Taking the Scenic Route

Zane wanted a Mario theme for his birthday. I could not find any Mario themed birthday stuff anywhere, online or otherwise. When I was at the Party Store (where I get balloons and plates and stuff), there was another mom there with a boy who was turning 6 on the 27th also, who wanted a Mario theme for his birthday party and we lamented the lack of Mario stuff. In passing, she said something about how weird it is because it seems like kids always want the same themes at the same ages. I know it was just a passing comment to her, but to me it almost made me bawl. I remember another time standing in line with my Thomas themed stuff and another parent was commenting that her 2 year old liked Thomas too. It is so cool that he likes stuff that is age appropriate. I know that might not always be true in the future, but I enjoyed the comment anyway.

Anyway, I got “Mario” colors, plus orange (his current favorite color), and some stars (there are stars in the games) and hoped that he would see a theme in it. He did. When I asked him which hat he wanted at his place setting, he wanted “Mario Party Red”. Score!

Usually I do the cake decorating if we don’t order a cake (which we often do simply because the holidays are too busy for me to have the energy and patience to decorate cakes), but since Zach is better at drawing Mario, he wanted to do it. It was the first cake he has ever decorated. We ran into several problems along the way, the main one being that we didn’t get enough icing (and I really didn’t want to make icing), so we had to cobble together several of the leftover cookie decorating icing with the stuff we got for the cake. I was also reminded that our oven is not leveled, which resulted in one corner of the cake being about a centimeter thick, and the opposite corner being a good 1.5-2 inches. The thing that made it worse was that the second cake wasn’t quite as uneven, so even when we moved the layers the other way, it was still really uneven. (and I did not really want to go to the work of cutting off the top to make it more even because I don’t really have the appropriate tools to do it easily). It was a little goofy. By the way, Zane wanted Strawberry cake, so we were also dealing with an odd color to try and cover up with frosting.

The most important thing to know here is that Zane loved the cake. Even Zora loved the cake and was excited about it. Had we paid for it, it would be a candidate for Cake Wrecks, but since it was lovingly made by a Dad who had never decorated a cake in his life (and declared “frosting is a lot harder to work with than paint!”), I think it is a masterpiece and I love it.

The guest list was the same as Zora’s party, except that Robert’s wife stayed home.

Zane was a little overwhelmed after the week of festivities, and then the blow horns I chose happened to also be noisemakers (unbeknownst to me…I know, stupid, but I didn’t realize those things could make noise) and the other kids were blowing them like crazy. I finally had to put a stop to it and they were kind enough to stop it for him. He took refuge with Grandma, snuggling with her for quite a while when everybody else finished eating the pizza.

Time for the cake!

Grandma & Grandpa gave him a Caterpillar backhoe like Grandpa drives and Zane had fun driving out at the farm.

There was also a completely unplanned “Star Wars” theme to the gifts. We gave him a Star Wars lego game, Robert’s family gave him a comic book and action figure set, and Grandma & Grandpa gave him a few action figures.

He got two games; the First Star Wars Lego game for GameCube (he enjoyed the 2nd version a lot) and Wii Mario Party 8, the game he wanted so much.

From Grammie Z we got him a block set. It reminded us of a big version of the blocks we brought back from Germany that he adores, and he loves blocks. It is a gift that remains in our living room and both of the kids, but especially Zane, really love building with them. (FTR, we chose the gifts from Grammie Z for Birthdays and Christmas from a generous gift certificate from her. We tried to choose more heirloom type gifts from her, especially for the birthdays)

It was a good birthday party. Zane wasn’t feeling his best…a combination of the week off schedule and a tummy thing he has had going on all week that seemed to really get worse starting on his birthday. He did enjoy the day though, and when weather looked like it might delay the party, he insisted we still held it. ( a good decision…the weather cleared and he was much worse the next day).

I can not believe he is seven. It doesn’t seem real. Seven sure isn’t what I thought it would be when I held him in my arms that first time, but it is precious none the less.

From the 23rd

Zora’s birthday party was fun. She has been talking about her birthday party for weeks already, insisting that she wanted balloons, cake, party hats and presents. (although she was never specific about the presents part, which made me giggle a bit). She decided she wanted a “Dora” party. Party guests included: The 2 Opas (although she is starting to call Grandma “Oma” now sometimes…but she is still an “Opa” most of the time) and Robert’s family. We had pizza and cake and ice cream, then opened the presents.

