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The Cutest Baby in the World turned 6 yesterday. Precious boy. I'm pretty wild over him. When I asked what he wanted to do for his big day, I was bracing myself for requests for a big party with lots of kids and clowns and ponies and fireworks. You know what he wanted? To play golf with Daddy on a "real" golf course. Awesome sauce.
We ended up spreading out the festivities over four days, starting with a manly morning out at Peachtree Golf Center and lunch at Chipotle on Friday while Elsbeth and I shopped for balloons and streamers.
Has anyone been there lately? Feels a little more ghetto than it did back when I went to Showbiz for parties as a kid. Maybe that's just because kids just don't pick up the ghetto vibe. No matter. Andrew was thrilled to wander through the chaos for a couple hours with his cup of tokens, hording the little tickets he won so he could purchase some Fun Dip and a really pathetic plastic whistle. He was happy. He was celebrated. I got to play a round of Skee Ball. Success.
I often think of friends when I'm doing something that would horrify them. I think of Julianne when I buy something with GMO's in it. I think of my Auntie when I'm swishing cloth diapers in the toilet. Rhianna when the Andrew plays Angry Birds on my iPod. Rachel when I ask Phil who I should vote for. Brea when I don't recycle something. So as I navigated the rows of blaring, blinking arcade games holding my son's cup of Mt. Dew (I thought he was getting Sprite!), I kept thinking of Ami McNay, wondering what sort of violence would have to be involved to get her into this place. She might take a bullet first.
I often think of friends when I'm doing something that would horrify them. I think of Julianne when I buy something with GMO's in it. I think of my Auntie when I'm swishing cloth diapers in the toilet. Rhianna when the Andrew plays Angry Birds on my iPod. Rachel when I ask Phil who I should vote for. Brea when I don't recycle something. So as I navigated the rows of blaring, blinking arcade games holding my son's cup of Mt. Dew (I thought he was getting Sprite!), I kept thinking of Ami McNay, wondering what sort of violence would have to be involved to get her into this place. She might take a bullet first.
Back to the topic at hand ... Sunday after church we all went out for pizza, and then spent the afternoon melting at the zoo. The kids have these little zoo passports they get stamped each month and they earn prizes, so this visit earned them very exciting orange t-shirts. My Nibblet was delighted! We happened upon the turtle yard just as two of them decided to get, um, very romantic. I was really glad we didn't get any questions about that.
Monday was the actual day, so we invited a few friends over to play and eat up the rest of the birthday cake. In a moment of insanity, I decided having a pinata would be a really fun idea. I settled on one of the evil pigs from the Angry Bird game (look away, Rhi!), because really, who wants to bash the guts out of a super hero?
The kids were really excited about it, and really it went pretty well when you consider I was giving a bunch of 2 to 6-year-olds a bat and telling them to smash a green paper pig as hard as they could. We only had one casualty, little Griswald* who got clipped by the (foam) bat. Moments later he also got stung by a bee, so we decided to move the party inside and put the bat away. I ended up taking the pinata to the top of the stairs and raining the goodies down upon the children waiting at the bottom.
Fun times for all! Poovey* was very adept at catching the lolly pops, and even better at getting them into his mouth before his mommy could cross the room.
Patrice* decided to go for the graham cracker and fruit snacks. My friends have such cute kids!
'Twas a good time with good friends ... I think by the end of it all, Andrew felt thoroughly celebrated.
We're so grateful for our precious boy! I love that he reads out recipes to me while I cook and still is completely fascinated by appliances. I love that his favorite birthday gift was an electronic snap circuits set and that he is so very excited about being in the 1st grade. I love that he has started shouting out "Michael George Alpharetta!" every time he jumps into the pool, and no one knows why. I love that his affections run deep for Iris, his favorite chicken and that he's decided sauteed tofu with ketchup is delicious. My favorite part of this summer has been watching him become dear friends with his litter sister. He'll beg me to let her stay up a little longer so they can finish the game they're playing and he desperately wants the two of them to share a room. He cried yesterday when Elsbeth got in trouble for hitting him and lost her pink toenail polish. The two of them have come up with all kinds of wacky games with great names like "Abambooz, " and "Ayait Ayait" and "Day!" and they continue to share a great love for Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Happy birthday, Dear One!
13 comments:
Happy Birthday, Andrew. Holly sends love and kisses! Sounds like y'all have such a fun time celebrating. I'm pretty offended that you don't think of me being horrified at anything you are doing. Oh, wait, no I'm not. I just want everyone to know I'm you're friend too. And you know I'm always just happy and excited about everything you do. :) But I do that, too! I also think of Brea every time I don't recycle. Why is that? She has never said one thing to me about it. I just know she is the conscientious, recycling sort.
And I think of you every time I cook meat. :) And bacon. :)
Happy birthday, Andrew!!!
I couldn't think of anything, Gil! I promise, I sat there really trying to think of something that would horrify you ... it did seem really wrong to leave you out of the list ... but you are just too dang hard to horrify. As I imagined myself doing all the unsavory things I usually do, all I could imagine was you saying, "Oh, whatever." :-) You may notice my mother isn't in the list, either. Y'all are too laid back.
Hilarious that you think of Brea with the recycling thing. The only reason I can come up with is that I was once with her when she was in a restaurant contemplating taking home all the plastic ware so she could recycle it.
I think of me when you cook bacon, too.
Oh, Oh!! I thought of one! Gillian, I think of you every time I buy something with the pink breast cancer awareness ribbon on it.
(Just so everyone knows, Gillian is not opposed to breast cancer research.)
I just love that little guy so much! The dancing part of the video was my favorite. Can't wait to see you all soon!
Happy Birthday Andrew! Yay for snap circuits, Legos and appliances. Him and Caleb would be such wonderful friends. I don't know anyone else who likes those things as much as he does.
Happy, happy birthday dear Andrew! I so wish we could have been there to bash the Angry Birds pinata with you and celebrate your special day!
What can I say, I've got eco-guilt. Trash doesn't just magically disappear, you know? :) I think of you most every time I eat meat. Actually, I'm pretty horrified now any time my children gain access to bacon, so I suppose we're rubbing off on each other.
Michael George Alpharetta...that calls for some awesome sauce!
Yikes, is he growing up!
Are you sure "Michael George Alpharetta" isn't supposed to be "Get back home, Loretta!" from the Beatles song?
Oh no, Andrew knows exactly what that Beatles song says. He loves that one.
Good thought, though.
OK, I dare anyone to say that my grandson isn't absolutely adorable and unique! And I am honored to be mentioned with Gillian as being too laid back to be horrified by anything that you do! Love you all!
Wait a minute, what IS angry birds? Is there a book about that?...
Happy Birthday, beautiful boy.
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