When I wasn't at a soccer game, I played taxi driver for the 14 year old and his friends. I maneuvered the city's giant freeway loop from the movie theater to our house repeatedly. Don't get me wrong, I volunteered to do it, I am glad that Julian has friends to hang out with. Also, by offering my services this time I have built up good karma, meaning that next time I will get to stay home while some other parent plays taxi. Julian also has his own earned income this summer so I don't feel like I am going broke in the process. He is working hard doing landscaping plus doing chores around the house, and mowing our lawn and his grandma's.
When I wasn't at a soccer game or driving the kid around, I assisted the other child in cleaning his room. This job should only take an hour, maybe two but it ends up taking DAYS! Sometimes I think he makes more of a mess while cleaning because he discovers long, lost, loved things that need to be played with. Just let me say, it STILL isn't done.
When I wasn't at a soccer game, driving the kid around, cleaning the other kid's room, I was at a neighborhood potluck. It wasn't actually in our neighborhood but the people who put it on USED to live in our neighborhood and they invite all their old neighbors. They usually get a great turn-out with hoards of kids running around - they block off the street for a band and the kids ride their many varied wheeled vehicles in the street, a rare treat! When a child is occupied for hours running outside with kids and dogs, the parents actually get to talk to other adults....that, my friend is a good potluck!
When I wasn't at a soccer game, driving the kids around, cleaning the other kid's room or at a potluck, I was preparing the house for a birthday party and then subsequently throwing a birthday party worthy of my eight year old's critical nature. Kailash's birthday was weeks ago. His summer birthday somehow throws me off. I find it hard to organize a party and by July (all the other family birthdays are in the spring), I am all partied out. Yet, this child is a party planner. He loves all holidays and would throw a party for each and every one of them. He had started gathering Hawaiian relics months ago in anticipation for his theme birthday party. Palm trees, leis, seashells, dolls with grass skirts - we had it all! Oh, and did I mention that he also wanted to have a volcano cake? Yes, I created a volcano cake to the best of my ability. It was multi-layered with chocolate chip fudge frosting to hold it together and red icing for the lava. Julian also had the great idea to use red gummy worms for an added 3-D effect for the lava. We adorned the cake with long candles in the hole in the middle and made it appear as if it were really spewing fire!
My mother, my middle sister and two of Kailash's friends from school joined us to celebrate his day. Let me just say that these three children were attracted to each other from the first time they met. They have a certain flair or color about them. It wasn't until after a couple of years of knowing them that I found out the source of their attraction... both sets of parents were/are theater people! We attract like minded people...isn't that the law? Well, these three together are a hoot. Kailash generally is the ring leader or better said, the artistic director of all the activities. At his party these activities included swimming with the mermaid in his homemade pond, dressing up as princes and princesses and plunging plastic parachuting men from off the banister.
Grandma and Auntie Amy enjoying the partyMy mother, my middle sister and two of Kailash's friends from school joined us to celebrate his day. Let me just say that these three children were attracted to each other from the first time they met. They have a certain flair or color about them. It wasn't until after a couple of years of knowing them that I found out the source of their attraction... both sets of parents were/are theater people! We attract like minded people...isn't that the law? Well, these three together are a hoot. Kailash generally is the ring leader or better said, the artistic director of all the activities. At his party these activities included swimming with the mermaid in his homemade pond, dressing up as princes and princesses and plunging plastic parachuting men from off the banister.7:00 pm on Sunday could not come soon enough. Although I enjoyed Kailash's happy face throughout the evening and Julian's thrill of victory, I was dog-tired and needed some down time. The parents came to gather their brood, my mom and sister went home. I smiled a weary smile at my husband as he cleaned the kitchen and I descended the basement stairs to start the laundry.
No comments:
Post a Comment