A tiny bit of background… Owen decided maybe two months or so ago that he wanted a pool party at our community pool for his birthday. We were totally on board with this idea since it would be inexpensive (no cost for the pool and we just have to buy food and drinks) and he could invite his whole class. Well, loooooong story short, we are still going to have a summer birthday party, but we will only be inviting a select number of friends…and in honor of his actual birthday, we are letting him have his very first sleepover!
So in preparation for the sleepover, one of the invitees came over for an extended play date today—it would also be his first away-from-home sleepover and we thought it best for him to be comfortable with us, the animals, the house, etc. His mom and I chatted for about a half hour (they were the ones we sat with during Bingo Night) and then she left.
The kids had a great time! There were light saber fights, beanbag jumping (with only a few warnings to be careful), and then finally…Legos!
When the visit got extended and I needed time to prep dinner without wondering what they were up to about the house, I finally let them watch a half hour of TV. 🙂
The PTO had a pizza dinner/Bingo event tonight and we all went! Unfortunately we didn’t win any bingo games, door prizes, or raffle items…but we all had fun! After almost every game when someone else won, Owen would say “OHHHH! I ALMOST WON!” Even if he was five numbers away. 🙂
Two out of four looking…that’s about right. 😉
With Aden, one of his classmates (and the one he went to the martial arts event with and broke the board):
The picture taken by the school principal (she’s at every event and walks around taking pictures with her iPad!)—again, two out of four looking:
Aden’s family (our table mates):
Afterwards, since the kids had been so good, we stopped and got froyo on the way home. 🙂
A friend posted a link on Facebook to create your own personalized snowflake. I thought it was so cool I did all of our names. You can actually watch the snowflake change shape as you enter letters!
Owen was invited to a birthday party of the twins in his class (the same family that gave Katie her black ballerina outfit a ways back). It was at a bouncy place that had glow-in-the-dark lights. Tom took him because (long story short) I was told Katie couldn’t participate. Tom said when he got there, Owen turned super shy…but quickly got into it and had a BLAST.
And here’s Owen racing up the slide! I made sure he wore a neon shirt so he’d really stand out! And action video!
Here’s the group:
And some of the boys from his class (Xander, Colton, and Manuel).
And then after the party, they stopped at Wendy’s for dinner!
So I was sitting at home minding my own business when I got this text from our neighbor:
BIG CONGRATS TO OWEN!
Wait, what?! He got a good character award and no one told us?!?! I was PISSED. There was no email, no note in his daily folder, nothing. And Tom was actually home and we ALL could have been there!
I know in the grand scheme of things it’s not a big deal, but he gets SO excited when we’re there and he would have been over the moon about this. I actually momentarily had thought about just going (since I go on random Fridays), but this morning was a bit crazy as there was someone supposed to be here working on the garage so we were waiting and waiting but then they canceled…
So, I was happy that at least she was there and grabbed a few shots for me…but I literally wanted to cry because we missed it. 🙁
I sent a quick email to the teacher asking why we hadn’t been told in advance. (Past awardees have been alerted via email so precedent has been set, otherwise I wouldn’t think twice about it.) I am sure it’s just my bad luck. 🙁
The kitchen table ended up being the center of the party. We definitely need a bigger kitchen AND a bigger table! 🙂
Skyping with a good friend who couldn’t make it!
About 1/3 of the food that we had. Which was way too much. 🙂
The sign comes out! I gave the background story and told them that since he’s five, you know even if I HAD tried to tell him to do it he would have likely screwed it up, so it had to have been completely random! Everyone LOVED it!
The only two guests who weren’t Tivo peeps—our realtor (who helped us find this house) and her friend “Moral Support.” 🙂 They got along with everyone and had a good time!
I learned later that they were making fun of my pantry labeling—this ketchup was the “LAST ONE.” 🙂
Maggie got along with everyone and actually wasn’t too much of a pain!
