Picture Perfect

I went to my BFF's daughter's 2nd bday party today. It was in San Francisco at Chrissie Field. To be completely honest, I was sorta dreading going (I hate driving in the city!) and had been fantasizing all week of the perfect excuse to get out of going. But of course, it was my BFF's daughter's birthday and there is NO perfect excuse for not going. So, I loaded up the boys at 9am today and off we went.

The weather could not have been more perfect. 74 degrees, no wind, warm water. I can't rememeber the last time the boys had such a good time! Domino loved getting soaking wet while jumping over waves while Rascal loved throwing big shovels full of wet sand into the surf. We played in the water and in the sand for almost 3 hours. Log this one in the memory book under "good times"!

Another One Bites The Dust

Just when I was starting to get used to Domino's new smile, minus his first lost tooth, he's gone and lost another one!

It was dangling and rather disgusting looking this morning. I knew it wasn't going to be around for much longer so I tried my best to prep Domino with the possibility that it might fall out at school -especially while eating lunch.

Sure enough it did! He told me that he was "very emotional" (aka he cried) when it came out, but one of his nice little girl friends helped take him to the school office, who in turn took him to his classroom and the teacher put the tooth in a cute little tooth shaped box and sent him on his way back to finish his lunch.

I can't help but giggle when I look at his new smile. He's so goofy looking - in the best way possible.

Looks like the Tooth Fairy better get ready to flap her wings again tonight!

Nice To Meet You "5"

"4" was not a good year in this house. Rascal and the age of 4 was a constant battle of wills, emotional meltdowns and general self-centered suckatude. It was a long year for us all.

And then this past weekend I saw the change. "5" has arrived! Glory be "5"!

Rascal seems to have a new set of manners and confidence. Unprompted "thank you for my present", compliments to the chef, genuine concern about other people's feelings and the ability to get through 2.5 hours of preschool without even a hint of a meltdown in sight shows me that we might be turning a corner into the beautiful new chapter of our lives.

We had 3 birthday parties for Rascal in 3 days. We're nuts over here, I know!

Saturday was a fun filled day with neighborhood friends, a massive jumpy tent in the backyard, an art spinner machine and the hugely popular snow cone machine. A good old fashioned birthday party.


Sunday was the "family" party and we enjoyed good weather, good conversation and a winning 49er game (which was very important to the Tonester half of the family!). Rascal was sweet and polite when opening his presents, made an honest effort to thank everyone on his own and seemed comfortable in his new 5 year old skin.

Monday was the big preschool party. Well, not really a party, but more of a day that acknowledges and celebrates him. He led the parade with a Snoopy flag (perfect!!), shared his favorite snacks, gave the school a present (Mo Willems "I Am Invited To A Party" - love it!) and even gave all the kids a small Snoopy ring with an explanation that "everybody only gets one - that way there's one for everyone and nobody gets sad".

We went to our local Mexican restaurant for dinner, per Rascal's request, and he charmed the waitress with his manners. "It's my birthday!" he announced with a big grin and had a conversation with her about all the fun stuff he's been up to lately. Then he asked her if he could have "one of those tastiest-ever quesadillas and some of that yummy rice". She even brought over a special dessert to celebrate.

It's been a long 3 days - but the past 5 years have just flown by.

I can't wait to hang out more with "5". He's a pretty cool kid.

A Conversation Between "Best Pals"

Overheard from the backseat of my car...

Best Pal: Do you have twochurchestoo?

Rascal: What?

Best Pal: Do you have two churches, too?

Rascal: What's a church?

Best Pal: (thinks about it for a moment) It's where GOD is.

Rascal: Oh. (thinks about it) What's god?

Best Pal: He saves people.

Rascal: Oh.

Best Pal: Like a superhero.

Rascal: Oh...

Best Pal: My favorite superhero is Spiderman.

Rascal: Mine too!

Subtle Differences

If you read yesterday's post, you know that Domino lost his first tooth. By the end of the day, he was very excited about the process and couldn't wait for the tooth fairy to come. We read books about the tooth fairy and he listed off all the stuff the tooth fairy was going to bring - like the tooth fairy was Santa. I explained "The tooth fairy doesn't bring presents - the tooth fairy brings lucky coins."

After the kids were asleep the tooth fairy got to work. About a year ago, I purchased a new coin-jar style piggy bank for Domino, one that keeps track of how much money goes in, with the plan of the tooth fairy delivering it with some change inside. I opened the box last night and discovered the thing takes AAA batteries - of which I had none. I pillaged one of our lesser used remote controls and set it up.

