Where is Nico?

Pretty good weekend around here. Although not nearly long enough. There is a club tournament being hosted in Tallahassee in March, and the registration is due on the 12th, so even though the highschool season just got over, we're already starting preparations for the club season.  I can't decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing.  In one sense, I am glad because there are people who care and are trying to establish the soccer infrastructure in Wakulla county.  In another sense, I am annoyed because the highschool soccer season JUST got over and I'd like to have more than a week where soccer wasn't absorbing all of my time and extra mental energy.  I'll let you know what I decide. 

Nico is incredibly adorable lately.  When he first started being able to recognized himself in the mirror, I'd stand in the bathroom holding him and point to him and say Nico and point to me and say Mama.  Sometimes I go fast like, "Nico, Mama, Nico, Mama, Nico, Mama."  Somehow, he got confused about who Mama is (he thinks its him sometimes).  Which is pretty cute.  So I ask, "where is Drake?"  and he points.  "Where is Gor-Gor?"and he points.  When it gets to "Where is Nico?"  He leans forward so that you can "see him".  Its like, "Oh, you couldn't see me before.  Here is my face.  Here I am!!"  Its pretty adorable. 

We lost last night 3-1. 

I have mentioned it before- but one of the toughest things we do is the pregame talk.  We never know- pump them up?  Or chill them out?  Get them pissed off?  Or schmoopy because they are BBF forever.  Last night we did it all.  We explained that the game was special... because they were playing at home on a team full of girls that they all liked.  And they should play for the seniors.  We explained that no one (except for the coaches) expected them to win, so the pressure was off.  We explained that Gulf Breeze was expecting that we'd be an easy opponent and the night would be full of lots of GB goals.  We explained that Dave and I had done everything we could do to get them to this point and that it was up to them now.  Only they could answer the question:  Are we "there" yet (meaning, can we compete with the good teams?)

The answer?  Yes.  Hell yes!!

It was awesome.  We came out with the idea of being a lot more conservative and a lot defensive than we would normally.  The girls hate it- but its a pretty effective strategy.  There was no easing into the attack:  from the first whistle,Gulf Breeze was BRINGING IT. I definitely had several "Ohhhhhhhh shiiiiiiittttt!!" moments.  It looked a bit dodgy early on- our GK had 8 LEGITIMATE saves in the first 10 minutes.  One of our wingbacks made TWO different tackles (from behind) on two different breakaways. It was live.  It was sort of like the "Chinese" in this video:



But we hung with them.  Kept making saves.  Kept getting lucky.  The great thing, I thought.  Was that while we were totally under attack for most of the game, we still found space to play our game... several times we put 8-9 passes together.  Inside, outside, down the line.  Up the line, inside, outside, drop pass.  It was really nice.  We kept our composure- nobody lost their cool.  Nobody freaked out.  I am not going to lie, I was ready for some of them to wig out from the pressure.  But we didn't.  We just played.  Hustled our butts off.  Made strong tackles.  Defended a BUNCH of corner kicks (which is to be expected).  And just kept playing.  Our backline played all 80 minutes.  For real.  Its one thing to play 80 minutes against Godby.  Its a totally different ordeal to play 80 minutes where you are basically defending the entire time. 

Our little big gun (LBG) Madi scored AGAINST the run of play.  It was pretty much awesome.  She is going to be a great player one day.  She is THE FASTEST player with the ball that I have ever seen on the soccer field.  That says a lot, because in highschool, my center back and wing defenders were three members of our highschool's 4X100 team.  I think the following two pictures pretty give you a sense of the kind of player she is:

Stepping over lunging players and charging GKs?  Its what she does.  We scored about 25 minutes in and held them until almost the half- when GB equalized.  In the second half, Gulf Breeze kept the pressure up and we couldnt keep them out of the net. 

It's not a terrible way to end the season.  The last game of the season is always difficult for me- because I am sad that our run as ended.  But today, I have been walking around with a combination of tears in my eyes and a smile on my face, because they played their asses off last night.  And they are so tight.  After the game, all the girls were bawling because it was our last game for seniors...

But I feel like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders.  I am not worrying about anything today (except for this sudden influx of gray hair that I have noticed on my head.  WHA-WHAT?)  If I could choose an ending for our seniors, I obviously would have chosen the ending the included a state championship.  But I'll take this.

I heart Soccer.

