Double Celebration

photo courtesy of Akiko Photo

What a blessed life we have. Six years ago I married my best friend on one of the happiest days of my life. Suffice to say, it's been quite a journey having him by my side as my friend, confidante, cheerleader, shoulder to cry on, and love. Happy Anniversary my beloved Mr. Fliz! 

And Happy Father's Day!! For all the sacrifices you make each and everyday...we love you dearly. 

To my Dad, thank you for all your sacrifices and continued love and support in me and K's life. We're so blessed to have you as our Father. Now, you also take on role to being a "Dad" to two other men and Grandfather to two super cute kids (if I do say so, myself).

To my Father-in-Law who raised such an amazing son. If it weren't for your influence in his life, he wouldn't be who he is today. Just like you, an amazing Dad. 

To all the Fathers out there, I salute you for surviving the everyday challenges of raising a child and/or family. For the unconditional love you give to all those around you, thank you. 

Take me out to the Ball Game...then take me home

Summer is almost officially here. But we've been basking in plenty of sunshine the past few weeks, hampered only by cool, strong winds in the afternoon (the glory of living next to the water). Since the past few months, Mr. Fliz has been studying diligently for his CFA, while I've been mostly with the kids--meaning, very few breaks for myself. We didn't get to see much of Mr. Fliz during this difficult time but now that his test is over, we decided on a fun activity...an A's game. During baseball season, the Oakland A's in conjunction with BART have a promotion called "$2 Wednesdays." These are for the Plaza Reserved or Plaza Outfield sections.

Last Wednesday, we hauled the family to the Coliseum for Micron to experience her first baseball game ever. Micro has been before and is slowly becoming an avid live sports watcher. The kids had a long afternoon nap and off we went to cheer on the A's. 

Though a bit difficult at first, because Micron couldn't sit still until Daddy returned armed with greasy good food, the experience was well worth it. When things got too hard for little Micron to keep her tushie in her seat, we brought her to the Stomper Fun Zone--a little closed-off area for little ones to play in--a tiny play structure with a few toys and open space for them to run around and explore. It was perfect as it was near our seats anyway (besides on games when it's not sold out, you can easily move around and find other seats more suitable to your needs). 

I'll admit, upon arriving at our seats, I was beginning to wonder if this had been a good idea because Micron is unlike Micro, who can sit and amuse himself with watching what's going on the field. In the end, I'm glad we did it and went through the experience. We're planning on going again, with friends or not, this will be part of our kids' experience as they grow up. I like bringing kids to sports events to let them experience watching it live and enjoying the camaraderie with fellow sports fans.

If you plan on attending sports events with young ones, things to keep in mind:

Pack some of your own snacks and their own water bottles

Get seats where you have access to open space and won't bother people if you have to get up repeatedly

Get seats near bathrooms

Anticipate that your little ones won't last the entire game and be prepared to leave when you know they've had enough