Six

I honestly think Jack is brilliant.

Yesterday while trying to clean up before Husband's mother came to visit, I came up with a little game to keep Jack preoccupied. It was called, "Please put this away for Mama." The game itself was about as fun as 52 card pickup but he's 18 months old. He doesn't know the difference.

Jack caught on quickly. Truthfully, he was only in charge of two things: throwing things away in the trash after I told him and picking up loose change. I have an oversized super-cheesy Coke bottle that's a bank. Jack loves putting $$ in it. So much, in fact, that after he collected all the loose change from our bedroom floor, he started scouring the entire upstairs for more coinage. When that was done, he motioned "more" in sign language. That's when I came with putting stuff in the garbage.

Digging around under the bed I found tons of surprises -- pacificers, old (unused) diapers, toys, a remote control and other goodies. Jack knew where everything thing went. And he got on a roll. I began not having to tell him where to put stuff. Most of the things in our room belonged there they were just out of place.

Later, I was getting his bath water ready when I noticed a travel sized shampoo and conditioner that I had bought for my cancer walk but never finished. Guess where it was? On the outside corner of the tub where those products go. I think that's pretty impressive.

Along with that,
Jack's teachers told me last week Jack likes to hand out the other kids jackets when their parents arrive. Apparently, when he sees a mom he immediately runs to that kid's coat and then runs it that parent. Think about that: not only does he know who belongs to each coat, he knows everyone's parents.

If that doesn't cause you to say "wow" nothing will.

Five

OK. So I am changing my own blog rules and making a tiny (literally) exception. Jack got a new cousin recently -- and we are all thrilled. My cousin who's closest to me in age and his wife have a new son -- Morgan Lucas. Jack and Morgan now have the job of making sure our family lineage continues.
No pressure.

And coincidently, Jack got another new cousin (on the same day) from Husband's family -- Maya Lorinda-Rose. We don't have a good picture of her yet but are going to Kzoo this weekend to meet her. When we get a shot equally cute as the one above I will post it for all to see.

I am interested to see how Jack reacts to Miss Maya because recently he's become obsessed with pointing out babies. And, mind you, often the "baby" he's pointing out by repeating "Baby!Baby!" over and over are not often much older than he. Considering we hope to expand our tribe (someday), I am hoping Jack will be all that he can be when he meets his mini-cousin. Cross your fingers.

So the birthday weekend flopped with Jack being sick and me. Whoo-hoo, 29! Friends came from two cities to go out but I didn't make it past dinner. We ended paying the babysitter extra because we were home before 11 and felt bad about it. While she said we shouldn't, she took it. Whatever, she's a college kid -- I know how that is.

Jack's got an ear infection, cough, sore throat -- the whole nine yards. I, myself, feel like #2.

I have a sick feeling that my birthdays are going to be borderline for the rest of my life. Nothing can beat the parties at Chuck E. Cheese's and Major Magics. Everybody had one at McDonald's right? And my college b-days? Awesome.

I still remember the year I got the pink Health Tec dress that had green and purple stripes. I looked hot. I may have been 7. That dress tops my all-time-favorite outfits. My mom recently told me that my sister and I always had problems when the birthdays came around. I think her actual quote was, "If it didn't go exactly as planned, you'd fall apart."

Well, that may be true. But you only get one true day for yourself. It seems like it should kick ass. I am sure when Jack gets older he'll be more like his dad. Throw him a hot dog and some ice cream, roll in some sort of sporting activity and he'll be good.

It's just another example of why it's easier to be a boy.

Who knows? Maybe I should have started over in '06

Yesterday my oldest friend stopped into town for dinner. She was doing business all day in Grand Rapids and then had to get back to the D so she made a pitstop here. It was awesome to see her. I don't even know when the last time was -- Jack's baptism? Her wedding? Well, considering he's 18 months now, you get the drift.

We went to a nearby Italian restaurant that is quite good but one of those places we always forget about when we can't decide on dinner. She worked there when we were at MSU. Anywho, Jack fell asleep in the car. It's always a toss up whether that's a good thing.

Last night it wasn't.

He was so bad. And there's my friend talking about how she and her husband can't wait to have a baby. She's going on and on about how they are trying and they're ready and I am losing my mind. He screamed when we put him in the highchair. He punched his Daddy when he got there. He tipped over two glasses of water and an entire pop on her jacket. Then he decided he would run around the restaurant, through the kitchen, near the bathroom and then bump tables. Oh, then Jack thought it would be a good idea to drag a chair away from its table. Then he threw stuff. Then he screamed again. Then he lost his shoes. He was walking birth control.

Dinner was great -- after Husband and the kid left. We ended up sitting in the place until it was way too late considering her drive. Selfishly, it was just so nice to have an adult conversation that wasn't about bills, job-related work or Jack with someone who has known me since I was 3. I didn't have to background anything and even though we rarely see each other these days, we fell right back into place. We were those two little girls yelling across the street to each other because we were too little to cross.

I sat there in the booth and studied her face. I finally realized sitting there that we were adults, no longer playing Pacman and dancing to her Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang record and begging her sister to tell us who she loved more. But just the same, she still looks like that kid I went to Disney on Ice with and fell in a huge puddle and had to wear her clothes. (The story is that her dad, along with us, were skipping through the parking lot holding hands. Just as her mother warned us, we all fell. I think I may have been 5 and it was hilarious.) Who knows the next time we'll have the time to sit down to dinner like that. But it really doesn't matter.

I can only hope Jack will find someone like her. Together we've gone through some stuff over these last 25+ ... the tough times -- divorce, death, job situations -- and the good times, girlfriends, marriage, babies -- and the times in between.

She and I are pretty damn lucky.