Charlie was right in the thick of things, too. I know she’s the people person cat, but we didn’t think she’d stick around with 25 loud people…but she did. She was in the middle of it for the most part…and didn’t mind the attention! 🙂
Amy wanted to steal the kids’ minion backpack.
Those of you who know…KNOW what this box means!
Rivals…on the chair of truth. I’m not quite sure how it got called that, but by the end of the night it was THE name and probably half the people had been in it. 🙂
The kids came home from the sitter’s at 8 and stayed up for a bit since there was just so much going on it was way too exciting to go to bed. 🙂
One of the many, many things I never saw happen until I was looking at other people’s pictures!
The night was pretty much wrapped up by 10:30 or so, with most of the major cleaning done and the last people leaving about 11 (gone are the days when we were partying hard until 2am!). 🙂
We agreed the party was a great success! There was too much food, lots of laughs, and lots of wine…and no one got hurt and nothing got broken! There was one red wine spill at the very end of the night, but considering how many people were drinking and sloshing red wine glasses it could have been lots worse many times over.
He was invited to a birthday party at a local martial arts place…and boy did he have fun. We would actually have been interested in sending him there, but it’s expensive (not to mention 4-5 days a week).
Here is a video compilation of some of the stuff he did.
But I had to put this video in all on its own—he was SO excited and SO proud of himself for breaking the board! GO OWEN!
The stunt was seven years ago, but no one will let him forget it.
Hey, did you hear about the famous violinist who played in the Metro and no one paid attention?
Yes, Joshua Bell must say. That was me.
Technically, 27 people did stop the day The Washington Post asked the Grammy-winning violinist to don a baseball cap and pose as a street performer playing for change in the Metro. It was a social experiment for a magazine article: If a world-famous musician and his $3 million fiddle brought some of history’s most beautiful music to a rush-hour crowd, would people stop and listen? “In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?,” the story wondered. The answer: 1,070 people passed Bell without paying him any attention.
Now, after being asked about it nearly every day since, Bell is bringing his violin back to the Metro. This time, on his own terms.
I had heard about the 2007 stunt and thought how cool that would have been to be there, so this time, I figured since we lived THISCLOSE and it would be a cool thing to do—and it would be on my birthday—I wanted to go. HAD to go, in fact. But I also get SUPER anxious doing new things like that so I was sure I wouldn’t actually do it. But then this friend said “I’d love to go! We’ll do it together!” And so we planned. And commiserated about having to take the kids. And planned some more. She would pick us up after her doctor’s appointment, we would drive to the closest metro station that didn’t require an extra transfer (a 20-minute drive), take the metro in (about 40 minutes), watch the concert, then reverse the process home. It was going to be tight, but we were confident. (Well, I was filled with anxiety but was mostly confident!)
So the morning of, things were on schedule and I felt like I was going to throw up from anxiety. And then the doctor’s appointment went awry…he had never run late before but of course ran late today. So we didn’t go. At once I breathed a huge a breath of relief…and also felt a bit of sadness because I really did want to see the concert. But it was all good as we went out for lunch and had a great visit…which I am so thrilled about because before today, we had literally only met once and talked for maybe 30 minutes total at a playgroup at the park. She lives close (maybe two miles at most) and we really get along and are very similar in a lot of ways. So it was a good day, even considering we missed the concert. 🙂
These are our girls at lunch (her daughter is five months older than Katie):
Owen has REALLY been looking forward to the cookout and I was excited because Tom would be home so we could ALL go to the pool together for the last time. It was definitely warm enough and it looked like the rain was going to hold off for a bit, so we headed down after Katie’s nap.
Now, let me preface this by saying that when we go to the pool, there are typically just a handful of people there. As in maybe 3-6 other kids AT MOST (with parents)—and most of the time, there’s less. And when Owen and I went this past Saturday (the last Saturday before the pool closed for the season) we were the ONLY two people there (four total if you count the two lifeguards). And by the time we left two hours later, the only other people there were two older couples! I was baffled.
