The New Baby!!

On this date in history: July 11, 1960 the book To Kill a Mockingbird was published.  The author, Harper Lee, won countless acclaimed awards including the 'Pulitzer Prize for Fiction' and the 'Presidential Medal of Freedom' awarded to her by President George W. Bush.  This Best Selling Book was voted the "Best Novel of The Century".

 

Yesterday, the newest member to Tru Stories' cast was born.

And to much surprise, we again have a beautiful little girl.

 

Born to Sweetbreads Bailey and Warhol (formally known to many as Bad R.)
My beautiful new niece, blog nicknamed Boo R.
And affectionately referred to as our Baby Boo.

Baby Boo is adorable. Beyond words.
Full Snow White Red lips, like her big cousin Coco.
Sweet Angel kisses, a puff of light hair and a small dimpled chin from her mommy's side.

Coco, how sweet does Baby Boo's little head smell??

Baby Boo, this is your Uncle Coach.
He likes his name, his barbershop, baseball and the Cubs.  And he likes to represent all those things, on his person, all the time...

I only had a brief snuggle with my new niece.
Just long enough for Tink to whisper "Can we take her home with us??"

Welcome, Baby Boo.  You are so very lucky to have been gifted to two amazing families.  You will be a bright shining light in the Great American Love Story, your parents are writing.  Galway Girl will be the sweetest Big Sista and Quincy has yet another tiny girl to protect. 
I spent the entire day yesterday, giddy over the excitement of another child being born into our world.  It is such a miracle to create a beautiful new life.  A life, which was already surrounded by so much love, before taking her first small breath.  Baby Boo is tru-ly blessed beyond measure. 

June, in Three Parts. #1 The House.

So our house was For Sale. And then it was not.
After a not long enough time period of looking at houses and having our house looked at... we decided to pull our house off the market.
I'm not 100% committed to that decision.
I have officially declared us The Bipolar Couple of Home Sales.
And yes, we are annoying even ourselves.
It kept feeling like the houses we were looking at needed work done, work that we have already done (and paid for) at our current home. It was always going to be hard to leave this location and our neighbors really stepped up their cute factor during the home viewing process. (which really hooked Coach back.)
The only way I agreed to stay, was with some MAJOR changes. To both the yard and the house. Most importantly we need to A.) seriously simplify the yard and B.) Put all three kids in separate bedrooms. Currently, Tink and Coco share a room. Tink is very much OVER sharing. Coco is very much NOT over sharing.
We already starting cutting down trees left and right. Digging up gardens. Tilling spots for new grass. All we discuss, every flipping day, is redesigning this house/yard. And talking about redesigning a home, into a dream home, is actually less fun then one would imagine.
It stresses me out. Normally, I am not a very stressful person. It may surprise people to know, I'm actually fairly laid back and mostly up for anything... but constantly discussing major home changes and/or purchases? Not fun for me. And if I'm not having fun... then Coach is not.. well... Coach is still have fun, because for Coach life is always fun... but it's maybe a little less fun than usual, when I am stressed.
And all of my stress, led Coach to book our #2 big event of June....

#2. Last Minute Road Trip!

Our good friends had been planning for months to vacation in New Orleans... We knew they had an open invitation for friends to join their trip but with The House Drama of 2014 we could not commit to going.  At the very last second, Coach declared Fudge It and booked a hotel room with only 49 hours notice.  And we took off on our first ever Road Trip as a couple. We decided to only tell Really Nice Guy and surprise The Teacher.  And after only 45 stressful minutes chasing her oblivious stubborn a$$ around the French Quarter, we finally cornered her and the weekend commenced!

 Inside The Pirate Bar.

 

You know how you're Down South and you notice signs and tees and whatnot for Mint Julep's??  So then you decide Know what... let's try a real life Southern Mint Julep for fun?! Heads Up: Mint Juleps are AWFUL.  And the little ol ladies that drink Mint Juleps are obviously hard core.

 Coach standing against our hotel room.

On the swamp tour I was THIS close to the gators.

The swamp was awesome.
The tour, a little rehearsed.

Random snaps on my favorite streets in America...

 He's cute. And the other boys on this street agreed.

Final Assessment of my third trip to New Orleans: I would go again. And again.
Who wants us to bum off their next trip??
Two days after returning to the real world, Coach Commented to me: I already miss your smile...

#3. But Mostly... We play Baseball.