So that is what is up lately.  We're in survival mode around the Bishop-Royse house.  Inevitably it comes down to this every soccer season.  The last couple of weeks, where we basically just work, coach, travel for soccer and sleep.  In one sense, its always crazy when we get to this point, because we're like, our season is so close to being over... but really, it feels like it just started.  Weird. 

We have our Regional Quarterfinal game tonight.  We play at home against Gulf Breeze.  For all intents and purposes, we aren't supposed to win tonight.  Gulf Breeze is a long-time powerhouse in the panhandle.  They lost their district final game... so my guess is that they are going to come out gangbusters.  I think they are expecting an easy time of it against us.  Which would be a mistake, I think. 

If there ever was a team to take down the Gulf Breezes of the world:  it's us.  We are DUE for a game of epic proportions.  We haven't put together 80 minutes of good soccer since Leon.  We're scrappy.  We're willing to play 65-70 minutes of ugly soccer if it means we can sneak a goal.  We can play physical.  We  are willing to designate 2 players to mark their leading goal scorers.  We have scored against the run of play.  When WE DECIDE we want to, we can dig in and defend all night.  So I am really excited for this game tonight- really looking forward to see what team shows up. 

Know what I am also excited about?  I am helping to organize the old North High Alumni game.  We used to have one going back when I played there.  It was a boys/mens game and the alumni played the current varsity team.  I dont think that is allowed anymore.  So we'd likely just get a scrimmage together of all alumni.  So that is pretty cool.  The trash talk has begun:

Chris Clark (the boys goalkeeper who graduated in 1999?):  Guess I gotta dust off the gloves and find my old jersey (dont know if I even fit in it anymore). 
Me:  You assume Brian Mariea and I are going to let you play in goal (referring to the boys GK who graduated in 1998 with me). 

Casey Lissau (field player who graduated in 1998):  I'm going for the hat-trick whenever this game goes down. Y'all better start training... Evens are gonna dominate (referring to the team with the even numbered graduation years). 

Jessi Bishop-Royse Suddenly I'm glad to be an even...

Chris Clark:  u and Brian r both evens so looks like i get my net after all.

Me:   yeah, with Casey Lissau scoring a hat trick on you. Good luck with that :)

This is going to be awesometownvilleberg!!  Very excited about this.  Especially since when I am not playing in goal, guess who is playing in the field?  THAT IS RIGHT!!  Last time I played in the field, I had a game-winning header in the semifinals of IMs.  And I was 4 months pregnant!  How do you like them apples?

So that is what is going down lately.  On the Nico front, we have a new development:  THE BOY LOVES TO READ.  NO JOKE.  He has become a Readie McReaderson lately.  I LOVE IT.  I was worried- it took him a long time to get interested in books.  I remember when he was 10-11 months old, I'd go to sit down with a book to read him he would sit for one page and basically get up to run around because it was BORING!!!  Now?  He sat by himself reading Tuesday night... for like 10 minutes while I was making dinner.  It was AWESOME.  He loves to read in the mornings wit Dave.  So I have distributed books all around the house- in our room, his room, the living room, the bathroom (for bathtime).  It's awesome, because his game of "Let me see how long it takes to tear this house up" gets really old after a while.  Also it means that we can start going to the library and book stores again.  WHOOO HOOOOOOO!!

Dave Royse- its your birfday! We gonna party like it's your birfday!

Okay... not really.  Because I have class and he has a meeting with his boss.  I should probably copy Nicole and talk about the 41 reasons (he's 41) why I love him.  But I dont want everyone to throw up on their keyboards.  So let's just go with the Top 10 reasons why I love Dave!

