Braving Boys

Danny spends most of his time during baseball practices and games staring at the clouds, picking daisies and drawing circles in the dirt. He’s 6 years old, and I think this is OK. One day, while playing second base and holding his glove between his knees — obviously enjoying a beautiful daydream — a ball sailed right by him. He never knew it. Last night, during a game, he actually stopped a ball. Instead of throwing it to the first base girl (who happened to be his cousin Jordan), Danny squeezed that ball in his glove and walked right back to position. The batter was safe at first.

We keep cheering for Danny, even though he doesn’t quite get the game of baseball, because he is trying as hard as he can and, well, because he is one heck of a batter.

Sick boy with lollipop

Monday, June 29

Sick boy.
Sore throat.
Queasy tummy.
Weak legs.
Small fever.
Waiting to be seen by doctor.
Throat culture.
Antibiotics.
To bed early.

Tuesday, June 30

11 hours of sleep.
Still sick.
Throwing up.
Missing first day of fitness camp.
In mom and dad’s bed.
Watching TV.
Waiting to get better.

Scary boys, Halloween 2008

Here’s to all the moms out there who are braving boys — the moms with more testosterone in their houses than I have, the ones with three, four or more boys simultaneously running them ragged and filling them with joy, moms like my very best friend Kim, who gave birth two weeks ago to twin boys (that makes four for Kim: one girl and three boys). For every word I write and story I tell here on this site, I honor those whose jobs are bigger than mine.

Are you a mom with a house full of boys? Tell me a brave story, and I’ll share it here.

I’m keeping my boys active this summer — is there any other way to keep boys with oodles of energy? Last week, they ran their little hearts out at track camp (Joey ran a half mile in 3:47, and Danny ran it in 5:47), and this week, they start a fitness camp — three days a week, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., five weeks total. Both boys are also playing ball — Joey plays baseball for the Braves, and Danny plays t-ball for the Cubs.

Gosh, I love boys who are worn out at the end of the day from good, hard, physical activity. And I love a good water bottle that keeps boys hydrated, because, well, it’s quite hot and unbearable here in Florida.

So, here’s the water bottle I’ve been lovin’: The Insulated Polar Bottle. Joey has white, Danny has red, and I have pink — yes, I have my own, because while my guys raced around the track, I did too. Incidentally, I kept up with Danny on the half-mile run, but never could catch up with Joey.

This spiffy water bottle comes in 20-ounce and 24-ounce sizes, sells for $11-$12 and is available in all sorts of cool colors. We got ours at Sports Authority. But you might find better prices at Amazon.com.

My shoe size: 7.5.
Joey’s shoe size: Same thing.
My age: 39
Joey’s age: 8.

Joey’s size is not a huge shock to anyone who has known the boy since he was born. I mean, he did come barreling out of my body weighing 10 pounds/9 ounces, he weighed 22 pounds by the age of 6 months and he is now nearing the 5-foot mark. All kids grow up too fast. I know that. But why does my guy have to grow up so fast?

Like the shoes? Kenneth Cole Reaction — found them at Macy’s but I can’t find them online. Here’s something close, though.

I started blogging about breast cancer the day I learned it had invaded my body. But I’ve never routinely blogged about my children — invaders of another sort. I’ve been braving cancer for a little more than four years, but I’ve been braving boys for more than eight. Seems only fitting I document the beautiful and boisterous ways of Joey and Danny.

Joey, born January 2001

Danny, born May 2003