Tag Archives for Hockey

Two-handed Birthday

Avi’s birthday was Monday, July 25. He turned 6 years old, which I was fine about until a friend pointed out that my little boy now needs two hands (unless the other party is fluent in ASL) to indicate his age. Whoa. Suddenly that seems so old!

Avi blows out the candles with a little help from his cousin Finley.

In the past year, Avi has learned how to read, count past 100, make his own soy butter and jelly sandwiches, pour his own milk, take showers alone and mostly ride his bike. His ice skating his improved exponentially, and he’s playing on his first mite hockey team. He’s also taking ballet and gymnastics, and if he could add one more activity it would absolutely be drum lessons. Or piano. No, soccer. Tap dancing? Definitely tennis. Or swimming. Oh my gosh, this kid loves everything!

He’s a champion sleeper like his dad and easily distracted like his mom. Good combination.

He is also at least fifty feet tall.

He’s a total ham, with an insatiable appetite for pop music, correct lyrics be damned.

"I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, singing hay-o...we're going to rock this house, like it's dynamite!"

And if you don’t believe me, you can ask youtube.

We recently finished the first Harry Potter book and watched the movie. He is fascinated with magic and spells and especially quidditch.

But he isn’t quite ready to start the second book yet. He is still painfully sensitive sometimes, and worried to the point of tears that Harry, Hermione and Ron might “get in trouble” when they were out of their beds at night.

Sometimes I look at him and can’t find that sleeping baby I remember so well.

So I look and look and look some more.

Universal blog signal for "looking everywhere", right?

Oh! There he is. My baby. My Avi.

Happy birthday.

What A Difference A Year Makes

First day of kindergarten, August 2010.

Last day of kindergarten, June 2011.

Also, this:

Someone had a great year.

Happy last day of kindergarten, Avi. Enjoy the dress down day, the after-school pizza party, the playground celebration at the Farmhouse. Enjoy hugging your teacher goodbye in that unabashed way only little kids have. Enjoy your first summer at day camp. Enjoy reading on your own, picking out your own books, reading out loud to us. Enjoy ballet. Enjoy hockey. Enjoy life.

We love you muchly.

Lady Byng, Mite-style

For the past three days, Avi has been attending a special hockey clinic at Ice Castle Arena (Go ahead, click on that link. I dare you.) with Pittsburgh Penguins Skating Consultant Marianne Watkins and Robert Morris University Men’s Varsity Coach Derek Schooley.

I have nothing but amazing things to say about the coaches and assistants, including several of Coach Schooley’s players, who worked with the kids. We saw tangible improvement each and every day – sometimes even mid-session. The facility is great and not at all as far away as I’d feared. I am so SO glad we decided to let Avi do the clinic, even though it was completely on a whim. He was definitely one of the youngest kids out there, and quite likely the least experienced. Without the encouragement and attention from the coaches, he would not have had the awesome successes we saw.

But I was particularly blown away by the leadership and heart of a young girl in Avi’s group who had absolutely dominated most of the previous drills. As I learned later, she is eight years old and started figure skating at age four, giving her a significant advantage over most of the other kids in that department. Towards the end of the second session today, Avi was tired and struggling. He had been frustrated with a jumping drill, and his feet were hurting him (more on that in a bit). Through the incredible patience, encouragement and guidance of the adults on the ice, he had powered through a couple rough spots to get to the games at the end. One of those adults, a friend who had been looking out for him throughout the clinic, asked the girl to help Avi during the final activities.

It’s not often that you see a kid that young rise up to the occasion like we witnessed. Not only did she “help” Avi, she completely took him under her wing, literally protecting him from the obstacles being lobbed at them as they skated from one end of the ice to the other in the first activity. She actually took a “hit” for him, letting him get safely to the base, and then continued to protect him as the games continued. More than once he lagged behind and she waited with him, her arm on his. When the games switched, she stayed by his side. It was awesome. I really don’t have any other word to describe it. So. Awesome. Sportsmanship, conduct and playing ability? Get that girl a trophy.

Avi came off the ice, beaming, his new friend by his side. I managed to talk to her and thank her before she found her dad, and then I thanked him while she was in the locker room because I didn’t want to embarrass her. Sure, one of the coaches asked her to help out, but she could have easily done it with a fraction of the heart she displayed today. I wanted her – and her father – to know how much we appreciated it.