1).  He's an amazing dad.
2).  He has the most patience of anyone I've known.  Even when I am crazy.  Case in point:  in the 7 and a half years we've been together, he has never really gotten angry that I dont match socks up very well.  Annoyed yes (although I pretend that he thinks its cute).  Me on the other hand?  Throwing down because he'd rather do the *rest* of the dishes in the morning rather than at night? Pissed about bacon grease?  Oh yes!
3).  We make a great coaching team- where I am the bad cop, he is the good cop.  And he's a good coach for girls... he gets the fact that its not like coaching boys.   
4).  He coaches the U of L basketball team when they are on TV.  He and his BFF forever Christian often call each other and talk it out during the game. 
5).  Legs- still has great legs for an old dude (not counting the knees... the between the two of us, we have about half a good set of functioning knees). 
6).  Still loves to play soccer.  I love that.
7).  Doesn't tell me no.  Ever.  When I get ideas like, "I know I just finished the PhD journey of a quajillion years...and I have only been out of school for like a month... how's about I start a MpH?  This semester?"
8).  His cleaning style is so cute.  He is all about arranging the items in the drawer painstakingly.  Like, the pens go next to the scissors, which go next to the keys, which go next to the trivet and the bag ties." All nice and neat like.  I'm more about stuffing everything into the drawer and moving on.  Consequently, he can almost always find the random set of keys we need... where as, I am constantly losing stuff...
9).  Nerd alert.  Dude... really, he posted on his facebook page a video about the College of Wooster's basketball team... that works rubiks cubes to "chill out."  And while he does know the outcome of every major war the US has been involved in, would prefer to watch the Military channel over anything else.  Especially if it's "World War II in color" episodes. 
10).  He does laundry.   For real.  He even folds it. 

Worn out.

With weekends like this one, who needs the work week?

So it started with Friday night.  By now, most of you know: we won the district championship game.  We left WHS at 4 on Friday night and traveled to Panama City to play Rutherford.  We played well.  We definitely tried to play our style of ball, which is fast, complete with nice passing.  The game was scoreless  through regulation (which was odd to us, because we were expecting to score some goals).  One thing that may have hurt us (compared to Rutherford) is that we 22 players on the squad (I pulled up some from JV for Districts).  They only had about 13 players- so our plan was to run their legs off.  The only problem with that, is that its hard to find a rhythm tha tway.  Oh well.  So we get through 2 10 minute golden goal periods (yeah, I know... who does golden goal anymore?)  And got to the PK shootout. 

A note:  we have been involved in three PK shootouts while Dave and I have been coaching.  We lost to Crestview and Taylor our first year of going to the Chiles tournament (where PKs are used to determine a winner after a tied game).  We also lost to Rutherford last year at the Chiles tournament.  We generally dont do well with PKs (we lost a game against 2-1 Taylor earlier this season when we failed to convert a PK in the last few minutes.)

For those of you who have never seen one, here is a video from Uruguay and Australia.


While I expected PKs to be a moot point against Rutherford (given our propensity to score goals on them), we'd been practicing PKs a lot lately.  Dave and I also understand strategy now.  I used to think that you put your best shooter at #5- to make it when the pressure is on.  That is false- you put your best shooter at #3, because shots 3 and 4 often determine the winner.  Most shootouts are over by the fourth kicker.  So we put Kristine at #1.  On paper, she isnt the best shooter, but mostly because she consistently puts the ball in the same place, every kick.  Our GK knows where she is going to go, so she often makes the save.... the #1 spot should be someone who is consistent and who you're pretty sure is going to make it- takes the pressure of #2 kicker. 

Kristine makes it (despite the fact that she hit it weird and it didnt go where it usually does).  Rutherford shoots and Froddo almost gets a piece of it.  But it went in. 

CB steps up.  Her presence as a shooter was probably a little surprising to her.  She's a senior that doesn't play ALOT.  But she can strike the ball well- and it's usually one of those difficult strikes that isn't in trouble of going over, but isn't on the ground.  She made it.   RHS steps up and Froddo makes the save. 

Julia steps up.  In the #3 spot, she is by far the most consistent shooter.  A senior, she often she makes every one in practice.  She didn't play particularly well during the game... she had some good moments, but seemed to be a little out of sorts.  Was a really frustrated at her self and maybe nervous that we were going to lose.  In hindsight, we probably shouldn't have put her up to take a PK.  Because she missed.  Her little shoulders sunk and I could hear her heart break from 40 yards away.  RHS steps up and makes theirs.  Tied: 2-2. 

BT our senior forward steps up.  She had one of the best games of her life on Friday night.  She is finally the player that I always thought she could be. She is one of our softball players- and when she steps up to do something- she has swagger.  Like, "I know this is going in.  You know its going in.  Let's get on with it."  And it goes in.  Awesome.  Here is where it gets surreal:  Froddo makes another save.  She made two saves during the shootout.  Which is pretty amazing, because they are just so tough to do.  I figured it up once, and a goalkeeper that is about 6 feet takes up approx. 6% of the goal with their own body.  Which means that 94% of the goal is open (this doesn't account for diving ability of the gk).  The thing with shootouts is that the GKs arent supposed to make saves.  Basically, you wait until someone screws up and doesnt make theirs.  Froddo made two saves on Friday night.  So, we go up 3-2. 

