Meet Neat & Tidy

When Shelby heard me tag Morgan as Sloppy Moppy, she wondered what nickname I had for her. I made up Sloppy Moppy based on characteristics that make Morgan who she is.  So considering that for a moment, I told Shelby she was Neat & Tidy.  Here is one of my all time favorite pictures of her taken last year at her birthday party.  (Hat curtesy of Uncle Al).

She is about as opposite as it gets from Morgan when it comes to liking things picked up.  She doesn't always get it put away as she likes to stick things under her bed & dressers, but the first thing she does every morning is make her bed and there is nothing left out on her bedroom floor.   Some of her other personality traits ruffle my feathers.  Most of our arguments are based on difference of opinion to clothing.  For example:
-  it's too flowery
-  it's too girly
-  a dress that is for church only she doesn't want to wear to church but to her cousins' birthday pool party (that she'd have to wear for a 3.25 hour car ride)
-  wants to wear the same outfit to above mentioned party that she wore to her own birthday party 2 months prior with same people
-  thinks I know nothing about fashion (I don't claim to know everything but I feel like I know more than an 8 year old girl who doesn't want to dress like a girl)
-  will tell me she likes something when I buy it, but once they tag has been cut & tossed she decides she doesn't like it
- asks for my advice but disregards most all of it
- is somewhat of a perfectionist - so many coloring pages & drawing pages end up in the trash if not just so
Those points don't exactly scream Neat & Tidy but do describe her strong, individual, perfectionistic self.
The other day while outside shooting baskets she said I could call her Neat & Tidy but she wanted her dad to call her Basketball Joe.  Then she came inside and drew him this picture:

Add that to her list - she loves to draw.  We love you for who you are Shelby girl, Neat & Tidy, Basketball Joe.  Even if you challenge us with just about everything!

Morgan's Tball Career Comes to An End

T-ball is the first summer activity to finish up.  Morgan approached her experience like most other things - with as little effort as necessary.  She wasn't interested in practicing at home.  She'd rather ride her bike or scooter.  Or really do just about anything outside but that.  Last night was the final game.  She was walking between bases and she had her hat pulled down so low I don't know how she could see.

I don't think she paid any attention to any ball  hit while she was playing the field.  She didn't even stop to look at the airplane going by like every other kid.  She was too busy talking to one of the coaches to notice airplanes or the fact that a game was going on.

She spent more time making patterns in the dirt with her shoes.  Yesterday she said she wasn't playing ball next summer.  I asked her what she was going to do.  She said, "theater".  That got a good squawk out of her sister!  Shelby yells, "That's my thing.  You can't do it".  Time will tell.  The one thing she could turn out to be good at is running.  After they stretched at the beginning of practice they would run to a group of trees in the park and back.  If Tyronne was there, she usually came in 2nd.  If he wasn't, she would be 1st.  I think she had fun this summer, but once she decided she was done with it, she was done.  Here are a few more pictures of the game.

final turn to bat

 last trip around 3rd base

 The Blue Cardinals

Morgan & Henry

neighbors, friends, teammates

At the top of this picture you can see one of the pavilions in the park.  Someone decided to get married in the park during the 6:00 game.  The reception was happening during our 7:00 game.  I tried to get a pic of the 2 of them facing the recep4ion watching people dance while they discussed the right way to slow dance.  Unfortunately they turned around before I could get one.  So long days of T-ball.  You haven't changed much since Shelby played!

T-ballers vs. Parents/Siblings

At the last T-ball practice they play a game with the players against parents & siblings.  Nate & Shelby participated while I tried to take pictures.  Most of them did not come out because Shelby's new friend Wayne kept getting in the way.  I'll post what I got.

making a circle for stretching

 arm circles

 leg stretches

 the race

Shelby got 2nd, Morgan 3rd (she is hidden by the coach)

 Daddy waiting to field Morgan's hit

 blurry pic but she's actually running!

 Shelby playing the field

 Daddy hitting to Morgan

 beat him to the bag Morgs!

 Shelby takes a big swing

 Shelby beating up the T

 good game everyone

 Morgan had a lot of fun with her coaches

Bailey, Michelle (called her Seashell), Brad, Dan (she called him Stanley)

Michelle coached T-ball when Shelby played.  I remember Brad trying to stay awake on Saturday mornings keeping the clock at Parks N Rec basketball when Shelby was in 1st grade.  Nate knew Dan from high school baseball.  He played for Normal Community.

Meet Sloppy Moppy

It has occurred to me that I am behind on a few posts like the girls' birthday party and the end of the HCC baseball season.  I've lacked the brain power and motivation to do it so I'll go with another random post here.  One of these days I'll get back to it.

My Sloppy Moppy.  My Morgs.  This picture is from her 5th birthday party and is one of my favorites that truly defines who she is.

I gave her this new name last week.  I had painted her nails and she kept messing up 1 of them.  Shelby told her she would put the clear top coat on for her when the polish dried.  Morgan responded, "No, you are sloppy"!  I told Morgan, "You are the definition of sloppy"!  She is one interesting little character, a mix of prissy and could care less.
Here are a few examples of could care less:
-  she knows her zipper is down, doesn't care, will not pull it up
-  hair usually looks like she just got out of bed, long front tickles her nose, drives me nuts, she doesn't care
-  leaves a mess wherever she goes
-  uses her clothes as a napkin, everything she wears goes in the wash
-  feet get so dirty only the chlorine of a public pool can get them clean
-  food all over the table & floor where she sits.  Any dog would be in heaven.  Too bad we don't have one!
Now for the prissy:
-  she hates to get her hands dirty or sticky
-  she will drop food because she is trying to balance it on her fingertips
-  goes through tons of napkins
-  doesn't want her food touching on her plate
-  refuses to use the same utensil for more than one item on her plate (if you challenge her on this she will say, "You know how I operate")
These are just a few of the things off the top of my head that describe my complicated Sloppy Moppy.  She sure makes things of ordinary life more interesting!

T-ball Ribbon Night

At ribbon night they measure how far the ball is hit off the T, how far a ball is thrown, and how fast the bases are ran.  Each player gets 3 ribbons.  Morgan got a yellow 4th place ribbon for hitting, a white 3rd place ribbon for throwing, and a blue 1st place ribbon for base running.  You could tell by watching her she was putting zero effort into any of it.  She got blue for running because as I mentioned before, she's good at it and does well without really trying.

She Likes to Snuggle

I walked out of the shower this morning to find this.

Most nights, Morgan ends up in our bed sometime in the early morning hours.  Thank God for a king size bed!  Although it really doesn't matter how big the bed is, the girl likes to lay
 C-L-O-S-E!!!  This morning she yelled for daddy to come get her from her bed.  They relocated for a little more shut eye.  I've trained her to just crawl in somewhere, don't wake me up first!  That is why at 4:30 this morning when someone was tapping my shoulder I growled, "Morgs!!!" and the reply I got was "It's me, Shelby".  (Keep in mind I am legally blind without corrective lenses.  Not to mention I was actually asleep which most of the night I am not).  She was dreaming and wanted me to lay down with her.
It wouldn't be so bad to have the girl in bed snuggling, if she could just LAY STILL!!!

Oh, and if you are interested in a tan like Nate's, you can get one scouting baseball games. :)