Dad’s hat cracked me up

I think she was as excited to give the gift as Zora was to get it. (Polly Pockets)

Zane helped pick out a Leapster for Zora. He thought she would like the green more than the pink one. For some reason, he was really intent on her opening his gift. As soon as it was opened, he wanted to test it out for her. (we got it primarily because she keeps running off with his handheld games and it really upsets him, so now we have something to bargin with.)

From Grammie Z, a music/treasure box. The writing on it says: “Discover your world ~ my barefoot child ~ your dreams will take you there ~ your heart will guide”. She loves to open the little drawers and watch the horse turn when it plays.

From Grandma & Grandpa, a ride on bear (that Zora calls a dog) that both of the kids love.

We also got her some Polly Pockets, and both girls went to work playing intently with the dolls.

It was fun, but I can’t believe it has been three years. As always, it is going too fast.

Saturday afternoon we went to a birthday party of a little girl turning four.

I have never really spent much time in the “girly” aisle’s at Target before and it took me a while to figure out what the heck to get her. I was a little overwhelmed with the creepy eyed dolls, both the people and the animal dolls. I had no idea that “My Little Pony” now came tiny, without the cool hair to brush, and had their own fashion boutique and outfits. I had heard about Polly Pockets online, in parenting forums, but was rather taken aback when my first glance at them was a package of disembodied heads, a bunch of torsos, and legs. It looked like “serial killing for girls” at first glance. I figured out later that it is the new thing…they come apart like that so that you just put them together like that to make new outfit combinations instead of having to dress them. Not all of the Pollys look like they have been hacked up into fashionable little pieces.

I ended up getting Zora a little Polly Pocket Stackable playset. They only had two there…a bathroom and a bbq on the deck set. I ended up getting the bathroom. I was slightly weirded out at getting her a bathroom, but really, it was better than the bbq. I hope to get her a little kitchen and maybe some other rooms too. I am in desperate need of something small that she can play with in the ST waiting rooms. I can’t exactly take those giant Little People playsets or the big wooden dollhouse with me, but she seems to like playsets. I looked for a while in the boys stuff to see if there was a cool hot wheels car playset, but they didn’t really have anything and I seriously don’t need another train set in this house so the take-along-Thomas set was out. I was hoping for those cool animal playsets (you know, with real looking animals, not creepy big eyes with blue eyeshadow and wardrobe “pets”) I have seen at Toys R Us, but Target didn’t have anything like that and I didn’t have time to make it to the other place before closing because I had just spent an hour and a half trying to figure out what to get the girls. lol.

Anyway, the party itself was much smaller and less chaotic than her big brother’s parties. We watched her open presents and then ate cake and ice cream. It was nice.

I snapped pictures of her opening the gifts, but the thing that makes this interesting is Zane in the background. Zach, who was next to him, said that he was making up stories and acting them out in the castle. This is something that we almost never see him doing, so it was pretty exciting. (later he had the castle opened up and had knights on horses tromping through)

Happy Happy Birthday,

That’s what we’re here to say

Happy Happy Birthday,

May All Your Dreams Come True!

Happy Happy Birthday,

From All of us to you.  HEY!

Yeah…too many years waiting tables…this is the song that goes through my head now days. lol.

After long conversations with each of his parents on the phone (they each live several states away), my folks invited us to Carabas for Zach’s Birthday.  Much to our suprise and delight, Steve and Joy were there too.  Joy looks a lot better and even treated us to a glass of some decent wine.  Yum. 

So very appropriate for my guy.

Zora’s first cannoli. 

She was pleased.

The Party on Saturday 

Robert’s middle child turned 8.  The gaggle of boys were really loud and rowdy, and Zane came to the backyard to be with the girls instead.  They shared wagon rides and then helped Dori plant tomatoes and cucumbers, then water the garden.  I think they enjoyed the garden more than the rest of the party.

Church today.

Finally, everybody was well enough to resume the Sunday School project for Zane.  I felt really good about it when we were done with the hour.  Every time I go to the Kid’s Ministry stuff I am left more and more impressed, and both kids seem to love it.  I couldn’t be more pleased with the whole program and the people I have met there.

However, the worship service was sooo bad.  The songs were annoying at best, weird melodies that I didn’t recognize and couldn’t figure out the alto/tenor parts to be able to sing (and the soprano lead was beyond squeaky for me) and just seemed uninspired.  The sermon taught me a lesson in patience and the ability to resist temptation.  (the temptation to chuck the hymnal at the preacher, a first for me).  I just spent most of the sermon wondering if the guy ever actually studied biblical history and understood what the original documents say instead of the outdate, narrow interpretations of them.  I am used to educated, intelligent ministers who, even if I don’t agree with them, at least are reasonably logical.  This guy was out to lunch.  I am not sure if I even want to go to another worship service there at this point. 