Alina, (who missed the PK against Taylor earlier this season) steps up and cool as the other side of the pillow puts hers away.  There was this weird moment after she did it where everyone was like, "Did we just win?  They can't tie us, right?  Oh.  Okay!  We just won!  Whooo hooooo!!"  It was pretty much amazing.  Here is a link to the wmbb.com story about the game (complete with video). 

So after doing all the pictures and the whatnot, and getting dinner and getting home, Dave and I didnt get home till 330-4 in the morning.  But guess who was awake after his 8 hour nap?  Nico.  Guess who didnt want to go back to sleep?  Yeah, Mr. Cranky Pants.  So after grabbing a couple of hours of sleep we got up on Saturday and got to it.  Sunday, Nico was in rare form, tearing everything up.  Drake threw up a bunch.  I went to take Gordon for a run (because I felt bad because with Drake home, I feel like he isnt getting as much attention).  On the run, Gor-Gor bolted in front of me, causing me to step on his foot, roll my ankle and fall pretty much face first on the asphalt.  Yes, that makes three times in the last week that I have hit the deck (in case you are counting, LRM).  Plus, Nico has a cold, so he kept waking up last night. 

We have practice this week-MTW, then our Regional Quarterfinal game against Gulf Breez on Thursday.  Gulf Breeze is the team that has the girl that put us out of the tournament last year (she went on to play at UF).  I think its a bit ironic that we are playing them- it means that they lost their district game :)

In any case, just trying ot make it through the season.  Always just trying to make it through the season.

i can haz cute!

Quick post today... got lots to do.  But I give you not one, but TWO videos!!

Back story:  Nico was teasing with the cookie.  Just before I got up to get my phone, he was offering me the cookie and then taking it back before I could get it.  So I think:  how rotten is this kid?  No one will believe how rotten he is!  I gotta get this on video!!  So I get up, get my phone, roll camera action. 


Some might believe after this video that Nico was sharing.  It's a ruse!  Dont believe it!  He knew the camera was on him and decided to be all cute like!  Everyone knows that his genes predispose him to selfishness when it comes to cookies (his Auntie Nic-Nic and myself have the selfish cookie gene.  Unfortunately its a dominant gene... so good luck with that!). 

This one is from the cruise.  Cant remember if I posted it or no... but it's really cute.  Nico and Emme dancing on stage during the cruise.  I can has cute?


I could just eat him up!!

THE.WORST.DOG.EVER.

So we had a little adventure last week.  We lost the dogs. 

So we didn't really.  They escaped the yard (long story) on Thursday night.  Gordon came back that night.  Drake, not so much.  Long story short, we got him back on Friday, but he was at hospital (btw- I am purposely dropping the "the" from hospital.  Of course this doesnt work if you DONT say hospital in a british accent.  So do us a favor and just say it with the british accent... that way it doesnt look like I was supremely lazy and didnt type "the").  Apparently Drake hurt his foot pretty bad, so the guy that found him took him to his vet.  The vet fixed him up but recommended that Drake stay over the weekend. 

I think Gordon is a little stressed out.  Not only because he misses his buddy, but because he is having to be the sole object of Nico's affection, which is probably a little much when you're an autistic lab named Gordon who only wants to be left alone in the solace of the People Bed.  He upset Nico a bit on Monday when Nico turned suddenly to hug him.  Because he is the Original Jumpy McJump- he was trying to get out of the way.  Because Nico has gotten pretty strong, he hung onto Gordon as he jumped away.  And promptly fell down.  And started bawling.  Broke my heart.  He doesn't understand that Gordon is autistic. 

Other than that, not much going on here.  Weekend started out pretty rough.  I ran the Resolution 5k on Saturday.  And promptly ate it face first on the sidewalk on Jefferson mid-race.  The good thing about when I fall down: it tends to be falling forward.  So at least I can catch myself.... sort of.  I finished a minute faster than the 5k I ran last week.  And I wasnt last.  Suckas!!

We went to Suwannee after the game and did not do well.  We got beat all over the field.  We were missing two starters, a defender and a forward.  Our little big gun put an awful lot of pressure on herself to score (since our other forward wasnt there) and pretty much took her ownself out of the game.  Our GK made a bunch of saves (despite giving up three goals), including one, where she made contact with a striker at the top of the box that sounded SICK.  I fully expected the striker to stay down dead (she did get up, but did so with a little bit of a limp).  That did make me a little proud- it warmed the cockles of my cold, dead, GK heart. 

