Sunday, May 20, 2007

Clown's Birthday Weekend




Well, yesterday my baby boy turned eight years old. It was an interesting and unusual weekend.

On Friday soon before lunch, Stud left in the van with some of the kids to meet one of Clown's friends at the Theatre where we were going to watch "Shrek the Third". I took the car to a weekly Science Class that our kids go to when they are not in public school. I picked up another of Clown's friends there, where his older brother atrends class. There would be eight of us and our van only fits seven, so this is what we had to do to get everyone. There would be two other guests later, but they attend public school, so could not come to the movie. It was very important to Clown that we go in the morning and miss the crowds.

We had a nice time and then came home for the kids to play in the backyard. Soon, the other two guests arrived. We had cake and then he opened his gifts. He got some very nice things. Two video games for his Nintendo DS. He was thrilled with those!

One guest (the only female) had to leave to go to her school carnival. The other is a next door neighbour who was not permitted to sleep over, like the two home-schooled boys were going to. The kids played video games and we ordered pizza.

We discovered that the gold fish that we got from Princess' friend last week, had died. It seemed to do fine in the huge flower vase we had kept it in. Once we invested $90 on a ten gallon tank with all the fixin's, food and three new friends for it, it did not even last 24 hours! Princess was playing video games and did not know. Cryptic thought it was hysterical and got a kick out of the fish dying. So he took it upon himself to rush and break the news to his little sister. *sigh* She handled it better than I thought she would. I think she was distracted with all the commotion of the guests.

So we kicked out the neighbour boy at around nine o'clock. He had come over right after school and had his fill of pizza, chips, cake, ice cream and junk food. Before you all think I am evil, I also offered the kids plenty of fruit and they ate that also:) He was gone for about 20 minutes and Stud and I had just settled down to watch a movie when the doorbell rang. There he was, in his jammies, pillow in hand. He announced loudly that his parents had changed their mind and he can indeed spend the night, as he pushed past Stud and raced back downstairs!!!

Stud and I just exchanged glances. He is LOUD and very active. Things are much calmer when he is not around. We have even forbid him from having anything to do with our kids for certain periods of time in the past, because of the language he uses and how...what is the word?? Obnoxious he can be. Sweet enough kid, but WOW. I am sure you all know what I am talking about. When we discovered he was not going to sleep over, both Stud and I were relieved and knew we would have a calm night. The two HSed boys are very calm and sweet.

Anyway, I had a rough night. I heard said boy coughing quite a bit. I was not only worried he would keep people awake or they would catch whatever he had, but I was being kept awake. I went down at about 1 am and told them to keep things down, because there was also talking and yelling. He basically SCREAMED at me (he honestly has NO concept of what keeping your voice down means) that Clown was flashing the flashlight in his eyes, and look at the kind of bed he made from cushions, isn't it cool!?!??! I reminded him four times to whisper, there are people sleeping. On about the fourth time, he got it! *sigh*



After that, I slept alright once I got to sleep. Stud had put Clown's main gift (a brand new bike!) in the dining area. I always get so excited about things like this and want to see the child's face when they see whatever it is. That is why we video tape Christmas morning, so we have their reaction on tape, etc. So I was thinking how sad I was that he and his friends would discover it without me witnessing it. I consoled myself with the fact that it was HIS birthday and he would be thrilled and it would be nice for his friends to see him get something ON his actual birthday. I guess I don't have to witness EVERYTHING in their lives.

I woke suddenly at a few minutes to seven. Someone was jabbing me in the shoulder. I wondered if it was Clown or Princess, since Jock and Cryptic don't do that anymore. I was turning over and opening my eyes and was about to ask what they wanted, when I saw that no one was there!?!? I looked all around and was confused about how that could have happened. Pretty realistic dream. I decided to get up anyway. I was just walking out to the dining area and as I came around the corner, Clown and two of his buddies walked around the other corner and their jaws dropped as they saw this bike with a big huge bow sitting there!?!? teehee So I saw the reaction anyway. I feel like God knows how important the little things are, and gave me that gift on Clown's birthday. Was pretty sweet!

When the neighbour boy's mother came to the door to get him, one of the other guests took it upon himself to answer the door. Our kids don't EVER answer the door unless they have permission and I had told the kids to always watch for the puppy and have him in his crate or someone holding onto him before they open any doors to outside. I am used to my kids just not doing that and this particular boy has a dog and his mother was so annoyed later. She said he knows better than to do that. I was just walking to the door and about four people called at the same time, "WAIT!! DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR!!" Too late.

I am sure you see where this is headed. I was CERTAIN that Brom was going to die on Clown's birthday. He took off SO FAST, it was unreal. He ran directly for the main road that is down the hill from us, toward the ocean. This is a busy road and the speed limit is about 40 something at this point. He was a little grey/brown/black blur. I was in my housecoat and no shoes or anything. I ran as fast as I could, in the state I was in, cutting my feet open as I went. No bra, which as any of you women know, is NOT comfy when you are running, let alone downhill. I wanted to grab the stupid things and press them against my chest just so I would be more comfy, but alas. I was on a mission and even in that state of mind, knew that my sons would be mortified if anyone saw their mother grabbing her boobs that way. It was bad enough I was in my housecoat and barefoot:)

So I continued on in agony and humiliation, praying that God spare the retarded little goof for my childrens' sake. They LOVE this guy. Well, so do I. That is not the point though, I was worried about him being splattered all over, and right in front of my eyes but I knew the kids could still see the whole spectacle at this point. IF they were outside and watching, that is. I was calling to him and yelling in as friendly as voice as I could, "TREAT!! TREAT!" He knows that word, but didn't care. He smelled FREEDOM! I have been wanting to get him into classes and for sure teach him to come when called, etc. I have GOT to do this ASAP.

