Take Me Out To The Ballgame-Spring Training Weekend

This past weekend, Ben's parents, twin brother Mike, his wife Laura, and their daughter Abby, all came to visit us for our Spring Training weeekend.  We've come to Arizona every year (except last year) that we've been married for Spring Training.  This year everyone got to stay at our house!  So, here's some pictures (there's a lot) from our weekend.  I'm glad that everyone else is a lot better than we've been at taking pictures, so a lot of the pictures are from them.

Thursday night is Baylee's gymnastics night.  Since Mike, Laura, and Abby were already here, they came with us and Abby did the class too.  Laura is a lot braver than I am, and took some pictures.  I braved it up a little and took a couple, too, but I'm glad she got some good ones.  It's a parent/tot class, and since I'm not allowed to pick Baylee up, Ben does the class with her.  I also think it's a great thing for them to do together, although I love gymnastics, so I'm a little jealous I don't get to participate.  It was fun to have Mike, Laura, and Abby there with us! 

Ben and Baylee at class.

Baylee on the rings.

Ben helping Baylee on the bar.  There's little Abby running around, too.

Ben and Mike helping Baylee and Abby do bridges.

Abby and Baylee.

Ben's parents got in later Thursday night.  Ben and I had to run to get Arizona licenses (yep, we are officially Arizona residents) and attempt (and fail) to get our car registered in Arizona on Friday morning, so Baylee woke up and got to hang out with Grandma while we were there.

Baylee had fun with Grandma Hall and Abby while we were gone.

After we got back, it was time to get ready for the first baseball game of the weekend. 

Baylee got all decked out for it.  She was so excited to wear the A's shirt Grandma Hall brought her, and the A's colors skirt Laura made her.  She was a patient waiter with Ben-she was excited to go!   

The first game was the A's at the Indians-and it was hot!  Here's Baylee and Ben's mom, trying to cool off in some shade.  Kathy was so good to keep the kids happy at the games all weekend!  

Us with Mike, Laura, and Abby as we were leaving the game.  We were all really hot, and I don't look too happy (my back was in a lot of pain though too).

Here's us catching Ollie the Trolley on the way back to our car.  We had to park a little bit out there, so it was nice to have a trolley to take us, and Baylee loved it!  She kept asking if were going to ride Ollie the Trolley again for the other games.

Baylee and Grandpa Hall before loading up and heading home for the day.  That night we got to eat at Joe's Farm Grill, one of our favorites!

Saturday we were at the A's stadium to see them play the Giants.

Ben and I at the game.  We stocked up on peanuts for the games.  We discovered at a game that we went to a few weeks ago that they are a good distraction and keep Baylee happy and quiet.

Baylee and Grandma Hall.  She was content to sit with Grandma Hall for most of the games.  It was great!

Mike caught a ball from one of the players!

Ben decided at the end of the game that Baylee needed a pom pom and foam finger.  Of course, this was after we were done with A's games for the weekend, so she didn't get to enjoy them in a game.  But, she was still excited for them, and loved doing a silly pose with them.

Us at the car (and a sad shot with my ever growing baby bump).  The sun was in our faces, so don't mind the squinting faces.  Baylee's still excited for her pom pom, foam finger, and free bandana Ben tied around her waist.  This her saying "Go A's!  We're number 1!"  She also says "Shake what your mamma gave ya!" whenever she has her pom pom.

After the game, us women got to go do some shopping, where Kathy spoiled the kids with some cute clothes.  The men and kids met us for dinner at Logan's.  I think everyone played games that night while I tried to get Baylee to sleep after she had just taken a 5 minute power nap, and also tried to take it easy and rest my back.  It was hurting pretty bad all weekend, and I feel bad that I was a little antisocial when we were home (laying in bed is the only thing that helps).

Sunday we went to our last game.  This one was for Laura- we went to see her Dodger's play the Rangers.  Ben also wanted to see the Dodger's stadium, which was a really nice one.   

I think Ben, Baylee, and I had Italian Ice everyday.  It was so hot (although Sunday there was a nice breeze), and it was a good way to keep Baylee hydrated.  Plus, it was yummy, and cold.