It was pretty not good.  My worst fear has come true:  the vibe that we were working before Christmas break?  Yeah, that is gone.  It's just not the same.  So I guess we have a new rule: no more Christmas break.  I gave them two weeks off during the holidays this year, for them to study for finals, etc.  I guess we can't do that anymore... maybe schedule games during Christmas break?

When we got home, I stepped off the sidewalk and rolled my ankle... which probably wouldnt have been so bad, except Leslie was right next to me... wondering what the hell I had done.  It was pretty much the perfect end of my fail day. 

Dave and I are trying something new with the food budget: having a food budget.  Normally, we just buy whatever we want and not being very good with the leftovers.  I checked out Foodonthetable.com and Prudence Pennywise to come up with some interesting recipes, including a Chicken Curry that I made last night.  Be jealous!!

Nico is pretty much adorable.  He is rotten, dont get me wrong.  Often when I ask him to put something away, he throws it on the floor.  So that's not good.  But he does know the various rooms of the house... so when I say, "Nico, let's go put your shoes in your room." And he knows where to go!  Very cool!

Post Modern

So I got a new office at work.  I was teetering on the edge of not getting it.  I had been in a cube, which doesnt usually suck... but I was back in a section with a program administrator in another program.  And her way of running business was to sit in her office and boss her subordinates who were across the way and next to her... which drove me crazy.  So I was in headphones most of the time...

The office I was going to go into was basically a glorified cube... but had a window (bonus).  But it was basically a cube.  Long story short, I got an office.  With a door.  Woo hoo.  A coworker also showed me where the HUGE post it notes are (poster size).  So I can put those up on my glass and nap at lunch.  Or change clothes to go running at lunch.  Or do exercises or yoga...whatever.  Pretty flipping sweet if you ask me. 

EXCEPT that its one of those desks that has the keyboard tray that pulls out... like all ergonomic and $h!t.  It was annoying because it forced me to sit WAY away from my TWO wide screen monitors (yes, I am incrediably spoiled- I feel like a gamer).  The slide out part was a piece of crap.  Someone put it together crappy... so I took it off.  And put it ontop of a storage cabinent.  Our safely lady is probably going to give me some crap about it.  But I am saying its art:

I think it represents the struggle of man against the post-modern technological workplace.  Its energy reminds me of the looming revolution whereby man lashes out against the structures that bind him and work.  The fight will be fierce.  But it is man's free will that will provide the courage necessary to break the chains of work and free his soul. 

You say it looks like an ergonomic keyboard tray being stored on top of a storage cabinent?  Well... I guess that is one interpretation. 

In other news... Nico is pretty fun lately.  He is talking a lot.  Sometimes it sounds like human language.  Like today, when I woke up, I went to start getting dressed.  Nico woke up and looked for me for a little then went back to Dave and said something that Dave swears sounded like, "Where is she?"  Then other times, he will sit in his high chair and point out the window saying:
adkfhadf a;lkdfj sadf asdlkfjads fdfhaodsif asodfjsad fsadlfkjsa dfldsidfyuwerlkdnflka fasdlfksajd flsakjdf. 

He is also really starting to get into books.  Just this morning, we were reading an animals book and he knew elephant and lion, which are pretty great, since its not like a dog, that he sees everyday.

Regular Season District Champs!

So the big news around here is that we are the regular season distric champs!!  Waka waka!! 

Yeah, we are pretty much awesome.  We beat Rutherford on Saturday, despite getting down by a goal early.  Difference between this team and previous teams?  Prior to this year if we got down by a goal early on, we'd fold up like a bunch of lawn chairs.  We seem to be at a place now, where we're like?  Its only one goal!  And we have 70 minutes of game ahead of us.  Lets see you hold on to that lead!! 

So we have two regular season games left Tuesday (senior night) and Saturday (we go on the road to Sewannee).  Then next week, we skip the play in game (first time in 5 years that we have gotten to skip the play in game :)  We go to Panama City on Friday night to play the District Championship game.  Whoot!!  That is pretty exciting. I think this photo pretty much sums it up:

On another note- I ran a 5K on Saturday (before the game).  Again, with the lack of preparation.  I dont know who I think I am- maybe Kelly the Baller?  First, who thinks they can just show up to run a 5K?  Secondly, who cant do the math to see what that would entail?  Seriously- since I started my "Run Every Day of 2011" Resolution, the furthest I have run is 1 mile... which wasnt a big deal when I calculated that a 5K is 2.2 miles (its not).  A 5K is 3.1 miles.... so much of the race was Sucktownvilleburg.  But I am glad I ran it.  I had planned on running the Resolution 5K on FSU's campus this coming Saturday.  But Leslie (a friend and the other assistant coach (pictured next to #21) suggested that I run the Billy Bowlegs race this saturday... and she would run the Resolution 5K next week. 