This is the first year all three kids are playing baseball/softball.  We have been at a game or practice nearly every single night since the beginning of May.  Many nights we had two games and a couple nights we've had all three kids playing on nearby fields.  (I wore my tennis shoes on those nights and didn't bother gettin comfy in a chair) The older two have games which typically last between 2-3 hours at a time.  Which means we've easily watched 43,197 hours of baseball in the last six weeks. Give or take a couple hours...

 

Coco and Joe P

 Tink's Cute Teammates.

Coach is either Head or Asst Coach to every team.  He bounces around according to which team needs his help the most.  And don't let him fool you... he has LOVED it.  It's been a High-Five Heaven out there, in Coach's World.
So that's what we do.
That's where we've been.

Welcome Home Grammy!

Dear Mom-

I hope you had an amazing birthday trip to Arizona.  I'm so glad you took this time for yourself.  I hope you got some rest, laughed with friends, enjoyed the beautiful scenery and were able to really relax.

And now that you are back to town, I wish with all my heart, for an amazing summer in your candy shop.  I hope your adorable little shop is full of happy faces, each and every day.  I hope the sweet little smiles bubble up around you and excited giggles echo from your walls.  That loving husbands buy their wives an unexpected chocolate treat and ladies leave their guilt at the door, when they sneak in for themselves.

The shop is absolutely beautiful and I hope it becomes just as successful as it is adorable. And I hope Coco's brings you years of joy.  You deserve it.

I hope you had an amazing, warm, sunny AZ birthday.
Cheers to a great year. We love and appreciate you and your time.
Happy Birthday!
Love- Your daughter, Coach and your cute grandkids.

Princess Grace of Monaco

 

Happy THIRTEENTH Birthday!! WHAT?! 13? Are you kidding? Teenager??!
Weren't you just a lil girl with a short little brunette bob and cutesie blunt toddler bangs?  And now you have movie star long locks. Weren't you just dressed in mini Cubbie Bear pink jerseys and Nike tennis skirts and NOW you're always dressed in your totally impressive team colors... Weren't you just a mini shy little four year old with a secret careful smile and quiet whispers to your cousins and now... well... now that's still pretty much the same.
Except now you are a teenager!
And then next Quincy will be a teenager.
And then The Kid will be... ummm.. still just my The Kid. Let's not talk about it.
Happy Birthday beautiful Mona.  My children adore you.  They all have crowned Princess Grace the most hilarious cousin.  And Coach is so awed and impressed by your catching skills on the softball field.  He brags about you ALL. The. Time. For realz.
And Me? I'm just honored to be your Aunt.
Sending lots of love, from up North.  I hope your day was amazing.

Maybe the Cutest Picture Ever.

Tonight was officially the First evening all three kids played a sport on the same evening.
Coco had Tball at 5:00pm.
Tink had softball at 5:00pm.
The Kid had baseball at 6:00pm.
All on different fields but thankfully in the same complex.
I wore my tennis shoes tonight and got a mini work-out.
It was hot, sweaty, maybe too sunny (if that's possible....) but all three kids hit.  And they're pretty cute.  And for Coach?? These nights make him beyond happy.  He's even more skippy than usual. "Let's take this one for a ride, boys!"

Happy Big Weekend Sweetbreads!

Pre-Pregnant Sweetbreads was a totally cool chick.  A sharp dresser, always up for a great time.  The first to arrive, the last to leave.  A cool calm cucumber with a quiet but quick sarcasm. 

And I will be darned if totally near-the-end pregnant Sweetbreads is not still ALL those things!  And to boot, she's actually, surprisingly pretty sweet and maybe even nicer?? Wha??  How is that fair?!  She dresses in large horizontal stripes and looks amazing!  She attends yoga once a week and even pulled off an handstand at nearly 6 months along.  She still arrives early to the party and STILL outlasts the crowd... she's social, charming, her hair looks great (standard) and she has barely once had a single thing to complain about.

So she gets to be completely cool not pregnant.....

And totally awesome while pregnant?

That doesn't seem right.

She will even celebrate her and Warhol's First Wedding Anniversary this week by attending a concert in Chicago. So fine Sweetbreads, you win, you are the most cool sister-in-law. Stop showing off.

Happy Birthday and Anniversary to one of my favs.

I'm super glad Warhol tricked you into loving him.

And I am BEYOND excited for new baby snuggles.

(I seriously mean... BEYOND EXCITED...)