Growing up

Elizabeth started soccer this week. It seems like a big milestone to me. Maybe just because I remember playing soccer at her age. Plus she looks so big in her (albeit tiny) shin guards and cleats. It was so fun to watch her.

I love this picture because it shows her laughing.
She was really having fun:

During one of her water breaks, she ran back to us and said "I love soccer practice!" Hopefully the love will continue. It has been unbearably hot. It's funny to see her get all red and sweaty because she would never push herself that much if she were just playing outside. This will definitely be good exercise for her.

Our little soccer girl

Someone else is growing up, too. Or at least older :). We celebrated Joe's birthday last week. It was really low-key and of course I didn't remember to take any pictures. I did surprise him with tickets to go see the play Into the Woods. We had fun going to that. Neither of us had seen it before but we love the music. He got a very ugly-looking but tasty lemon cake on his birthday. He also got about 10 homemade cards from his daughters with various heartfelt sentiments expressed inside them (One of Elizabeth's said: "I love you Dady. I really love Dady.").

I am certainly glad that Joe came into this world on that fateful, hot and humid day in Indiana 28 years ago (Sidenote: For once I can somewhat sympathize with Marsha--being pregnant in the summer is no fun. I am looking forward to someday being cool again. Or at least not covered in sweat. Still, I have no room to complain. California is no Indiana). What would I do without Joe? I wouldn't have someone to patiently fulfill my random pregnancy wishes. To get me laughing after an exhausting day with the kids. To talk to about anything and everything. I had no idea how good I would have it when, as he would say, I roped him into marrying me (not true :).

I love you, Joe.