Oh! And the feet hurting? Yeah…turns out there was a really good reason for that. After the clinic ended, we took Avi to get new skates and learned the ones he’s had for the past year and a half are now  TWO SIZES TOO SMALL. He only very recently (like, last week) has been complaining about them, so we honestly had no clue they were that bad. Silly boy. That jumping drill will probably be cake next time.

Challah, hockey and Hanukkah hilarity

Subtitle: Andrea adores alliteration.

Anyway.

I made challah again for Thanksgiving. All by my big girl self. Yes, I borrowed my mom’s Kitchenaid mixer. Yes, I used CSA eggs. At this point, the recipe is familiar enough that I’m comfortable experimenting a little the next time I make it, but the Thanksgiving loaves were by the book.

Freshly toasted – and generously buttered – challah is truly one of my most favorite things.

Paper plate and cup of steaming hot Constant Comment tea are optional, but recommended.

And then, without much warning whatsoever, Thanksgiving was over and it was time for Hanukkah. What?! I guess that’s what we get for having a white Thanksgiving.

The rest of the month can’t wait to leap upon us now that the first dusting of snow has appeared. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself every time I look at the calendar and freak out a little.

We got a new menorah for the family this year, and while we were picking it out we saw a smaller one that could be painted. Since Avi’s very first menorah got broken last year (I still have the pieces, of course) we decided that might be a fun project. We can rebuild it. We have the technology. We can make it better than it was. Bigger, stronger, faster…okay, maybe not faster. I got carried away.

But Avi did not. He was so careful, so disciplined. I have to admit, I was surprised. Wary, even. Those were acrylic paints, so we could have had quite the disaster on our hands. Well, his hands, anyway. Must have been the thinking tongue that saved him.

So that was fun. Thursday was even funner, though. First game (for me) at Consol Energy Center. Wooo!

I’d like to think of it as a little (okay big) Hanukkah present to myself. Definitely a last minute splurge, but definitely worth it. Two words: hat trick.

What a blast. Very impressed with the Penguins’ new home. Very impressed with the Penguins, as well. Super fun night.

But wait! There’s more!

Friday was family Hanukkah at our house, something we hosted for the very first time. It was really great. I didn’t kill myself cooking – I know, right?! – so it was a really perfect blend delicious food half prepared by someplace else (I threw together two or three quick things, no biggie) and just a wonderful time with wonderful people. And quite possibly the funniest thing I have seen in a very, very, very, VERY long time.

Avi went to the holiday shop at school that day and purchased gifts for his grandparents, aunts and uncles, as well as his loving parents, of course. I think this is a pretty common school thing – you send in a list and some cash, some volunteer helps the kids pick out the things and wrap them, everybody wins. So he passed all the wrapped presents out and ordered everyone to open their gifts. When the dust settled, this is what almost everyone had in front of them:

His dad and I had something different (I had a lovely piece of dollar store jewelery. Seriously, it’s quite cute. D had a screwdriver set that he also received last year.) and one other person had a “Best Grandmother” ribbon – but not, I should note, his grandma. She had a #1 Grandpa rosette like everyone else. It was so. damn. funny. Like, painfully. I cannot for the life of me figure out how it happened – someone had to help him pick them out and wrap them, afterall. Someone had to physically put wrapping paper around a #1 Grandpa ribbon and label it “Lizy” and not think that was unsual?! Someone had to fully support his buying five #1 Grandpa ribbons?!!?! Hilarious.

We were a little concerned he would all of a sudden read the rosettes and realize what they said and get very upset or embarrassed. He’s reading like a champ these days, and I have no doubt he could read “#1 Grandpa” if he actually paid attention. Luckily he was too engrossed in his own Hanukkah haul to really notice why we were giggling.

Coming out whole on the other side.

Things that are over:

1. Halloween
2. Homecoming
3. Soccer season

Things I survived:

1. Halloween
2. Homecoming
3. Soccer season

Now I can devote all my attention to preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Just kidding! Still scared to death of that.