He turned left and went onto the main roadway. Saturdays there is always a lot of traffic on that road, going toward the ferry to some local islands. So of course, there I am, in all my glory. My fuzzy house coat, red face and no shoes, walking along this main road. I had quit running, my boobs honestly could not take the abuse. Much as I love my boy, I could not put the girls through anymore of that, you know?? When I got around a curve, I saw a vehicle pulled over to the side of the road and it was all crooked. I was positive that I would see him smashed underneath. A few people were pointing behind them as they drove past. I thought that was sweet, trying to let me know he went that way. I already knew that, but I appreciated that they had seen the goof and were trying to help.

Turns out the vehicle had stopped because one of the women in it got out and was also trying to chase him down. I thought that was SO SWEET. The first thing she said to me was, "He is FINE! He is totally fine, he went in that yard there." I thanked her over and over and as I went into the yard and glanced to my left, I saw our neighbour coming to help me. She is the mother of the loud boy and the one who had come to the house to collect him. I think she somehow thought it was her fault that he bolted when she was at the door!!! I am sure Brom would be dead if she had not come to help. I cannot believe that she came all that way to help me. It was a bit of a jog down the hill and then a fair piece along the main road.

So I went into the yard of this house. I was considering telling the people that I was trying to get my dog, but I didn't take the time. I figured if anyone was home, they would figure that out on their own, by me calling him the way I was. I heard his tags jingling on his collar, but I could not see him. I kept on calling and clicking my lips like I do to call him and he finally popped out from behind some trees and looked at me kind of as if to say, "OH COOL! You came here to play too!?!?!"

He truly thought it was a game. I was just about to give up and go home and leave him to risk it all (and at least get on a bra and some shoes of some kind) when I saw the neighbour lady at the end of the driveway. She had continued on past a little bit and was now on the left side of it, as you came out toward the road. He was running STRAIGHT out the driveway, into the path of the traffic. I remember just muttering, "Please God, NOT on Clown's birthday!" when I saw him run to the neighbour lady. She had distracted him and now he was along the side of the road again. The speeding traffic was SO LOUD, I had to yell to her, "Say, 'Treat!' If you say 'Treat' he might come!'" English is not her first language and we don't know each other well because of the language barrier, but she tried it. It worked long enough for me to get there and grab him from behind. *whew*


We hung onto that dog and clung to him the entire walk home.


So after that adventure, it was no surprise when another fish died. *sigh* It's tail got caught in the filter and for some reason it could not get out. When Stud noticed and shut everything off, it was just all bent and awkward looking. It basically suffered all day and I felt SO HELPLESS. I knew it would die and wanted to put it out of it's misery but didn't know how.

There were more antics like Jock picking on one of the guests, Stud upsetting Cryptic to the point of Cryptic screaming (in front of all Clown's guests no less) that he is sick of Stud's "CRAP!" and slamming downstairs. Poor Clown was mortified, but handled it well. I have spent much of the day looking through photos of Clown to post. There are far too many to put on here, so we are putting them into a link that I will post later, when it is ready. That way if anyone wants to see them, they can. But those who don't want to, don't have to. I think I will do the same for Jock next month when he turns twelve. Pretty cool to look through all the pictures and see the kids change and grow.




The Brown-Eyed Half of our Family:)



I will sprinkle a few photos of Clown through here and leave you all with some photos from our Birthday supper at Azteca last night. We could not go to Clown's first choice because it is a Mongolian Grill and Cryptic and Princess won't eat the food. You have to pay per person and can't just go in and get as much as you want and only pay for four plates when six people go. So we told Clown that we could leave them at home and the rest of us could go. He said no, he wanted us all together as a family:)

So then we went to his favourite Thai restaurant. It is a bit of a drive, on the water in Edmonds. When we got there, we saw that they are closed for a week! POOR CLOWN!

So he opted for Azteca and BEGGED me to not let them sing to him. He didn't want any attention.





The Green-Eyed Half of us last night at Azteca.


Watch soon for a link to many more photos. I know this small taste of wee Clown won't be enough for some of you:)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

5 comments:

sydwynd said...

Happy Birthday to Clown!

Sounds like quite the exciting weekend.

Lowa said...

Thanks Vince!

Oh yes, quite exciting indeed.

I am going to collapse in bed now. Clown is still up, telling me all about how he doesn't like going to sleep with me and then having his Dad move him later because then he is wide awake again. I told him to read books and he said reading is too boring and easy. Poor smart kid, eh?? LOL

The Ramblin Irishman said...

Who would think bad thoughts of someone who offered pizza, cake, and all the other fixings? Sounds like a wonderful person to me and I wish I had been invited.

Anonymous said...

Hey, it works! ;P

Lowa said...

Tim- You are so sweet! It would have been fun to have you here, I know the kids would have loved you:)

NTFrog- YAHOO! Finally eh?? LOL