The only way I could get Baylee to pose for this picture was to let her do a silly face.  So, there you have it.  The poor kid had a rougher day that game.  We think she got peanut shell in her eye right at the beginning of the game, and her eyes were a little red and swollen and watery.  :(  Plus, she was getting a cold, and was really tired and a little on the cranky side.  She was happy with Grandma Hall though, but got upset when Grandma Hall left and didn't take her (she had Abby).  Ben's parents left after the game.  We were sad to see them go (we've only seen them twice since we moved in June).  Baylee's excited for Grandma Hall to come out and play with her in June when we have our baby.  We'll get to see them quite a few times after that.  Mike and Laura left Monday morning.  So, now we are back to an empty house.  :(  Baylee was sad when she woke up on Monday and everyone was gone.  We had a great weekend with everyone, and we love visitors!  

Aloha!

One of the best experiences I have had in my life was being able to go to school in Hawaii, and not just because Ben and I met there (of all places-on a curb).  That was definitely a plus to it, though.  Hawaii will always hold a special place in my heart, and I often miss the beauty of the islands and the spirit of the people that live there.  At times I wish I had stayed more than just a year, but in my heart I knew I wasn't supposed to.  There have been many times that I have just wanted to say to Ben that we should pick up and move there, even just for a year or two.  I haven't been back to Hawaii since my roommate got married in 2002.  I'm so excited to go back as Ben's graduation present (he graduated almost a year ago).  Hopefully later this year we will be going.  To hold me over, Ben, Baylee and I swung in at the very end of the Arizona Aloha Festival on Saturday in Tempe.  Ben had spent most of the day helping my parents move, so we barely made it.  I was so happy we did, though, even if it was just a quick visit.    

Baylee and I after eating some yummy Hawaiian food by one of the performance stages.  I love Kalua pork, and they even had malasadas (like fried doughnuts)!  When I was in Hawaii there was a truck that went around the island selling malasadas.  You never knew where is was going to be.  Sometimes you would find it when you made a trip a few towns over to go to Walmart, other times it was exciting to find the truck in the little (and I mean little) shopping center by the school.  They were so yummy!

We had to get a picture of Baylee and Ben together too.  She was loving the strawberry lemonade-it was so hot!  We had just woken her up, and I think all she really ate on Saturday was sugar.  We hadn't eaten lunch, and it was about 4 when we got there.  She wouldn't eat the plate lunch we got, but she did finally eat the malasadas. 

We spent some time walking around, reminiscing, and wanting to buy too many things (the Aloha sign above is one of our purchases).   

 
Anyone recognize these guys in the gray/black shirts?  They are from one of the "Biggest" reality shows.  We are rooting for them!  It was really fun to see them there!

We had a lot of fun.  I didn't get enough of my fill of Hawaiian food, but at least now I know where there are a couple of Hawaiian food places.  I was really tempted to go back yesterday.  I wanted more food, and I wish we had been able to watch more of the performances.  So, we will definitely go back again next year, and I can't wait for us to go back to Hawaii and take Baylee and Payton! 

Hooray A's! & Doctor, Doctor...

Saturday we got to go see the A's play!  We love Spring Training (especially now that we live in Arizona and won't get to see the A's play much otherwise)!  Baylee was very excited to go as well, and cried when she saw Ben in his A's shirt.  We don't have one that fits her right now, but she does have a hat.  She really wanted to wear A's clothes.  Ben was nice enough to let Baylee put on his jersey, and then she of course wanted to wear his hat as well.

Ben let her wear his shirt for the car ride to the game.  She kept switching between his hat and hers.

Ben letting her wear his shirt on the way over eventually ended up being Baylee wearing it most of the game.  Ben was a good sport about it, and Baylee loved both wearing Ben's jersey and being at the game.  We are excited to go to more games!

Baylee has also come up with a favorite thing to play.  Doctor.  The other morning I was dozing in and out of sleep while she was watching cartoons.  I looked over, and Baylee was naked (except her diaper) and had the wipes container and the diapers sitting next to her.  She had covered her diaper area with wipes, and let me know she was playing doctor.  It was pretty funny.  She is always trying to use various chargers, such as our phone charger, to check and make sure our baby is okay, to "see" our baby,  and to check our baby's heartbeat.  Sunday I walked into our room to see Baylee playing doctor again, this time with daddy's help.  They had about six wipes, and Baylee loved having Ben cover her in them for what she called a "check-up", and then she would just lay there as still as can be until he pulled them off (maybe we need to play this with he more often).  Then she would do it to him.  It was pretty funny, and we got some pictures.

Baylee does a great job at keeping us laughing!