Double Birthday

J and Toe celebrate birthdays one week apart. This year Toe had two birthdays - his own, and a joint birthday shared with his dad.

J's parents have made it a tradition to fly up from Texas to participate in the celebrations. I think this is their fourth year to make the journey and thankfully this year we were not moving (they have arrived mid-move TWICE. Apparently January is our favored moving month).

Toe and his Grandma Gus made his birthday cake together (for the actual day). A thee-layer extravaganza with rainbow cake, multi-colored icing, and eyeballs. It was, without a doubt, the best cake I have ever seen. They worked together through the baking, the dishes, and the decorating stages. I love that they have this time together and enjoy each others' company so much.

A week later, for the double birthday, we went to the new Arcade in town and then to the grandparents' hotel to watch the Superbowl (the grandparents took Toe swimming in the pool). The arcade is fantastic. Every game is a quarter and different ones are featured (and free) each day. Many of the games are from our childhood (MANY lifetimes ago).  Toe got to try Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Joust, Star Wars Podracing, Mortal Kombat, and some kind of Star Trek game that involved the Borg.

To make J's day, it turns out that the place sells COMICS and one of his favorite kinds of ice cream (Bears in a Tub - green apple ice cream, berry swirl, and gummy bears. It is truly disgusting). There is a tardis entrance to the bathroom. I told the people there that they had made this place as if they had pulled it out of my husband's imagination.

We were joined at the arcade by one of our favorite families.

Toe laughed so hard playing Mortal Kombat, I became a bit worried... :) A few friends surprised J and showed up at the arcade to join us. Mr. Bill and I actually ate a weird Frito concoction - nachos in the Frito bag... I had my sodium intake for the week.

Back at the hotel, we left the boys to watch the game and took Toe swimming and then home for breathing treatment. The Seattle loss was the only low part of the day.

J and Awesome watching the Superbowl

It is such a gift that the grandparents are willing and able to come share this event with us every year! Such a great time.

Foreshadowing

Upcoming teen attitude

On a family car ride last week, we had our first taste of the teen years. Toe was tired. He climbed into the car, put his sunglasses on, his hood up, and started reading his book. J and I turned on the radio and were excited to hear Prairie Home Companion playing. From the back we heard, "Turn it off! I can't read!" We were stunned. So stunned, we actually turned it off. We want to encourage our kid to read, sure. Silence for a few minutes.

Ok, we thought, no radio, we'll just talk. J started telling me about his day the day before and about some shows he likes to listen to on the radio. "QUIET!" came from the back seat. We both looked back, and there sat, not our boy, but a shadow of the teenager parents dread- moody, dark, removed, complete attitude.

Obviously, at seven, this would not do. We ended up having a brief but firm talk about how we are a family and we all have rights in the car and how we would work to be quiet, but he could not act like that, that he was completely out of line. He was not pleased and let us know that he just wanted to read. J and I continued our conversation and we could feel the heat from the fuming in the back seat.

He snapped out of it pretty quickly and read happily in the back.

And truthfully, I'm not sure if I was seeing foreshadowing or an imagined shadow.

We parents do that sometimes. I think back to my teenage years and remember arguments I had with my dad where I felt he was seeing a threat in me that did not exist - he was looking at me and seeing what he imagined, not who I was. Toe was just having a grumpy morning. That doesn't mean he'll turn into that sullen teenager.

Toe is a kid. He sometimes has attitude (and needs to know when it has gone too far). But generally, he's sunny and compliant and helpful. I snapped this photo about two minutes after our conversation. He was trying to dodge the camera.

However, we are on the alert: our kid continues to grow and new things are on the horizon.

Thankfully not yet