I am such a bad blogger. I admit it. Frankly, while this blog serves as my memory keeper/creative outlet for the most part, it also serves as that “nagging extra” that heaps guilt if I neglect it. But like I always say, better to neglect the blog than the children. (Okay, I don’t think I’ve ever said that, but I have thought it so it counts).
Practically the entirety of last week was consumed with Luke’s birthday (unless you count Philip’s three basketball games and the fact that we had a houseguest for two nights – even so the birthday overshadowed it all) . Considering his birthday fell on Wednesday, you need to understand that the two days prior were for pre-celebrations/trying to live up to the hype that Luke was creating for the big day. The four days following were post-celebration/talking Luke out of the depths his spirits had delved into after waking up and realizing his day of glory was gone for another 364 days. Never have I seen a child so caught up with the day that celebrates his birth. He was literally “in a fuss” about the whole thing. I am discovering something a little troubling about little Luker. He is a WORRYWART! He worried for weeks before our trip to Texas about us running out of gas or having a flat tire. His birthday caused him almost the same amount of anxiety. I don’t have the words to explain the chaos that was trying to decide what he wanted to do on his “real birthday” and his “fake birthday.” (read: birthday party). His ideas changed at least a dozen times – including what he wanted to be served for breakfast in bed on his “real” birthday. When he realized that his brothers and sister were going to school ON HIS BIRTHDAY!!!, he was devastated. The fact that I had to make a trip to Costco on the same sacred day proved too much and ended with Luke burying his head in my chest and sobbing. He chose to go to Red Robin for his birthday dinner but was so worried that the wait staff was not going to sing to him at the end of the meal, he literally made himself sick to his stomach and couldn’t eat his mac-n-cheese. After Red Robin, we came home, lit the candles in the strawberry cake I had made him and started singing “Happy Birthday,” but he couldn’t even enjoy it because he was yelling out over all of us, “DON’T FORGET THE PART AT THE END WHERE YOU SAY CHANNEL 4!” We continued to sing normally and I shook my head yes, but that wasn’t good enough for Luke who continued to yell, “DO YOU HEAR ME? DON’T FORGET THE PART AT THE END. YOU KNOW THAT EXTRA PART…I WANT YOU TO DO THAT EXTRA PART TOO!” I have never been so thankful to put a child to bed. I’m going to need those 364 days to gear up for all of this again. Never mind. We still have the fake birthday (read: birthday party) to tackle. He is waiting for Star Wars to make its 3D theater debut and plans to take a few friends. He also wants Orange Leaf. And another cake. I’m assuming he’ll want balloons again. Maybe the bouquet my parents sent will still be floating in a few weeks and we can make do. Honestly, that child…you’d think he was the baby of the family or something.
Yes, those are candles in his blueberry muffins. I was under pressure to start the day off right.
The picture isn't too good (it's okay, Nate), but this is Luke waving us down trying to instruct us on how to sing his birthday song. That kid.
Speaking of birthday parties, Anna E. was invited to the her best friend’s birthday party this weekend. The same best friend that gave her this hat. They went together to a wolf observatory a couple of months ago and so began a love affair with the howling creatures.
She loves this hat. L-O-V-E-S it!
It makes her do the happy dance.
Anyway, she went to her best friend’s birthday party which happened to be an animal party. Can you imagine? An animal party. I knew she was going to love it. I already have a birthday party planned for Little Miss like this in March, so this was a bit of a preview. I warned her against being too…oh, what’s the word…excited? (That’s putting it nicely). She couldn’t help herself. She wanted to be up close and personal with each and every animal. She got tail-whipped by an alligator for goodness sake. My daughter got tail-whipped by an alligator. Oh my. When I saw her after the party I gave her a big ol’ kiss on the forehead.
“That’s where the cockroach crawled on my face, mom.”
Yes, you read that correctly. I kissed her right where this creature had crawled on her face.
I know you aren’t going to believe this, but my daughter was the only person at the party who let a Madagascar hissing cockroach crawl on them (?!?!?!). If I didn’t have scientific proof, I might wonder if I really gave birth to that girl.
Speaking of giving birth, I actually gave birth to two children in January. We were talking about Philip’s birthday being in two days, and this is what Luke had to say: “Mom, I really don’t think Philip’s birthday is as important as mine. I think mine is more special. Is that bad?” Hmmm…I don’t know, maybe Luke still holds resentment for Philip knocking out his front top tooth four years ago. He really needs to let it go if that’s the case. Especially now that he has experienced his first natural tooth loss. It was directly beneath the one that he lost in the tricycle accident of ’08 so now he has one large rectangular gap in the front of his mouth. I have to admit, it’s pretty cute to me.
And speaking of knocking teeth out (I’m on fire with the segues tonight, aren’t I?), I went ice-skating with the kids yesterday. Don’t worry. I didn’t actually lose any teeth, but I sure did come close. Some crazy-fast, backwards skating (not-so) little girl came flying towards me at a speed I hadn’t encountered on the ice up to that point. Seeing that I wasn’t going to get out of her way in time, I instinctively put out my hands to try to soften our collision. Poor thing, I scared the little girl half to pieces and she instantly pushed off me. At that point, I can’t accurately describe what happened, but I know both my feet came flying out from under me and I landed squarely on my tail-end. Then, something like the sound of 100,000 bowls of Rice Krispies went off inside me. I’m talking snap. crackle. pop. It went straight up my spine and ended with my teeth banging together loudly. I couldn’t move or breathe for what seemed like hours. Finally – holding back tears, I got up and drug my sorry little keister off the ice. I’m super stiff today and moving the left side of my body is proving quite painful. I want you all to know…Ibuprofen is my new best friend.
Yes, the children come before the blog because what would the blog be without them? You have me laughing which I need, and cringing in horror about the cockroach and a little mad at the one who slammed into you! Good thing that Miss Pamela wasn’t there. I would have made a fool of myself jumping on that ice without skates to protect you and then chasing down the culprit. My heart is aching for sweet Kaleesha – I love you so.
WHEEEEE! I’M KINDA TIRED JUST READING THIS POST! I AGREE WITH MISS PAM, BUT, NOT ALL POST ABOUT KIDS ARE WRITTEN AS WELL AS THIS ONE, WE FEEL ALMOST LIKE WE ARE THERE LIVING IT WITH YOU! LOVED THE PICS. POOR LUKE, LANDRY WHO HAD A BD ON THE 14TH IS TRYING TO EXTEND HIS ALSO WITH A SMALL LUNCH WHEN MEGAN WAS OOT AND THEN WHEN SHE WAS IN TOWN, NOW WE MAY DO SOMETHING SUNDAY ALSO WITH THOMPSONS. (THANKS, MIKE) OH WELL, YOU ARE ONLY 28 ONCE, DARN IT!