Tennis Anyone?

I have officially started taking tennis lessons. It's true. While I doubt anyone would associate me with the sport, I have decided I need to refine my skills, and join the greater Baltimore pastime. Seriously, everyone here plays tennis. And now, so do I.

I started four weeks ago. It was the first time I've held a racket in four years, and before that game, it was likely three years on top of that. It was also the first time I've worn a tennis skirt. I am certainly not a short skirt or short wearer, and that was probably the thing that gave me the most butterflies. I hate my legs, they are short, and old looking and generally awful. So strutting around in a tiny skirt is my nightmare. However, a tennis player needs to exude confidence, so I do the best I can to forget about the legs for an hour.

I'm actually not too bad. My back hand is stronger than my forehand, but I hit a lot of my backhands into the net when I get excited at the prospect of nailing the point. So excited that I miss the point.

I have no one to play with in between lessons, so I think it will be slow going, and I am certainly not ready to take anyone at the club on until I get better and stop sucking wind in between every volley. Since I don't do a ton of cardio, my lungs are bleeding out there every Saturday. I feel like I'm going to pass out on the court every five minutes or so. Sometimes I'll ask a question, just so I get some extra time to rest. I pulled the tie my shoe trick twice already, and I even commented how I have to pull my shorts down, just to get a few extra seconds. Pathetic? Maybe. Clever? Definitely. Two of my lessons fell on those 90 degree days we had, so I've excused myself for being out of shape. Pilates has done nothing to prepare me for the court. However, I'm on a mission. I need something to do when we win the lottery, the kiddies are in school, and I'm looking for fun in the afternoons. Gin and tonics only go so far.

This Blog Has Just Gotten Serious

How do you like the Bean's new digs? I finally changed the polka dots template that comes on Blogger to a more Fold Invites-esque background. Since it seems every single person has this pink background that I have used on countless invitations, I might as well pimp it here as well.

I have been trying to get better about updating the blog. So many funny and odd things happen in our lives every day, I should update this every hour, but I don't have the patience. Long ago, I had intentions of being a writer, and aside from my lack of skill, I realized that I have very little patience with my own head. I have a bunch of things I'd like to express, but don't really want to take the time to write them out. A novel by me would likely be 50 pages. The funny thing is I can't tell a story in less than 10 minutes!


Anyway, thought I'd put a few pics of Miss Lyla up here in case you aren't on my exclusive VIP list of Shutterfly email recipients of photos.

I have a meeting in a few minutes for my "Real job", so my 15 minute lunch break will have to end. I made the subscription link to this blog more prominent for those of you who want immediate notificationion of the comings and goings of the Walter family. So, feel free to subscribe! I promise, come summer this thing is going to be so much more exciting!

Nightly Routine

This is pretty much how every night at our house goes. When we take Lyla upstairs for bed, she gets this new burst of energy, and zips back and forth from her room to ours. This was about a month ago, so the routine has been updated. She now asks for all of her clothes to be taken off, and she carries both her blankies from room to room laughing all the while. Occasionally, she wants doo-ree (jewelry), or wants to go unnah (under) the blanket on our bed because she likes the dark. I never met a kid who liked the dark more than Lyla.

Then, she suddenly slows down, we read her two books, and we ask her who she wants to say night night to. She proceeds through the list of all of our family, the Wagner family, and friends we've seen recently. Sometimes blocks, body parts, and Elmos get shout outs too. Then, within one minute of putting her in her crib, she's asleep. It just makes us laugh how she goes on this high, mellows out, and is then immediately asleep within the course of 25 minutes. Oh lord, please let every child we birth sleep as well as Lyla. Amen.

Lyla Reads Her Mags

Lyla is quite a bird. She says so many things that make me laugh. This video captures a typical night looking through Lyla's favorite magazine, Esquire. Clint Eastwood was on the cover a few months ago, and we've kept it ever since because she likes to look through and identify all the celebs in the issue. I repeat most of what she says, so y'all out in the audience get the translation. Some words are only deciphered by us.

This week I will have to tape her taking a walk, which is equally amusing. She runs through all the things she sees, and Lyla sees all. From the little puddle shaped like a "hot" (heart to you), to the gecko placed in someone's garden, and the bird sitting on the wire three blocks down. I should make her a QA tester at Cie Studios.