Mama's Memories for M: Random Summer Fun

Maliana ~

Audrey and Daddy started the week with fun and took you bowling this week since you all are aficianados of the lanes. While you were gone, I stayed home and tended to getting some stuff done around a very peaceful and quiet house (ahhhh). You had a great time together and Audrey wound up smoking y'all!

love your crossed legs...looks like
you're sizing up your competition

Audrey was also kind enough to let you stay home from school with her not only once, but twice this week. She spent time helping you practice reading each morning (which I am so thankful for and which I have been majorly slacking on this summer) and as she did so, she texted me this little message from you:

Fwd: mali says she loves you and gives you a hug
(Aww...that was just the message I needed to lift my spirits at work!)

You spent a couple different nights at the softball diamonds this week as well. You tagged along with Audrey, Mike, and Cori to watch Sophia on Thursday. Once you were home, I found out that when Mike ran you to the restroom during the game, this little conversation happened:
Mike: "Wow! You're done? You must be the fastest pee-er in Columbus!"
Mali: "Nope! My mom is!"
Ha ha! Really?

The very next night, I was able to join you all back at the ball diamonds to watch Cori's championship softball game. Cori was pretty nervous so you and Sophia made signs to help cheer her (and her team, the Lions) on. They ended up coming in second place, but they played a great game and had had an excellent season.

before the softball game, Cori decided to dress up Suzy
(here she's wearing a backpack, apron, purse, necklaces,
and a very concerned expression)

and then...here you are baking a batch of cookies with Sophia

cheering signs for Cori's team

Cori, at bat

Bright and early the next morning was the annual Donate Life 5K. We normally run/walk the 5K in honor of your Uncle Dustin who passed away in 2007 but who saved 7 lives through organ donation. Unfortunately, you and I were not feeling well enough to participate this year (even though we'd been planning on it for months). It's become such a tradition for our family over the last several years, and I always end up so overcome with emotion during the event, that it was a huge bummer to miss this time together. Thankfully, Daddy was still able to go and help represent our family and support Team Dustin. I was relieved when he got home and told me all about it, showing me the picture of everyone who showed up this year. It was a good turnout and everyone looked so happy. I'm sure Dustin was proudly walking along with all of them in spirit.

Team Dustin 2014

That afternoon, after taking it easy all morning, we finally felt well enough for me to take you to the YMCA to practice your swimming again. We discovered that your friend Kassidy also goes to the Y and so you both got to practice together. You did great and really love to work on going underwater and swimming to me by either doggy paddling or crawl stroke. You're slowly but surely getting it!

rest period with Kassidy

Once home we were pretty pooped and so you asked me to lay with you and snuggle under your soft blanket. You wanted to tell stories and I marveled at your ability to use your imagination to create magic out of every day stuff. A lot of your stories involved the tooth fairy and I watched your animated face light up as you changed your voice to match various characters in each part of your story. You went on for quite some time and as I lay there next to you listening, I had several long moments to take in each of your features up close. Your long eyelashes, the way your mouth puckers or your round cheeks puff up when you're making silly sounds, how your eyebrows help you make just the perfect crazy expression, and how you gesture with your tiny hands and fingers to put emphasis on this or that for effect. I love it. I love it all. I hope you hang onto this gift of imagination and story-telling throughout your life. It's so entertaining.

That night we got some much needed sleep, which was a good thing because you spent hours at COSI with Lao Lao on Sunday! She had been planning on taking you to COSI for quite some time and Sunday was the day. I kept getting updates while you were out and it looked like you were having quite the time together. She commented in particular that you are a lot more into the science carts they have there now. I am so glad that you are showing an interest in exploring science. Science is all around you and if you stay interested in it, your life will be one mysterious adventure after another every day.