Walking Backwards

Well, I haven't really succeeded in doing much of anything. Joe is the worst influence in that respect (and therefore the best husband). He let me lounge around and finish my book before he left, while he folded the laundry and watched the baby. Now, before I begin book three in the Harry Potter series, I must get things done.


I got the pictures uploaded from the baby's birthday and am going to try to recount what happened that day. First, I stayed until after two in the morning the night before trying to catch up with all that needed to be done. I did prep work on most of the food and wrapped Nico's gifts. I also decorated the Elmo face cake, which was surprisingly easy compared to last year's 3D duck cake. Sadly, none of my digital pictures of it turned out. Hopefully, some of the film pictures will save that effort for posterity's sake. I woke up the day of the party at half past eight and started getting the food together and the place decorated. Annie showed up just after 10 and was a life-saver in the party preparation department. Joe kept the baby entertained by taking him to go pick up balloons. My mom brought us coffee just after eleven and the phone calls started coming in with people telling us they were going to be a little late. By twelve-thirty, most people had shown up for the twelve o'clock party. We set out the food and set about socializing. People showed up hungrier than we thought and the food was quickly devoured. Back into the kitchen for me to make more pizzas and to send Jon out to grill hot dogs. Nicholas fell in love with Cassidy, the eleven year-old daughter of a friend. He kept following her around asking her to pick him up. Lucky for him, she happily obliged. Soon, the pizzas, hot dogs, spinach dip, fruit and vegetable trays were gone. All of the cheese in the house had been consumed and the pasta salad was a vague memory. We had run out of lemonade and iced tea. It was time to open gifts. Nicholas opened a push mower first and ran off with it, not returning for several minutes to see what else he had gotten. Each gift he opened, he was perfectly content to have that be it and for us to leave him to play on his own with his new treasure. He even tried to model the clothes he had gotten, but could only manage to put them on in the manner of a scarf, around his neck. Even the pants he had gotten received a similar treatment. He got a soccer uniform from England, a Ramones t-shirt, two summer short sets, the afore mentioned push mower, a baby pool, pool toys, an outdoor swing, a mister potato head, a case for his hot wheels cars, a train set from ikea, a plastic tub filled with legos, a gift certificate to Whole Foods for all of the special foods we have to buy him, a fridge phonics set, and two thomas the train cars. My mother bought him a twin bed that is getting delivered next week. He is quite the spoiled boy. After opening gifts, the Elmo cake was devoured faster than it was made, only one small red sliver remained. We handed out goodie bags and the guests started to leave. Mark and Maria, who had read the invitation wrong, showed up just as the last guests were departing. We got to celebrate with our friends and little miss Fiona for a bit afterwards before Nicholas began to be showing the telltale signs of exhaustion and had to be put down for a nap. That evening we went to Anthony's housewarming party and Nicholas was excited again by climbing up and down the stairs and laughing at them playing air hockey. No signs of the cranky baby he had been a few hours before. Finally at eleven, after a quick dinner, I got to collapse on the bed after such an exciting day. Nico seemed to enjoy himself so much more this year than last and I can only imagine how much more wonderful next year is going to be. Now for the pictures:


Nico and his friend, Reygan:



Here Nico is running off with the mower, his first gift, trying to get away before we notice:



Trying on pants:



His snazzy Ramones t-shirt:



Petitioning his uncle to open up his legos: