The Puddles

Groovin' to the music

Oh, happy day!

Ainsley’s party started the day off for us.  We spent a good portion of the week preparing for the last day of school  (and Madie’s birthday of course).  Baking goodies, wrapping presents, coordinating schedules, etc.  Chris ended up working that morning so at the last minute I scrambled to find someone for Ben to hang out with so that I could make it to the class party.  Chris’ day off is usually Monday but he ended up working all of that day, so he elected to take off Friday instead.  That didn’t work out so well either.  Luckily a nice person down the street said yes to my late night plea for help.  She let Ben hang with her while I went to Ainsley’s party.

Dad was able to meet us at the elementary school at 1:30 for the afternoon parties. I went with Ben to his and Dad went with Madie for hers.  Madie loved having Daddy with her.  She has felt a little trumped by Ben lately, so it was good for her to have her daddy with her.  Apparently those other mommies didn’t know what to do with Chris.  He was playing the part of the French waiter and serving all of the guests at Madie’s table.  Then there was some deep discussion about the proper way to eat a cupcake.  Do you lick the icing off first or do you take the wrapper off and eat the cupcake that way?  To be a fly on that wall!  I don’t have any pictures of that party, but I am sure that it is seared in the mind of Madie forever.

Then there was Ben’s party . . . the boy had been waiting all week for this.  We knew that we were breaking all of the rules taking him. So we made him wear a mask and he put his hands in his pockets the whole time so that he wouldn’t be tempted to touch anything.  We had told the school to tell the kids to not hug on him or touch him.  I just want to say that the biggest culprits for breaking this rule was . . . the teachers.  But it was all out of love!  Of course, Ben wanted hugs too.  We didn’t stay long. Maybe 20 minutes. But it was great! Ben got to see his friends again.  He wanted to say something before he left so we asked his teacher if he could say something before he left.  There they are eating their snacks and Ben starts off by showing them his scar.  Great table conversation.  Luckily it is pretty healed and didn’t look bad.  But jeeze!

I took Ben home and scrubbed him down in the bathtub as soon as we walked in the door.  It was a good end to a good day.  Busy and tiring, but good.  We had visitors that evening stop by and Chris was so deadpaned in expression.  He at least came to say hello but he was exhausted with all humanity by the evening.   Today was a day to reclaim the house from a week of neglect.  I think we are near the end of that process.  Now on to the next adventure!

Ben and his teacher, Mrs. Sellars

Ben's class party

Ben's class job chart. I love his job!