Inside the piggy bank, I placed a typed up note from the tooth fairy. I used a super small font on a cut down long thin strip of paper which I curled around a pencil for a while so it was a neat spiral shape. As for the $ - I threw in one of my silver dollars.

I have been collecting silver dollars since I was a kid. If my foggy memory is correct, my grandfather used to give them to me for my birthday. I've had a collection of the same 40 or so silver dollars for about 30 years. I've added a handful of Susan B's over time as well. For many years I had them all hidden in an old red purse so that my brother wouldn't find them and steal them. After my brother moved out, the red purse just seemed like the natural place to store the coins and they remained there long after I moved out into my own apartment. Honestly, I think I had them saved away in that red purse when I met Tonester! I've saved those silver dollars for years and years - almost like my own little treasure. It would never enter my mind to spend them.

But I digress...

When I went in last night to do my fairy duties, Domino was asleep completely turned around on the bed - head at the feet - almost as far away from the pillow as possible. I had expected him to booby trap the bed on me and hide the tooth just to see what would happen, but instead it seemed like he didn't want to risk it with the tooth fairy and took the path of least resistance.

This morning when I went to wake him, he excitedly said "what the....?!" at the money jar. He was very happy and enjoyed the little note. Immediately, he ran to wake up Rascal.

"Rascal! Rascal! The tooth fairy came and brought me a whole dollar!!"

Rascal rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and then, to my horror, checked under his pillow for his dollar.

See, the thing is, I guess I failed to explain the subtle differences between the other big mythological present givers - Santa and the Easter Bunny who dole out the loot to all - and the tooth fairy who just visits one kid in the house.

Domino started listing all the stuff he's going to immediately buy with his dollar (all of which costs more than a dollar) and Rascal just sat there glumly. I did my best to cheer him up and explained that his teeth will start getting loose soon too and the tooth fairy will bring him a surprise when it happens.

Then he said "When the tooth fairy gives me special coin like that - I'm going to save it forever."

Amen.

Finally

Domino lost his first tooth today. Oh the drama!! It was loose for about 2 weeks with it really becoming dangly within the last 48 hours.

We went to the dentist today for our routine cleaning. The dentist was very gentle to Dom's feelings and mouth and said the tooth would come out on it's own.

Sure enough - went to lunch and out it came. Tears followed, the vow to never lose another tooth, a fear of the tooth fairy was revealed and the refusal to eat ever again. The waitress came over to see if everything was ok and Domino was sobbing uncontrollably.

He wasn't exactly eager to pose for a photo about a half hour later in the car.


I understand that the legend of the Tooth Fairy has potentially been spoiled by a classmate in kindergarten last year (what the hell?!) but we're hoping to have a good night tonight with stories of fairies and lucky coins.

He already looks like a different kid without that tooth. I can't imagine how different he'll look without the 2 top ones!

A Conversation I Never Thought I'd Have...

... But being married to Tonester for 10 years this week, I should have seen it coming.

"Okay, I'm going to lift the bike and you're going to jam the hooks into the wall."

"The wall?"

"Yes, stand on this." (a small step stool)

"Okay wait a sec. I thought you wanted to hang the bike from the ceiling."

"I do."

"Soooo... why am I jamming hooks into the wall?"

"Wall, ceiling, same thing."

"No, they're not. Totally different actually."

"Are you just going to give me a hard time or are you going to help me?"

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"Exactly." (Lifts bike over head)

"Okay wait. Do you honestly believe I can stand on a small footstool and reach the ceiling of the garage?!"

"Can't you?"

"Are you serious?? Dude. I'm 5 foot 3. Do the math."

"What if I put the footstool on a box?"

"What if I fall and jam a large metal hook in your eye?"

"Oh - so you're gonna be like that?"

"This was your idea, not mine."

"Fine. I'll grab a chair." (Comes back) "Here." (Lifts bike over head)

"Don't you think we should park the car in here first?"

"No, it will be in the way."

"The car or the bike?"

"The car."

"Well, isn't that a big problem? The car being in the bike's way -- in the garage?? Shouldn't we know if we've got the bike in the right spot relative to where the car goes? At least bring the car in, hold the bike up, mark the space and then move the car back out."

"Shut up and help me."

"Are there even studs there?"

"What?"

"Studs."

"I don't know."

"You mean to tell me that you plan on jamming large metal hooks into sheet rock, hang a 50 pound bike from the ceiling - right over our car - and expect it to not end in disaster?"

"Ummm.... yes?"

"Let me know how that works out for you. I'll be inside with the yellow pages looking up body shops."