So today we walked in and HOLY SHIT there were a lot of people. As in “Wow, I guess there really are people who live here.” As in “If it was this busy all the time we wouldn’t come nearly as much.” There were lots of older annoying kids who didn’t much care that they were running into people or splashing people or just being overall obnoxious (and of course their parents weren’t doing anything about it). I heard the lifeguards’ whistles more today than all the other days combined. It was extremely chaotic.
The super annoying thing was that we had nowhere to sit when we got there. I felt like we should really have our names on some seats because we were there ALL THE TIME. All these other people NEVER went but were taking up all the seats for the free food. Well, at least that’s what it felt like. Literally the only seats that were open were in the kiddie pool area. Which was fine…just annoying.
So Tom was swimming with the kids and I was chatting with the mom I had hoped to see there (with the son in Owen’s class). And then I saw another mom I’d met at the pool previously (the ones that are moving this December) so we chatted a bit. And then Katie was coming down the pool steps behind me and I turned to see Tom behind us as well (just having moved our stuff to a table that had become free) and he was saying “Katie! Katie!” at some other little blonde girl wondering why she wasn’t stopping to listen to him. Well, it turns out her parents were right in front of me and Tom obviously had the wrong kid, so we laughed about it and started chatting and WOW, fingers crossed, they might just be our new best friends here. We just really hit it off—they have a 2.5yo girl with another on the way, they’re military (army), and they just moved here in late June so they don’t know anyone, either! And we instantly hit it off (as opposed to the other people we’ve met who are NICE but I just didn’t feel that instant connection with). So much so that we invited them to come sit at our table with us!
And then! Tom was sure he recognized a guy sitting across the pool. I told him it was all him—I’d done my part meeting moms. 🙂 So it turns out it’s someone he went to TBS with back in the day…AND THEY LIVE ON OUR STREET!! Small world, right? So we might end up with some good friends yet!
So then we had a little more fun in the pool and then Katie wanted to go home so as Tom was getting her packed up, Owen also decided he wanted to go home. I think it was just too chaotic for him (which I totally get).
We’ve been going to the pool every afternoon with our guests. Today was the first day I remembered my camera. Owen and Katie have both gotten MUCH more comfortable in the pool…
Katie had borrowed another girl’s toys but the girl eventually wanted them back. This is what happened.
Ruth and TJ taught Owen how to blow in one end of the noodle to spit water out the other end.
Katie likes to float on a noodle now, too.
And try to climb up on it.
I wanted Owen to show me a big jump like he’s been doing but I just got this little one.
Katie has started saying “Oh yeah! Oh yeah!” (from Despicable Me) and she was doing it in the pool.
My friend Ruth (that I met in Jacksonville through the mommy group) lives about 1:30 away from us now (they moved to Maryland a few months before we moved). Her son was attending a baseball camp close by so they were staying here. Yesterday I watched her younger daughter and today she was going to take Owen with them, but she convinced me to go and bring the kids. It was exhausting, but fun…we hit two parks and had a picnic lunch at a library.
Owen wasn’t sure about the ropes—he definitely isn’t a climber like Emily—but he eventually climbed up a little ways.
Playing in the water feature at the library. She needed a change of clothes when she was done (which I had been prepared for!).
So we were at the pool again today and Owen was having a blast in the big pool (though he typically still wants to start in the kiddie pool). There were a few kids playing around and one had water guns and diving rings—which he noticed IMMEDIATELY so of course he zeroed in on him and wanted to play with the gun. I told him he had to ask—which he did. And they played for a bit. Then we went back to the kiddie pool for a bit (for 10 minutes every hour, kids have to leave the pool and it’s adults only—so we just go to the kiddie pool because they’re still young enough). And while we were in there, the kid with the guns/rings came in saying “My dad said I should come meet you.” 🙂 So I had them introduce themselves and then I asked a few questions—his name is Eli and he’ll be in first grade. It was so cute watching them together.
