Kaleidoscopic Eclat

Tomorrow is the pup’s birthday. She’ll officially be 9. NINE. and she’s my BABY and she’s just 366 days away from entering double digit birthdays! Oh. Em. Gee. *sigh*

TBF, he called me up to see if she had a problem with stories about spiders (No, though she does have a problem with REAL spiders in the bathtub when she wants to take a bath… then she’s all BROTHER SAVE ME and stuff…) because he was with his niece at a book signing, with Randie Sue Elliott for her new book, Spidey’s Human. He braved his OWN arachnophobia as there were giant spiders on the table and in the author’s hand, in order to get The Pup her own autographed copy! The pup LOVES books, and LOVES ones that are autographed (she carried around her copy of Sagwa I got her last summer for months - in fact, she just rediscovered it and carted it off to school again) so I knew she’d adore it!

Thus, when it arrived today (Hurray for priority mail!) and she checked the mail, and discovered a package with her name on it… I couldn’t force her to wait till tomorrow. I mean, I could have, but that would have been mean, even for me! So I let her open it right away:

Her reading has improved by leaps and bounds this year, since getting her into Mrs. W’s class. All of my kids had difficulties early on, but once they find that switch and things start making sense, there’s no stopping them - the older two read almost as much as I do now, and the Pup is well on her way to being the same way. (Trick for parents everywhere: “Sure, you can keep your light on a little bit past bed time - as long as you’re reading.” Works like a CHARM.) In fact, here she is reading the back cover so that you know what the book is about. She didn’t practice it first, and there’s a few mishaps and mispoken words in there, but all in all, I cannot BELIEVE the change from this time last year. I’m so proud! Now, you can be proud too! (shut up. My kid is so better then your kids. *g*)

Mah BAYBEE!

…Means freckles! I ADORE her freckles! She, of course, hates them. *L* But I love them, and her, and freckles on her.

HOW CUTE IS SHE? Seriously. No wonder she only gets beat half as much as the others…

I’m kidding. I beat all my kids once a day whether they need it or not. “That’s for what I didn’t catch you at!” and all.

Kidding again - I don’t have time to beat the kids. They’re too busy cleaning house and making me margaritas.

In the “I’m not old enough for this” file…

..Guess who has suddenly decided work isn’t so horrible a thing after all?

Since his one day of work on his first paycheck he got today got him $60 bucks, he’s suddenly a-ok with the whole concept of dishes and mopping… I took him into my bank, got him set up with his own account, bank card, savings account all rolled into one, and talked to him about how we were going to start saving for the big stuff with his next check.

Then, he treated me to some french fries. Awww. I’m still not old enough for this…

Though on the other hand, with him wanting to finish fixing his car, get his license, and with gas prices at $4.14 a gallon today… HURRAY! HE HAS A JOB!

When he came home from work last night, I discovered he had been taught the drive-thru window, which amused me because that was MY spot for all the years I worked there. I could walk in that store today and still rock the DT Handout window like nobody’s business. Some things, you never forget. He’s becoming more comfortable there, with the job and the folks he is working with, and it’s a joy to see his confidence bloom every day.

Though I’m not above making him blush at the bank. When I told the teller my name would be on the account too, he asked why, and I said in case I need to access the account. He asked why again, and I arched a brow. “Oh, I dunno. Your insurance, car parts,” pause… “…bail money…”

He blushed, then nodded. “You raise a good point, mom.”

Get used to it kid - I got a lot of good points stored up.