So You Wanna Be a Coach?

 By Darren Pecoraro 

If someone would have told me I was to become a soccer coach in my middle age, I would surely have called them crazy. I hadn’t played soccer, watched soccer, or even picked up a soccer ball until I had my own children. When I was a child, it was baseball first, with football and basketball a distant second, and soccer not even on the radar. But as my young children began to take an interest in it, and then began playing it, I inevitably found myself in the position of assistant coach. After a season or two, I felt I could do it better, and decided to have my own team as head coach, which I did for five seasons. So with my two boys firmly ensconced in their respective travel soccer seasons, and myself in retirement, I though it would be fun to recall a few of my favorite moments as a recreation league soccer coach.

Gratitude

 My twins sleep through the night. There, I said it. I cant believe it, in fact m afraid to type it because maybe its not real. I’m not sure how it happened and if it’s really happening or I’m just so sleep deprived I’ve been hallucinating this whole time. If it is real then I must take the time to thank those responsible for this tiny (and also huge) miracle.

Jealous?

Twins are great, but taking care of them is terrible. We’re three months in and it has been epic. I thought raising one baby was crazy. Ha! Wouldn’t that be a break! Instead of wallowing in responsibility I’ll look on the bright side and celebrate my tiny victories.

Twix

Twix tend to be a sore subject in my family’s house. It all started when Ali, Dan and I moved in with my parents. It wasn’t our first choice to move into their laundry room with our toddler but that period of rent-free living was just the financial boost we needed to move on and up. It was especially great for help with Ali. I was able to announce: “Hey I’m going to take a shower” and whoever was closest to Ali at the time was deemed responsible for her for the following 30 minutes. It was great.

Safe Crackers!

Darren Pecoraro's brood is at it again.

Sometimes a money saving idea can cost you more in the long run. The cost can be money, aggravation, stress, or in my case (as usual), all of the above. Occasionally, an idea looks better on paper, than it does at fruition. When you add a mischievous 7 year old to the equation the results can be worse than anticipated.

To Van or not to Van?

 Now that we have three babies jammed across the backseat of my Jeep and little room for anything else the mini- van question reared its ugly head. But no matter how much easier it would make my life, I just can’t bring myself to get one.  I get it, I have a family, it’s not like a hot sports car is in my future but I consider a van to be the final nail in the coffin of my youth.

A Birthday to Remember

The girls are slowly getting into a sleep schedule so I figured I’d take this rare moment of well-slept clarity to share what has become the best birthday/pregnancy story ever.

Is this real life?

We're a month in with the twins so I figured I'd give a brief update. They're doing great but they aren't sleeping to well. Actually I take that back, I'm pretty sure they're sleeping fine, it's just that the second I get one to sleep, the other decides it's her time to wake up. It's a vicious cycle. In the middle of the night when I go to the bathroom I fantasize about not going back into my bedroom. I just want to sneak into Ali's toddler bed with her and when my husband comes to find me I just pretend Ali woke up in the middle of the night and needed comforting. It may work out better if I just lie on the kitchen floor to fall asleep. I can pretend that I fell in the dark, hit my head and was knocked unconscious. At least when Dan finds me he'd be concerned rather than angry that I left him hanging. In the end it wouldn't matter where I slept because I'm nursing, I'm their only source of food. They'll always come find me.

Sure it sucks but at least I have TWO of these:

They're Here

We welcomed Kendall Jaclyn and Kennedy Ann on December 27th 2012. I'm still running on no sleep which unfortunately means I can't make whole sentences. Don't worry I'll be sharing stories with you in no time (no promises on my grammar and spelling abilities).  For now you'll get pictures.

(FYI I look like crap. If you expect me to look "done up" I assume you don't have kids)

Charlie Brown Christmas - By Darren Pecoraro

When I got to high school, I met friends there I would keep forever, the kind of lifelong friends who saddle you with nicknames hard to shake. As it happens, one of my many nicknames in high-school was Charlie Brown. Perhaps it’s due to my rather large, round head, or maybe I’m just wishy-washy sometimes (I did date a girl named Sally briefly). Whatever the reason, it is one of the names which stuck, along with several derivatives, many of which I couldn’t repeat here. Suffice it to say I’ve been called a blockhead in every imaginable way. Christmas has always been a special time in my family, as it has in many families. I hope you enjoy some of my favorite moments from my past and present, as I present a Charlie Brown Christmas.