Then it was time to go back in the big pool and they had a blast throwing and chasing the rings. Eli is quite a good swimmer and Owen started mimicking him—it was hilarious! He pushes off into the water like he knows what he’s doing and he kicks his feet…but his arms just flail madly and he doesn’t really go anywhere but he’s trying so hard and he’s having so much fun and he excitedly says “I’M SWIMMING!” 🙂 So then Eli’s dad came over to the edge of the pool (where I was with Katie) and introduced himself and we chatted for a few minutes (he’s familiar with Michigan—his family had a cabin around Grand Rapids). So the kids got along and Eli let Owen borrow two rings when they were leaving. I said we’d be back at the same time the next day!
Tonight was a Pampered Chef birthday party for Jacqueline…and the last time I’d see her or Katherine (until they hopefully come visit this fall for a girls weekend). They were part of the mommy group I got involved with here and they grew to be great friends. I’m REALLY going to miss them.
We had invited everyone back over today but no one could make it…so I was glad that I had talked to another pre-k mom at the end-of-year party and had invited her and her kids over. Owen loves the slide, but enjoys it SO MUCH MORE when there are other kids to play with. 🙂
Izzy (Owen’s classmate) and her sister, Cory:
After awhile I convinced Vicky to go down the slide as well. She agreed it was a blast!
We decided to have a going away party before we left—but I called it an “Until We Meet Again” party because I HATE goodbyes. It was also a perfect excuse to rent a huge waterslide for Owen because he loves them and our new house has zero place for one.
As it was being set up, the kids were VERY excited watching out the window. Katie was saying “Slide! Katie slide! Katie slide please!” 🙂 I was busy getting the last few things ready for the party and Tom was running our last errands so I made the kids wait until he got home…but then it was game on! Owen had no issues with it, of course, but Katie was a poop. She loves climbing on things but put her on the slide where she HAS to climb (and can pretty much climb without much caution) and she wanted NONE of it. This is where she’d stop:
Even after Owen went down a few times, this is the farthest she’d go:
Finally I had enough of trying to verbally coerce her into climbing up, so I got on the slide with her and basically pushed her up each rung of the ladder. Once we got to the top, she didn’t want to go down…so I put my arm around her and we went down together—AND SHE LOVED IT! And immediately went to the ladder…and climbed up all on her own (the little shit!)! I did go up again behind her to make sure she didn’t slip backwards, but she did it just fine!
And then at the top of the slide…I realized my phone was still in my pocket!!! @$&#%! I obviously hadn’t planned on going on the slide (I was still wearing clothes, too) but got caught up in the moment of being frustrated with Katie. 🙁 I yelled at Tom to come get it and instead of coming up the ladder calmly, he was a bit upset and wasn’t being careful…and instead tried to come up over the side of the slide and pulled a leg muscle while getting back off. Like pulled it badly enough that he was limping. 🙁 But the slide was a blast and I knew I’d be on it more throughout the day…so I just gave in and put my suit on right then. And since Katie was still going up and down, I put her in her suit, too.
This is where she liked playing the most. And she was pretty good about moving out of the way when you said “Katie, watch out!” She’d go wait on the side until Owen came down, then she’d go back in the water. 🙂
Even though the slide was fun, I thought it might be out to kill me. After the kids had been playing for a bit (while I was working on party prep), Katie refused to come down (it was her naptime but she didn’t know that—she was just being stubborn). I told Owen this was his one chance to push his sister down the slide—and he tried but he said she was too strong and he couldn’t do it…so I had to go up the slide again to get her down. So I climbed up and we came down together—and I smashed right through the end buffer and landed on the ground with Katie on top of me! HOLY CRAP. I knew it was possible (other adults have done it before) but I had already gone down “successfully” a handful of times so definitely wasn’t expecting it. Katie wasn’t hurt (or crying) so that was good, and for the most part I was okay, but I had actually smacked my head on the ground. Ugh—instant headache. Then Katie was trying to get back onto the slide so I had to grab her…and I slipped on the wet tarp while carrying her! Thankfully she wasn’t hurt and I wasn’t really, either, though my butt and back hurt. Good times, right? I handed her off to Tom and took some pain pills. AND THEN…I was going down the slide with Owen and we were having a blast…and he was excited and wasn’t following the rules (waiting for the area to be clear before sliding down) and just rammed his feet straight into my side. Needless to say it was time for me to take a break.