Looking forward to more hockey, though. And increased gym access. And Thanksgiving! Yes, THAT is what I am most excited about. But in the meantime, I have another Show+Tell Story Series event next week featuring DeepLocal (registration is open to all!), a bunch of meetings, two smaller events and a general return to (mostly) normalcy. Huzzah.

Babies and hockey

So on the same day that my best friend’s baby* was born, I had an epic battle with my own baby over a haircut and had to physically remove myself from the situation before I (totally) completely lost it.

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. (And you’re right.)

But the hair was indeed cut, in time for picture day and (more importantly?) to better fit inside his helmet. For lo, hockey season. It is upon us.

I can’t really describe the thrill I get watching my little boy learn to play ice hockey. If I’m honest, I’ll admit there is a certain amount of pride that goes along with the knowledge that your kid is playing a “cool” sport and not, say, baseball.

He is by no means a star or a standout or a leader on the ice. He’s way too small and too young for any of that. Although he’s not the absolute youngest anymore, he’s close. And in this session there are kids as old as 12, which is like light years out on the ice even though they are only beginning to learn the game, too. His ankles wobble a little towards the end of practice, especially now that they’re skating for an hour and a half at a time.

But he loves it.

He’s been playing “defense”, which is as close to goalie as they have at the moment. It’s interesting to see him think tactically about defending in hockey in much the same way that he’s been learning to do it in soccer. He spends a lot of time on his knees.

And I spent a lot of the time wishing I had a better camera.

*Said baby is also (conveniently) Avi’s second cousin. After looking at the pictures and hearing all that Jonah can do after just a few hours, Avi declared “That sounds a lot like what I can do, except for playing and walking and jumping and crawling and things like that. But I am good at sleeping and eating, too, so we’re a lot alike.”

Indeed.

Almost there

Well, I’m more than half way through the craziness. One more meeting on Thursday of this week, then Monday and Thursday of next week and I can breathe again until Homecoming. (Ha!) But in some ways it’s been an easier road than I was expecting – Avi’s transition to a non-family babysitter was brilliantly simple, for one. And my big event last week was smashingly successful. Nothing like a win under your belt to take the edge off.

Avi started hockey again, then promptly has two weeks off while the rink hosts tournaments for the big kids. That scheduling bonus is a huge help, since the overlap of soccer and hockey on the same day for one little five year old is admittedly somewhat obnoxious. Luckily we only have to do it three times before soccer is done for the year and hockey is his sole activity.

(This is also what happens when hockey starts before the temperature outside catches up to the season. And look: Avi got a new hockey stick because he’s so tall! First time we had to buy replacement equipment. #milestone.)

But besides Avi’s activities and work, I haven’t been able to do much socially because of the um, work and Avi stuff. Riiiiiight. It sounds a little lame, but I miss my friends! When I was mentally preparing for this marathon of calendar mayhem, the one thing I forgot to allow for was socialization. I made sure the house would be clean and we would be fed. I accounted for Avi going to and coming from school. I (mostly) have kept up with laundry. But as much as I adore my new coworkers and OF COURSE my family, I miss everyone else I don’t get to see as often, especially when I hear about all the fun stuff they’ve been up to on teh twitterz.

So I’m almost there. Almost back to work/life balance! But in the meantime, I did make a delicious tom kha soup from scratch.

Maybe I should just invite you guys over for dinner, eh?!

Not hockey.

Admittedly, it’s also a sport that most kids start long before hockey since it’s not so high maintenance. But while we’re figuring out if/when Avi is playing developmental hockey this fall (since he’s “graduated” from the Little Penguins* program), we thought this might be the perfect time to try out another favorite team sport.

“Team” is of course a very generous term for a group of five year olds running around a grassy field, occasionally kicking at the ball with intention but more often relying on instinct. It’s hilarious, but I promise I’m laughing with them, not at them. Except for this past Wednesday, when Avi was having social hour with two of the girls on his team while everyone else played soccer around them. For like, ten minutes. In that case, I had to laugh at him.

And, yeah, okay. I had to laugh at them here, too:

Because really, how can you not giggle at Danielle‘s son’s expression in the back row? It is my favorite picture so far of the Forest Green team. Quite formidable, aren’t they?

*If you scroll through the pictures on the Little Penguins site, Avi’s grinning mug comes up eventually. I may have screen captured it for posterity. Ahem.

