blessings I receive daily. God surely loves us!

Grayson has been waking up before all my other kiddos. He seems to enjoy the extra time to snuggle, nurse and just have Mommy all to himself.

So, I wasn’t surprised when Nate brought him into our room at 6:30 this morning when Nate was getting ready to head off to the airport. Grayson and I played with our toes, cooed, squealed with delight, and climbed all over the bed. (Mostly, it was just him.)

Then we had a deep conversation. It went down like this:

Me:“I love you, Graby.”

Grayson (9.5 months):“Dadadada.”

Me: “Oh, Daddy? Do you love Daddy?”

Grayson:“Dadadada.”

Me: “Oh, you DO love Daddy! I do, too. He’s pretty great.”

Grayson agreed:“Dadadadadada.”

Me: “Who’s handsome Gray?”

Grayson:“Dadadadada.”

Me: “Who’s the smartest?”

Grayson:“Dadada”

Me: “Who’s the coolest?”

Grayson:“Dadadadadadadadada.”

Me: “Do you love anyone else?”

Grayson:“Dadada.”

Me:“How ’bout Mommy? Do you love me, Buddy? Do you love Mama? Mama? Mamamama?

Grayson looked at me for a few seconds, tilted his head to the side and said, “DadadadadaDADADAdadada!”

Apparently, I wasn’t allowed to change the subject. Hrmph!

Rowdy. Rambunctious. Ravenous…

That’s my Brady.

The boy is on a kick where he goes and goes and goes… then is STARVING. He eats and eats and eats. And then eats.

We’re in trouble in about 8 years.

Yesterday, he aced a math test. He even got one problem correct that the teacher’s guide had wrong! The funny thing is that he doesn’t enjoy math at all. Yet he’s a whiz.

This morning, I handed him his breakfast. “Here’s your oatmeal, Brady Matthew.”

“Mom, you know why I’m so good at math?”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because my name is Brayden MATTHew!”

We’re thrilled. Baseball season is here again. My boys had their first practice last night!!

Connor’s giddy that his Dad is his coach… Andy and Brady are also giddy, because Nate is their assistant.

They were so hyper yesterday that they used a lot of energy before practice. By the time we got home after 3 hours of baseball practice they were beat! They did leave their hats on long enough for me to take another [poor quality] photo:

My happy, but oh-so-sleepy ball players.

With 8 million little ones around, we’re constantly working on character.

We’re often reminding them of what’s right with little sayings or rules. “We don’t hit girls.” “We don’t hit our brothers and sisters.” “Treat others as you want them to treat you.” “Be ye kind!” You get the idea.

Yesterday, Connor and Evan were going ’round and ’round about something. The no-hitting has come along way, but sometimes it happens. We’re not perfect.

So, Evan was more than frustrated and apparently (I didn’t see it) hit Connor. I looked up to see him hitting her back.

Me: “Connor Stephen!”

Connor: “Mom, the Bible says we’re supposed to treat others… Evan treated me, so I treated her back!”

Apparently we’ve still got miles to go…

I just heard Brady scream… so I went to investigate.

By the time I got to him, it was more of a squeal. Part amusement, part disgust, part delight.

Andy had his arms wrapped around Brady from behind. He was chanting, “I’m going to hug you… FOOOOOOREEEEEEVVVEEEEERRRRR.”

Someday they’ll realize how “uncool” that is, but for now, I love my life.

We’re on spring break here. No school for a week. I’m relishing the sunshine. Enjoying relaxed time with the kiddos and sometimes the husband.

Until “Son X” decided to jump into his baby brother’ crib… and break it. Grrrr…

I feel like we’re continually looking for some major piece of furniture or an appliance. Sigh…

Thankfully baseball season is beginning, so some of their energy will be used. Maybe I can teach them how to harness that energy and use it to do some online bargain shopping… for a new crib.

*”Son X’s” name was changed to protect his identity… at least until his father gets home.