Once the other kids arrived, things got a little more hectic. Pool toys came out and were part of the slide and kids were going down together (as you can see here)…and the “rules” kind of went out the window. 🙂
The girls loved Katie and basically thought she was their own little doll. 🙂
Ursula was the first adult to go down and she went tandem with Virginia! She agreed it was a blast!
Everyone had fun and the slide was (of course) a hit. There were a few minor bumps and bruises once all eight kids were on the slide at the same time and Owen ended up with a sure-to-be bruised eye. But it was super fun and it all went really well. The only minor bummer was the weather—in the middle of the party we had a downpour just long enough and with just enough thunder and lightning to send everyone inside…for 15 minutes! So then it was back outside! It started to threaten a storm again about 7:00 which sucked because all the adults were going to get on the slide (and I had planned on being able to use the slide most of the evening)…so we just sent the kids inside and a few of us went down a few times in the rain. There’s even video of me catapulting over the end (which may get posted privately) but I’ll gladly post the one of Tom! 🙂
Once it started storming and we were all inside, the kids were watching a movie and the adults were visiting and snacking…and Jacqueline was doing my dishes. There was plenty of room in the dishwasher but she actually LIKES doing dishes so who am I to stop her? 🙂
It was a really great time and I am so glad we did it…and it wasn’t until everyone was gone that I got really sad thinking about how much we’re going to miss everyone. (It’s always sad leaving, but the last time we left, we were just going to be missing two families…this time, we have more friends that we’ll be missing so it will be even harder.) But at least we have some great memories!
A TiVo friend was in the area so he came over for a visit with his wife and two of his kids. Tom and I had met him before in 2008 at a big TiVo meet but we wanted the boys to meet. 🙂
The kids all had fun in the police car, except it was a little crowded so the threesome didn’t last too long. 🙂
His son, Josh, is one month younger than Owen. By now you shouldn’t be surprised at size differences. 🙂
A friend came to help me get jumpstarted on the garage sale prep and she picked out a bunch of stuff and took a bunch of other stuff I was getting rid of…so I’m counting it as bags for the challenge! It probably equated to two days worth, but I’m only using one. 🙂
No shyness today so he easily posed with Braxton! Just before I snapped this, Braxton ran over to Owen saying “Wait! I haven’t given him his hug yet!” 🙂
Yes, they’re about the same age—Owen is about four months older.
Friends of ours are moving (one of my mommy group friends; her husband retired from the USMC) and had a retirement/going away party…with a waterslide for the kids! Owen started sliding shortly after we got there at 4 and only stopped for about 10 minutes total to eat a granola bar and a few bites for dinner before we left at 7:45. This kid loves waterslides. 🙂
So, it turns out it was his friend, Braxton, that peed on him. (I actually got the scoop from the classroom assistant.) She told me it hadn’t really been that big of a deal—that the girl who called made it seem like an INCIDENT. She thinks it was more on purpose but apparently Braxton said they were peeing in the same toilet (which, she wasn’t watching, but had walked by and they were at separate toilets).
His mom actually showed up at the same time I was there and we had a laugh. She said she was hoping it was Owen because she knows me and knew I wouldn’t care. 🙂
Owen didn’t seem to be phased by it at all and didn’t even talk about it until I asked. And he said Braxton just wasn’t paying attention. He didn’t seem to think it was any big deal.
So, no one can tell what REALLY happened, though Owen is a pretty honest kid (and does like to tattle) so if Braxton did it on purpose I’m sure we would have heard it.
So while I was at my friend’s house today, her husband happened to have the day off. She heard their daughter call him daddy, so she started calling him daddy, too. It was SO cute. For awhile we thought maybe she really thought he was her daddy—tall, dark hair, short hair—but no, she told him her daddy was at work. But she knew enough to call him daddy to get his attention!
