More than a handful: A 6th birthday for the Little Professor

Last week we enjoyed an awesome day with our Little Professor, also known as our eldest son. He marked his sixth birthday, and we sure had a slam-bang time! Well, a slam-bang time for a bunch of kids six and under--and mom and dad, too. I didn't get any pics of the outdoor fun, but you can hopefully enjoy the narrative.

As usual, LP got to open cards and presents throughout the day. After breakfast and his first opening, I asked him what he wanted to do: the park or the library. "The library!" he said, a little to my surprise. So the kids and I trekked over, and he (and Superman and Pearly Girl) got to pick out prizes for the library's summer reading program (good thing I filled out the reading logs before we left!). LP chose three books, thrilled to get another Magic Tree House book ("Christmas in Came-lot," he told me).

LP had originally wanted pancakes and sausage for lunch, but he changed his mind and opted for PB & J--which is what he has almost every day. Easy for mom, that one! We enjoyed eating outside at the picnic table on our newish patio, which was put in in May. (A beyond-huge improvement over the mud hole that's been there for a year and a half.) Then, during quiet time while the others slept, LP and I made "Fire Truck Cookies", since he'd chosen to have those instead of red velvet cake, his earlier choice (I know, Aunt R; I was bummed, too). But we didn't exactly make fire trucks. we used blue frosting instead of red, cut off two corners of each graham cracker instead of one, added golden Oreos (LP's choice) to most instead of regular Oreos, adorned the tops with pretzel sticks instead of licorice, sprinkled nonpareils and red, yellow, blue, and green sparkles all over the tops. We'd thought we were making police cars, but what we made looked way more like race cars--always a favorite here--so hey! Even better!

LP's self-made Birthday Cookie

After we took pics of the cookies, LP wanted to take some pics of his own to show off some of his birthday gifts.

A library pick, for obvious reasons. LP said he'll read it to Pearly Girl and Small Dude.

Another self-evident choice: boys and trucks!

And boys and planes! Dusty as a fire truck plane.

He wanted to do a group shot. All layouts and button-pressing done by LP.

After the others woke up, we went to the pool for some swimming ginormous sand castle fun, came home and grilled out for another round of picnic awesomeness. Papa played soccer with the boys before bed, and all in all, LP had a good day. Actually, near bedtime he told me, "I've had a GRREEEAAAT birthday!" And it was. We are so thankful for our son and the six years he's lived outside the womb!

Sibling excitement

 

"What is it?"...

"A harmonica!!" Thanks, Grandpa E.!

Superman made pictures, a card, and picked some of his toys
 to give to LP. He "wrapped" them in the bucket.

 

Nice monster truck!

A happy six-year-old!

Jellicle Time

Aside from the normal excuses I give about not blogging regularly, another event has cut into my typing time, and it involves fabulous feline fun. Disclaimer here: I'm not a cat person. I'm not even much of a dog person. We have no pets--which probably isn't that surprising, given the number of kiddos we have--and if we do ever get a pet, it will be years from now, and it would have to be the absolute right time and right dog. I've pretty much ruled out getting a cat for many, many reasons.

All that being said, I don't dislike cats. I've taken care of them before--our neighbors had my sister and I take care of their five cats when they were gone on vacation, and they were pleasant enough when they weren't hiding (the cats, not the neighbors). I pet them if they'll deign to allow it when I visit friends or family. But cats tend to be distant. They're particular. They don't lend themselves to blind loyalty or random snuggling with the nearest human unless they really want and need some love (see Socks when baby Charles shows up). And now I have a reason to possess a renewed respect for these aloof-yet-sophisticated animals.

T.S. Eliot wrote a wonderful little book called Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats in the 1930s, and Andrew Lloyd Webber used it to write the blockbuster musical CATS, which premiered in 1981. Our local theater organization, the Calumet Players, decided last fall to tackle this gigantic show, and it's currently completed its first weekend run.

And who's involved with this production? Well, many awesome and talented people. And me.

Yes, I'm actually playing a cat (her name is Jemima). And would you believe it? It's been amazingly fun!

If you're available next weekend--like, within fifty miles of here--you should come see the show. Not because I'm in it but because you'll love it. Even if you don't fancy yourself a friend of cats. Trust me--I know!

Quite the transformation is an understatement.