Master of Repetition (week 319)

A month away from my 6th birthday and I am starting to get excited.  My primary focus over the past month has been basketball in general and securing myself a "glass backboard" for my backyard basketball court.  It is not unlike the movie "Christmas Story" where Ralphie relentlessly advocates for a Red Rider BB Gun.  It seems like every time that I see one or bring-up the topic (sometimes for hours at a time), my parents come-up with every reason that it won't work for us.  In fact, we don't actually have any concrete in our backyard so dribbling the ball is near impossible.  We painted a basketball court on the grass (the soccer field is now gone), and now the grass blades are all brown.  They have been mashed down by my attempts to dribble and my 30 minute solo games (with full commentary and crowd noises). Yet, my dreams of a glass backboard, scoreboard, and even a shot clock that lights up with time expires still lives on.

Christopher has also become a master of repetition.  As he progresses into his 3rd full year of life he has taken to repetition and nagging as his primary form of persuasion.  Sometimes, daddy will count how many times that he says the same thing like "It's a toy...it's a toy mama...it's a toy".  Of course, his favorite word in the world is "Mama".  He will repeat it 10 times in a row--no joke--without even making a point.  He may just want some attention or he is thinking out loud while he is focusing on something else.  Hopefully, it is just a phase but it is definitely a hallmark of being 3 years old.

It has been raining a lot this weekend so we have been stuck somewhat inside.  Since I am on a basketball kick, Chris, Daddy and I went to the gym on Saturday morning and ran up-and-down the court.  I am fast enough now to make it hard on Daddy.  Chris plays "Wipeout", which essentially means that he runs around the indoor soccer fencing and Daddy throws foam balls at him.  When we were done, the sweat was pouring off our faces and heads.  Afterwards, we went to the store and picked out bagels before we went to my first baseball practice with the "Pirates" at Next Level Academy in Paramount.  I got to take turns hitting and fielding indoors because it was raining outside.

Grandma Paula and Grandpa Mike also came down to see us and take us to the Aquarium of the Pacific.  We had an awesome time and got to hang out with the Sweeneys who drove up from San Clemente.  For dinner, the four of us went out to an Italian restaurant called Marri's to have pizza and keep practicing our dinner skills.  Now we have done Mexican and Italian with great success.  As Daddy says with drawing, eating, or anything in life...we get better with repetition.