Beetle went and turned FIVE on us. It's an amazing situation. BLINK - and the children age. Sheeeesh! Kind of makes you want to pin your eye lids to your forehead doesn't it?
Well, in celebration of Beetle we started out his birthday weekend at Home Depot. It was Kid Craft Saturday where they go, put on their Orange Aprons (actually OTHER children wear aprons-I never remember to bring ours) and build something out of wood. In our experience it goes something like this- they bang hammers on my fingers in an attempt to make a
wooden space taker that they will then require be visible in our home for an extended period of time DESPITE the fact that whatever it is they make, is well, in effect- useless. (Furthermore... there are THREE of these items I then have to display.) BUT as a mother, I can assure you, the process and time spent "making" said space takers... is worth the three weeks of space then taken to display them.
After Home Depot we frequented Giant Eagle's play area... the Eagle's nest. (Is it just me, moms, or do our kids PREFER time spent at the Eagle's Nest verses time spent with well, US?) My son, for his birthday, asked to go to the Giant Eagle play area for a while. I think the conversation went a little something like this-
Beetle: Mom, can we go to Giant Eagle today?
Me: Why honey- we already bought groceries.
Beetle: Because I want to play in the Eagle's Nest.
Me: Sure. I'll just get a coffee in the cafe' and let the three of you play for a bit.
(Brief pause... )
Beetle: Ummmm, Mom? When you have things to do like, shopping, getting coffee, and mailing things, could you just drop us off at the Eagle's Nest, and then when it gets dark, say, bedtime, pick us up????
Well, in celebration of Beetle we started out his birthday weekend at Home Depot. It was Kid Craft Saturday where they go, put on their Orange Aprons (actually OTHER children wear aprons-I never remember to bring ours) and build something out of wood. In our experience it goes something like this- they bang hammers on my fingers in an attempt to make a
wooden space taker that they will then require be visible in our home for an extended period of time DESPITE the fact that whatever it is they make, is well, in effect- useless. (Furthermore... there are THREE of these items I then have to display.) BUT as a mother, I can assure you, the process and time spent "making" said space takers... is worth the three weeks of space then taken to display them. After Home Depot we frequented Giant Eagle's play area... the Eagle's nest. (Is it just me, moms, or do our kids PREFER time spent at the Eagle's Nest verses time spent with well, US?) My son, for his birthday, asked to go to the Giant Eagle play area for a while. I think the conversation went a little something like this-
Beetle: Mom, can we go to Giant Eagle today?
Me: Why honey- we already bought groceries.
Beetle: Because I want to play in the Eagle's Nest.
Me: Sure. I'll just get a coffee in the cafe' and let the three of you play for a bit.
(Brief pause... )
Beetle: Ummmm, Mom? When you have things to do like, shopping, getting coffee, and mailing things, could you just drop us off at the Eagle's Nest, and then when it gets dark, say, bedtime, pick us up????
WHAT????????????
Did you just ask me to make Giant Eagle your daily Daycare center so you don't have to spend the day with me???? NICE!
Well, I realized that day that it is indeed nice. I put three children in the Eagle's Nest in the name of "fulfilled birthday wish" and I sat in the cafe'-ALONE- sipping on a latte' all the while organizing my day planner. UNREAL. This obviously goes without saying...
THAT WON'T BE THE LAST TIME I DO THAT.
On Sunday, Beetle's actual birthday we asked him what he wanted to do to
celebrate... after church that is. To my COMPLETE AMAZEMENT AND UTTER SHOCK- he said these words...CHUCK E CHEESE!
CHUCK E CHEESE!
CHUCK E CHEESE!
CHUCK E CHEESE!
CHUCK E CHEESE!
Are you kidding me? Didn't I already do this FIVE days ago? (I ammend my prior post... THIS is actually the MOST SACRIFICIAL thing a parent will ever have to do... CHUCK E CHEESE... TWICE... in 5 days, the second time on a SUNDAY!) Are you kidding me? There were more people at Chuck E Cheese the day of our second visit than on the streets of New York City at 11:59pm New Year's Eve. It was unbelievable. And yet, our kid was the happiest of them all. Really. He was in token heaven... playing every game so he now could pick his little plastic toy with his 6 tickets. AWESOME. And yet... it was awesome. He loved his FOUR HOURS at
Chuck E Stinkin' Cheese. And well, because he loved it... we did too.Better yet, returning home after a day at Chuck E Cheese- for cake and presents. Beetle is deep into transformers these days. Mini Cons ! And that's just what he got. A bunch of 'em. I think when his mini cons were counted (post birthday) we were informed of the fact that he has upwards of thirty-five. (Aunts/Uncles, Grandparents, parents, siblings all contributed to this number between last Christmas to now.)
Here's a picture of the boys after cake. Are you sensing a theme here... B-boy ALWAYS moves in for a picture with the birthday kid with chocolate all over their faces and in their teeth...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEETLE.
We are proud of the boy you're becoming. What a blessing and gift you are to us.
