G-Day 2013.

To say I was stressed about G-Day would be a bit of an understatement.

Don't get me wrong:  I'm a get-up-and-go kind of girl.  I don't like sitting at home.  And I love Athens.  But the thought of carting four kids (two babies!) around Sanford Stadium by myself (Ben was coaching in the Letterman's Flag Football Game) just didn't sound like fun to me.

I'm glad Ben talked me into going.  We ended up having so much fun.

We got to the stadium a little bit early and were able to goof off on the field before the flag football game (which was played right before the actual G-Day game) started.

I even nursed Thatcher "between the hedges."  I can't imagine many babies have nursed on the field before.  Ben took a picture so that one day our youngest will have his very own claim to fame. :)

When it was time for the flag football game to start, the kids and I joined my friend Emily and her four boys in the stands.  And yes, your math is right:  two adults, eight kids.  I didn't get to watch much football, but the kids had a great time playing cars, eating snacks, running up and down the track before they opened the gates to the public and things started to get crowded.

By the time the flag football game was over, the kids had been contained long enough.  Ben joined us in the stands for a little lunch from the concession stand and the first quarter of the actual game.  We then loaded up and headed over to the UGA Bookstore, where the kids found a nice, quiet place to "relax."  I nursed Thatcher, we changed diapers, and everyone chilled for a little bit before we headed back to the van and drove to Stegeman Coliseum for the the Letterman's BBQ.

I wish I'd taken pictures.  Our kids have absolutely no idea how lucky they are:  they spent the morning on the football field and the afternoon running around a practically empty coliseum (the BBQ was set up down on the floor) like they owned the place:  up and down stairs, in and out of different sections, through numerous rows.  It was so much fun to watch their imaginations take off and see them so thoroughly enjoying themselves.  I just have to laugh at their idea of a "normal" trip to a Georgia game, though.  I'm not sure spoiled begins to cover it.

Anyway, we ended the day excited to go back next Spring.  Hadley missed "playing at the tailgate," but we explained to her that tailgating starts back up when the season begins and she seemed pretty satisfied with that answer.

Can't wait for fall.

Chapel Bell.

A couple of Harris' favorite parts of Georgia football games include the video screen.

He LOVES the video of Hairy Dawg tackling people who don't throw their trash away.  It plays during the 3rd quarter and is seriously one of the highlights of Harry's time inside Sanford Stadium.

He also loves seeing the video of all the students celebrating a UGA victory by ringing the chapel bell.  A couple of weeks ago, he and I had the opportunity to walk by the bell on our way to the stadium.  Even though we hadn't technically "won" the game yet, I stopped and let him ring it.  Coolest mom ever, folks.

We had Babe with us this past Saturday and decided to walk through campus (and pass the bell) again.  And, of course, passing the bell equates to ringing the bell. 

Hadley was a little unsure of pulling the rope (I think she thought she had to climb it?!?!?!), but with some help from Daddy did a great job.

I love football Saturdays with these guys.  Love them.

I just can't wait to enjoy a season without a baby inhabiting my belly!  It's been quite a while since I've attended a game and NOT been pregnant...

And seriously.  My due date is in January.  Bring on the bigness, I guess.

Glory, Glory.

Last Saturday, Harris got to attend his very first "G-Dawgs" game!  Ben and I had been talking it up for weeks, and Harry was more than ready to head out on Saturday morning.  Even though he's had the opportunity to watch most of the away games with us on television, I'm not entirely sure he knew exactly what he was getting into, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried about how the afternoon would go.

To say the day was awesome would be an understatement.  Even with the super cold temperatures, Harris was a trooper and really didn't complain any.  He had a blast rocking his G-Dawg hat and jersey, and loved hanging with his peeps, eating marshmallows, wrestling with Big Cooper and Chase, and playing "bean bags" and football at the tailgate.



I think it's safe to say the only thing he really wasn't a fan of would be the potato pancakes...

The entire walk from our tailgate spot to the stadium follows a train track, which only made the whole experience even better in Harris' eyes...he jumped and ran and laughed and yelled and held hands with anyone who'd let him hang on, and that crazy kid did a better than decent job of keeping up.

Once we made it into the stadium and to our seats, Harris was pretty mesmerized by the action.  And by action, of course, I mean anything and everything other than the game.  He watched other people, he sang along with the band, he asked a lot of questions about touchdowns and kicking and points, and he kept his eyes glued on the cotton candy man.  In fact, his running commentary on the location of the cotton candy had Ben and I laughing out loud:  "Look at the cotton candy man.  He sure is close to us.  That cotton candy is so close.  I love cotton candy.  Oh dear, the cotton candy is getting farther away..."

We bought the boy some cotton candy.

Because Ben is super awesome and earned a letter at UGA, we got to head onto the field during halftime.  The boys had an up-close view of the halftime show and even got to give high-fives to the players and coaches as they ran off and back on the field.

Not too bad for a first game.

We finished the second half sitting with Harris' friends, where the boys kept themselves entertained with a pair of binoculars and the rest of us soaked up every second of the win.

On the way back to the car, Harris looked at his friend and said, "I love the G-Dawgs game.  I want to come back on another Saturday.  Do you want to come back one Saturday, Tanner?"

To which Tanner replied, "I come every Saturday."

I think we've created a monster.