On another note- how cute is THIS guy?

Don't you think he should be selling jeans for Gap?  Or hooded fleece sweatshirts for Old Navy?  Here is the thing:  If this soccer/judo/track/cross country/baseball/academic thing doenst work out for Nico, I think he might have a future career as a model.  No seriously.  Look at him and his cuteness! Can't you just eat him up?

Suddenly, I am asleep!

So Nico is doing the most DARLING thing lately.  Dave actually got it on video yesterday.  Hoping he will get it uploaded to youtube, because you HAVE TO SEE IT. 

Back story:  when I was in college, I was a different person.  I was really accomodating and basically just wanted to be liked.  Our first road trip with the guys (back in the days before Lee U was good, the women's program was sort of an afterthought.  It was like, "The Mens team is traveling to Memphis to play Union.  Why dont we bring the women's team too?") was a long one- I think it was either 4 hours to Nashville or 7 to Memphis, whatev.  One of the guys on the team had really bad leg cramps from being cooped up for so long and was complaining because the cramps were in his hamstrings. 

I offered to massage them out if he would lay on his stomach on the floor of the bus.  He did and I did.  He probably thought I was weird because who offers that?  Plus the hamstring starts to venture into the a$$ area- so that was probably weird.  Of course he had this crazy girlfriend from highschool- so it definitely was NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.  Plus, he was the guy who insisted on doing f-ed up things with his hair.  In the time that we were at Lee, I saw him shaved bald, with a fro, in corn rows, and for an unfortunate period our junior year with a Julias Ceasar look- which, lets be real, is never good on anyone, including Julias Ceasar.  But I digress. 

Because I am also strong, I got a little bit of a reputation for being able to help with muscle spasms and muscle cramps and the like (this differs in stark contrast to the "happy ending" masseusses... which are basically hookers.  Yeah, I wasnt one of those.)  Once when we are at the National Tournament, one of my teammates had a kinda sore back and asked me to massage it out for a bit.  I was sitting on the bed and suddenly just fell over and said, "Suddenly, I am asleep." 

She basically peed her pants laughing at that.  And I have done it a lot since then.  Whenever someone asks me to do something I don't want to do, that is my response.  Dave asks if I can help him with the dishes?  Suddenly I am asleep.  But its not complete unless you fall over onto a bed or a couch. 

Nico has started doing this.  The other day, Dave was trying to get Nico dressed for school.  He said, "Nico, let's put your shirt on."  And Nico would lay himself down in the crib, as if he were asleep.  HILARIOUS!!  Really hoping I can get the video up here. 

I cant imagine that he got that from me.  Maybe this is just his way of protesting going to school?  Either way, its funneh!!

Release the BEAST!

I was off of work yesterday, suckas!!  Yeah, Nico's childcare was closed yesterday, so I took the day off.  We had a pretty fun little morning- ran a few errands.  Came home and made some more dog biscuits.  Seriously, the dogs love them and they are fun to make with little guys.  We also made Turkey soup with the last of the turkey from the Holidays.   So that was pretty fun. 

Nico starts back at school today.  Guess who is going to be a little Beast?  Nico getting to do whatever he wants+change in sleeping routine=BEAST.  Good thing I dont have to get him from school today... now the girls can't tell me what a bad mom I am for Nico getting COMPLETELY OFF THE CHAIN.  When they confront me, I am just going to point to Nico with a surprised look on my face. 

We had our first practice since the break yesterday.  Looks like the goodness we had rolling before Christmas hasn't rubbed off or mysteriously disappeared.  Seriously- I half expected to show up to practice yesterday and for it to be a HOT MESS all over the place.  Even awesomer?  EVERYONE is healthy.  KG (one of our seniors who has been nursing an (ankle) injury, is back.  So is Thig, one of our sophomore midfielders).  They weren't squirelly- which is a first for us.  And they played well.  So that is pretty exciting. 

Heart.