Hey Batter Batter

Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks, I don't know if I never get back

Let me root, root, root for the BLUE JAYS (don't know how they ended up with green shirts)

if they don't win its a shame. For its one, two, three strikes you're out at the Old Ball Game.

When the coach first put the helmet on his head we thought he looked like

chicken little...it amazed us to see how small he is next to the majority of his team.

You should have seen all the little green shirts scrambling for the ball each time it was hit off the tee....it looked a little bit more like a wrestling match then a baseball game. Heber watched for the first few hits but he caught on soon enough. After a few catches himself, he pouted and tattled on the kid who caught the ball if it wasn't him. Way to be a good sport Hebe

I was one proud mamma to say the least. Since the time we found out we were having a boy I have been looking forward to this day.

Daddy seemed to enjoy it as well, even if "baseball is lame."

As I was pushing Heber on the swing in the back yard after the game he said to me,

"I had a great time mom.......I did a great job huh"

Yes babe, you did!

How do I love thee

So, today in primary, Heber's name was finally pulled from the helper jar and he got to find one of the 7 pictures in the room that the chorister had hidden. Because he found the picture that coincided with the first line of the song we were learning, he got to go up first. After about the 5th picture came up, little Hebe's arms started wearing out. Being the genius child that he is, he used the tape stuck on the back to attach the picture of Jesus with the children to his face. It looked so dang funny. You couldn't see his face at all, just his body sticking out from under it standing perfectly still with his hands resting reverently at his sides.

Luckily, none of the other kids in the room noticed right away or there would have been complete pandemonium. I could not compose myself long enough to go up there and encourage him to remove the picture from his face. All I could think of, as I tried like crazy to stifle my laughter, was the expression that must covereing his face behind the picture.

He reminded me today of one of the many reasons I love being his mom. After he finally decided to cooperate and hold his picture up high for all to see, I sat there and marveled at how big he is getting and felt that lump forming in my throat that sneaks up on me once in a while during one of these mommy moments.

I love you Heber. Thank you for always finding a way to put a smile on my face.

At the beach.....or something like that!

Heber kept telling us that he "lubs going to the beach" as he played in the water table. I don't know for sure if he has been to the beach so few times that he really has no idea what it is, or if he was dropping some serious hints as he tried to cool off in the backyard.I am sure that there is a lake or two near northeast Ohio (ha ha) but we would much rather take a trip to Bear Lake. Oh how we miss you Idaho!

And were outta here

Heber's last day of preschool was last Thursday. I really wish this picture would have turned out a little better. I could tell the second I took it that it was blurry but Hebe just couln't be bothered with standing still for one more minute while his friends were building the ultimate block tower across the room.

These 3 ladies were phenominal and I am so happy that Heber got to share his first school experience with them. We will sure miss Mrs. Sliman, Mrs. Whal, and Mrs. Bickart, and all our friends from room 5 this summer. We hope we can steal a hug or twenty as we walk by to our new classroom and new teachers next fall.

You've had a BIRTHDAY

shout HOORAY

We want to sing to you today

One year older and wiser too
Happy Birthday..to you!

Happy 4th birthday Heber!!

I am a little slow getting this posted.....in fact, Heber has been 4 years old for a week and 2 days now. He had a great birthday. To start the day off, he got to go to Toys R Us and spend his birthday money from the Grandmas and Grandpas. He bought a remote control WallE that is way beyond his years....we tried to talk him into something else but it is impossible to say no to a blue-eyed birthday boy. He chose a corn dog and fries "to take home" from Sonic for his birthday lunch and was happy as ever about the prize that came with it....."they gave me a happy dirthday too!" Then we had a few friends over for dinner and cake (which by the way I think should qaulify me as a professional decorator...haha!)

Little Grandpa

Of my many memories of my Grandpa Smith, this is one of my favorites. I loved to watch Little Grandpa (named so by the great grandkids) smile that crooked grin each time that he saw them.

As you can see, Heber enjoyed the little bits of time that he got to know Little Grandpa personally. He didn't get these moments very often with Grandpa Smith, only just a handfull of them. Maybe some of the things I remember most about this great man will help my little man fill in the gaps that are left when we have to say goodbye to someone special so soon in our young lives.

So, this is for you Heber:

1. Little Grandpa is perhaps remembered most for the tantrums he could throw when something was going wrong with the farm equipment. I think each one of us grandkids got to witness at least one of these episodes when grandma would send us outside to take him a glass of water to "cool him off" as he tinkered around with the broken down bail wagon. You see Hebe, we come by this honestly.

2. Little Grandpa had a very funny little laugh. He didn't use it often but when he did it could always bring a chuckle out in me as well.

3. Little Grandpa was a great storyteller. If you could catch him on the right day he would captivate you with stories from his childhood, from serving in World War II, and from being married and raising 4 kids of his own.

4. Little Grandpa loved Grandma Geniel. Though I was young, I remember several occasions that I got to witness a very special look on his face as he watched his sweetheart from across the room.

5. Little Grandpa was stubborn. There was no convincing this man to do anything he didn't want to do. You can thank him for this trait as well buddy.

6. Though little Grandpa wasn't one to show a lot of affection, there was never any question that he loved us and took pride in us. This was made evident by the bulletin board plastered with pictures that hung wherever he lived. More than once he slipped coins in my pocket without mom seeing, for a book at the book fair, and he was always willing to share an orange stick or a bowl of mint chocolate chip icecream that grandma kept in the icebox. Hugs from Grandpa Smith didn't come often, but I will always cherish the times that they did.

7. I will never be able to see a hat (like the one seen above) and not think of little Grandpa. I remember seeing this hat hang on the pegs by the back door when he joined us for Thanksgiving dinner or any other afternoon meal.

Today we said goodbye to our Little Grandpa Smith. His memory will live on in me and I hope it will in you. He is not the great grandpa you were named for Heber, but you certainly have a lot of him in you.

I will miss you Grandpa Smith. Thanks for these memories and the many that have gone unmentioned. I was with you in heart today and look forward to the time I shall see you again.

Playtime

Luckily for Heber and I, the Cleveland Clinic is just down the road from a fun little childrens museum. The day after Ben had his surgery, Heber and I let grandma stay and catch up with daddy for a few hours and we escaped the hospital to go have a little bit of fun.

Hebe has been such a good boy through all of this.......he needed a little time to just be a 3 year old and have a little fun. As you can see, the driving exhibits were a big hit.

I don't know for sure why one would need goggles to shop at the grocery store but they sure seemed to be doing the trick. We even managed to find a little bit of water fun. There is a great water table at the museum. Heber liked it until the pipes he was fitting together made a fountain that splashed him in the face.

This was the highlight of the day for both of us. I loved watching Heber discover his face on the TV screen. As you can see, he found more than just his face......"So You Think You Can Dance" here we come!!