Last day of hockey

I’ve written about the Little Penguins program before, but it is such an amazing opportunity for young children in the region to learn how to play ice hockey – and was such a major component of our life for the past seven months – that it’s worth mentioning again. Especially since this morning was our – Avi’s – last hockey practice until October.

Little Penguins itself ended back in March? April? I think April. But Avi’s Little Penguins coaches ( Glen Scholze and Kurt Heinauer, who also work with the Amateur Penguins) put together an additional 10-weeks of Sunday morning practice sessions that concluded today.  We are so grateful for that extra ice time, but more specifically Coach Scholze and Coach Heinauer’s time with the kids. When I think back to Avi’s first day on the ice in January and how far he’s progressed since then, well, it’s clear these guys are absolutely top notch youth instructors.

Avi will be playing developmental hockey in the fall with the Amateur Penguins. He’s only turning five at the end of July, and we certainly don’t think he – or we – are ready for anything more intense at this point. Maybe in a couple of years he’ll decide he wants to concentrate on ice hockey, but for now he is a typical almost-five year old, with a list of desired activities that includes (at any given moment) ballet, soccer, gymnastics, dek hockey, musical theater, swimming, karate, piano lessons and more cooking classes.

Truth be told, Avi’s last hockey practice was not his best performance. He had a lot of trouble focusing, probably because he had nine people in the stands this morning cheering him on. I’d be hard pressed to concentrate with such adoring fans myself.

And adorable ones.

So enjoy your time off, buddy. You’ve got plenty of other activities on your list to try in the meantime. Mommy and daddy are so proud of you, and we can’t wait to see what you tackle next.

Fathers’ Day

(That’s not a typo.)

Today we celebrated six fathers with four generations. That’s a lot of dads. And a lot of food. We also celebrated three birthdays, because that’s just how our family does things in the summer months. From May 9 through July 25, we have three anniversaries and ten birthdays on top of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day and the 4th of July. It’s a little insane. In a good way.

But for this morning, we started the day with hockey practice.

We got Avi’s skates sharpened last night and made the terrible mistake of going to Dick’s Sporting Goods. Here’s a pro tip for all you wannabe hockey moms out there: go to an actual hockey store for best results. It’s worth the extra four bucks. And here’s an even more important tip for Dick’s: if you don’t know how to sharpen skate blades, JUST. DON’T. DO. IT. Seriously. We have to have them redone now because they’re so messed up. Luckily, Avi took the whole thing really well – his fear of falling on the ice has long since passed, so the fact that his blades were working against him all practice didn’t seem to affect his good mood.

Nice sticker on his helmet, right?

After hockey I made cole slaw from the rest of our CSA cabbage (red wine vinegar, dijon and spicy brown mustards, honey, pepper, salt, garlic, CSA carrots, celery, fresh grated nutmeg) and we headed out to my parent’s house for Official Birthday/Father’s Day Celebration #1 (3 FD, 2 BD). They have a pool. By which I mean this:

But hey, it’s the perfect size for the kids. By which I mean them:

Avi and his cousin played in the pool for much of the afternoon. (Special appearance by my brother on the right.) There was steak and potatoes and mushrooms for late lunch, and we finished the last two bottles of my dad’s home-brewed beer. (Just in time because I ordered him two new mixes to try!) For dessert, my sister-in-law made Boston Cream Pie. Creme? I should look that up.

And speaking typing of looking, here’s the inside scoop:

Yeah, she’s a heckuva baker.

Then we set off for Official Birthday/Father’s Day Celebration #2 (5 FD, 2 BD), where there was more good food including key lime pie. Also fireflies because it was gorgeous out. Did you notice?

I think it’s pretty awesome that we got to spend a large portion of our day with family, and that we have so many great things to celebrate and be thankful for. Having almost everyone here in Pittsburgh is a luxury that I am so grateful to be able to give to Avi. In fact, he doesn’t even think of it as a luxury at all. He just knows he is surrounded by parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great-uncles, cousins and cousins-once removed. (And in the fall, a second cousin!) That’s a very special thing.

Yawn. It’s getting late and I can feel this post getting away from me, so I’ll wrap up with one final image.

Thanks, Dad. Full circle, indeed.