As much as I want to, I will probably keep going for a bit to see if this is a fluke, or if it is the norm.  I need to exercise patience and see if it improves.  We will be able to go to a different service or Sunday School after Zane is mainstreamed into the Sunday School program, so I need to just hold my horses right now.  I was hoping to be able to take Zane into the main service and get him accustomed to it, and this is the only reasonable option for that right now. (there is a service before his Sunday School, but I don’t want to wear him out in the big service before SS,  so I need to give him time to adjust to SS first, then we can go to the earlier service without it causing as much difficulty for him).

*sigh*  I wish I could combine the University or Chapel Hill service with the program at the MB church.  Right now, it is more important that the kid’s needs get met than ours though, so I will have to just suck it up and deal.  At least it does accomplish one thing very well…stimulates lots of discussion in the car afterwards.  lol

Little Zora is a dyanamo.  After 3 hours in the church nursery, she came home and didn’t want to take a nap.  We went to a birthday party at Pump-it-Up, one of those places that has huge blow up play equiptment.  (here are some pics from a b-day party there last Dec: 1, 2).  Both of the kids really had fun, but Zora’s energy was remarkable, epecially considering no nap after what usually wears her out.  Zach was going up with her each time for a while, and was tiring, and one time two little kids got in between him and Zora and she went down on her own, in perfect form, so from that point on we just let her go.  For two full hours, she climbed the stairs, on her own (nobody carrying her), and then slid down the slide on her own.  A lot of the times she was dragging the yellow matt, bigger than she was and easily 10-15lbs up the stairs with her.  She barely even slowed down.  I just couldn’t believe she kept going because the stairs are much harder than average to climb because it is inflatable, and any other person on the entire thing would cause them to wiggle and require more work to keep balanced.  She attacked that thing with abandon.  No wonder we have a hard time meeting her energy needs at home.  lol

They welcomed little Gloria today to the Gleeson clan.  One lucky baby, with lots of great brother’s and sisters.

My parents came to town and took us out to eat for my birthday.  The pictures we took were phenomoninally bad, to the point Zach and I didn’t even erase them because, as a group, are so bad they are funny.   Here are a few that aren’t just horrifying.

The evening was really wonderful though.  Good food, happy family, what more can a person ask for?  What a great way to bring in another year.

Grandma & Grandpa came for the small birthday party (we are having the big party with friends this summer).  Zane choose the cake and the menu.  For supper we had cheeseburgers and cheetos (Zane had Jalapino cheetos that he saw in the store).  The cake was chocolate and very tasty.  When Zach first picked up a smaller cake that resembled Zora’s, Zane said “No, Zora’s cake” and went and got the chocolate rectangle cake instead. 

We ate supper, then opened gifts, then had cake and ice cream.  My folks couldn’t stay long because there was a storm headed in, but Zane seemed to understand why they had to leave earlier than usual and remained happy through the evening.

Happy Birthday my Beautiful Son.  I think you have officially left “little kid” now.  It is going too fast.

My birthday girl celebrated this evening.  Grandma & Grandpa and Uncle Steve all came to celebrate with us.  Since the weather has been so unpredictable this winter, we decided to move the “big” party (joint party for both kids) to this summer, where we invite friends and be able to play outdoors. 

We had a quiet family party with pizza, cake and ice cream.  Zane got her a shopping basket, Grandma got a purse filled with little purse things (play cell phone, key ring, wallet, and things like that) and a few dress up outfits and necklace.  We got her some cloth “sorting bags”.  It is five different colored bags with cloth food in matching colors. 

Zora was on top of the world.  She even figured out how to blow out the candles and was warming up to Steve by the end of the evening.  She was very excited about all of her gifts and carried them around the rest of the evening.  (it helps when your brother gives you this great shopping basket.  lol)

Zane was a bit sad.  Zach talked to him for a while tonight and by the time he went to bed he was ok again, and he handled the party ok even though it was hard for him.  He was excited to get her a present and he liked the cake and ice cream.  It is hard to watch your sibling be the center of attention as a kid.  I remember it being hard even when I was old enough to know how to be gracious, and it is worse when you are a little kid.  It does helps a little bit that he doesn’t have to wait long for his day instead of months.

Zane took the necklace and put it over both of them.

Happy Birthday my big girl!  You are growing up entirely too fast!

For the nostalgic:  Zora’s Birth, Zora’s First Birthday.