Injuries :(

Well, I feel like I jinxed Chuck. In my last post I wrote about how he was leading the league in games played. Well, he's such a fighter when it comes to injuries. He's played through a broken hand before, broken finger, getting hit in the head/right above his ear!! (though he had to go on the DL), etc. etc. etc. But a few days ago he fouled a ball straight off his foot. It was pretty painful just to watch! Anyways, it has kept him out of the game for three days now. And it's killing Chuck because he loves playing! However, it's getting better and hopefully he'll be back on the field tomorrow. He's been doing treatment after every game and does this stim (I have NO clue what it is. We actually had a discussion about it because I was apparently pronouncing it wrong, though I walked away from the conversation still confused as heck as to how to say what whatever it was he was doing to his foot!) thing to it every night. He actually fell asleep with it on last night and when I realized it I freaked out because I thought it was on way too long and it would seriously damage his foot! Hah. Well, there is apparently a timer on it... so no worries now! :) Also last week Chuck hurt his knee in a collision at the plate (picture posted below). Maybe it isn't such a bad thing he is sitting out a few games. He needs to heal!

Summer of Baseball

I'm always posting about Owen, so I thought I would give a quick update on Chuck. He is playing for the York Revolution this year and has been doing pretty well (besides a couple periods of just bad luck and hitting the ball hard right to people or getting robbed of some hits... but hey, that's part of the game!). I don't really follow it too closely, but I know he is leading the league in doubles and I think third in the league with extra base hits (unless this has changed since about a week ago). He has played in every game (shortstop) except one, and I believe he leads the league in games played as well. He is truly enjoying playing this year, which is so nice to see (and a big change from last year). I have never thought so highly of a coach before. I am so thankful for his coach Andy Etchebarren. "Etch," as the boys call him, is a former big-time major leaguer who is a World Series Champion. His baseball stats and history speak for themselves, but what a lot of people might not know, is that Etch is truly a wonderful man off the baseball field. Without too many details into our personal life, Chuck went through a rough period last year. He lost a lot of confidence in himself, and this is NOT like Chuck. Well, I honestly believe God placed Etch in our lives for a specific purpose. He has taught Chuck so much this year. He helped Chuck get his confidence back and believe in himself more than he ever has before. Etch's positive vibe has completely changed Chuck, and I will be forever grateful for this. I could go on and on with example after example about how Etch is such an amazing man and the impact he has had on Chuck, but I won't. I'll just leave it at this - A happy husband makes for a very happy wife. :) And another reason why he is really enjoying this year is that a lot of his old teammates who he was really close to from the Red Sox and his team from two years ago and last year are on his team now. Here are some pictures from Chuck's season.













AND FOR SOME EXCITING NEWS!! Chuck's team made the playoffs! They won the first half................................... OK, LET'S BE REAL - I'm happy for him and his team, BUT this means his season will now likely go into mid-October. That means an extra month of long-distance. My oh my... the joys of the baseball life. Here are some pics of the day they clinched!

Happy Fourth of July!

Owen's first Fourth of July was spent... where else? The ball park of course! :) But afterward the families of the players had a nice treat of watching the fireworks on the field with their loved ones. It was a sold-out crowd, and the fireworks were awesome. Owen was actually very into them. He watched them the entire time... and I, of course, watched Owen watch them. LOL. :) Here are some pictures from the Fourth of July. Oh, and I thought I took a video with my camera, but I guess I forgot to hit record... so I ended up with no video of his first Fourth of July. :(

Father's Day

I had so much fun doing something special for Chuck on his first Father's Day. Though he had a double header that day, we were still able to celebrate early that morning. I made him breakfast and cookies to take to the field to share with the boys. I also got him some other stuff and put it all out on the kitchen table. I placed Owen in his bumbo and put him on the table too. Chuck walked down the stairs and I loved seeing the smile on his face when he saw what was waiting for him. I think his favorite gift was the love he got from the little man in the bumbo that morning! :)







And NO JOKE. I am STILL waiting on another gift I ordered for him. It is a framed father's day poem that is personalized. It was guaranteed delivery for Father's Day. YEAH RIGHT! They already gave me my money back for shipping and the personalization fee. They claim UPS is just behind so that is why it is taking so long. Um... it takes a month for priority mail?!? I DON'T THINK SO! I'm calling them tomorrow and telling them I want ALL of my money back now. I've been more than patient with them. But anyways... this is what the poem says.

MY DADDY'S HAND

Daddy, Take my hand in yours and you will plainly see,
How very much I need you now to love and care for me.
As my little hand grows, I will need you even more,
Everything I do in life, I have never done before.
Teach me to be kind and loving, sharing and forgiving,
Show me through your acts of love the pure joy of living.
The years will pass by quickly and one day I will be grown,
I will pass what you have taught me onto children of my own.
Hold me always in your thoughts and remember when we are apart,
The special love between a child and a daddy's heart.

Yes, we're alive... and BLESSED! :)

WOW, HAS IT REALLY BEEN FOUR MONTHS? I am SUCH a bad blogger. I made this blog for the purpose of updating my family and friends on our growing little family, and I've completely let everyone down. Let me do my best to briefly fill you...

Owen Charles Jeroloman was born on March 12th and 2:34 p.m. Truth is, I did write my entire birth story on this blog when he was two weeks old, but the site timed out and I lost the entire thing except for the first two paragraphs. I was so frustrated... maybe that's why I have been MIA. It's taken me this long to get over the time I spent on it! :)

ANYWAYS... Owen is truly the most amazing blessing in my life. I still find myself sitting here at times just staring at him wondering how in the world I got so lucky?!? Chuck and I have learned so much these past (almost) four months. It's been a crazy, wild ride as new parents, but I wouldn't trade anything. One thing is for sure, we would not be such successful parents without the love and guidance we've had our entire lives from our very own parents.

So, now that Owen is almost four months old (where has the time gone?!?), he has had many firsts...

Smile - His first real smile where he was interacting with us was when he was exactly three weeks old. I had him in the bed with us and Chuck kept saying "dada." Guess he thought it was funny because he smiled a few times at him. :)

Laugh - Owen's first real laugh was when he was nine weeks old. My sister Brooke had him on the pillow and was kind of shaking it while he was laying on it. He kept laughing and it was the most precious sound ever!

Cooing - He started really making those talking noises at 6 weeks. Now he's a babbling machine. I'm sure people in Target (we are there a lot it seems)and at Chuck's baseball games think I'm such a crazy lady because I am ALWAYS having conversations with the little man. I just get what he's saying... you know? So why not talk back? :)

Holding his toys - Owen began holding and grabbing for his toys at 8 weeks.

Rolling over - So fun to watch! He rolled over for the first time at 13 weeks. We were amazed and cheered him on the entire way. :)

Teething - Oh goodness... the little man is already beginning to teeth. Any suggestions on how to ease his pain are greatly welcomed!

Ohhh... and maybe I shouldn't share this, but I'm going to anyways. This little guy passes gas like a 40-year-old man. I mean it is soooo loud sometimes. It absolutely doesn't phase him, but yikes it is embarrassing when you are in CVS at the checkout line with a bunch of other people around. He does it all the time in public, haha.

So, people ask me what our secret is to having such a happy baby. I really have no clue. He has just been happy from day one. He laughs nonstop and is constantly smiling.

And I definitely have to mention Tyson. He has been great with Owen. We were honestly worried how he would handle it because he is so protective of me. However, he has been awesome. I am so proud of Tyson!! Such a good big brother. :)

Well here are some pictures/vidoes from the past few months of Owen. I will blog again soon!