Birthday Weekend

This is Michael's birthday weekend. His actual birthday (the big 4-0) is on Monday. When I asked him what he wanted for a present this year, he replied "nothing you could put in a box", which to me translated to some downtime, some time to relax, some time to read a book, some time to stare at a wall. So that is what I got him.

Last night I gave him his gift (wrapped three times in three boxes just to make my point) and sent him off to beautiful sunny emeryville for a kid free weekend. I got him tickets to the movies (across the street) and a great room with a seperate sitting area and view of SF.

Box #1


Box #2 Parker helps.


Box #3


The card.


Miranda being a ham.


Jenna came over to sit and since (when hearing my surprise plans offerred to stay over night with the kids) a good night's sleep sounded great to me too, I said YES! Michael and I left for dinner at 7ish after the girls were asleep. Parker was all too happy to read books with Jenna, who he loves. After dinner we went back to the hotel (which was conveniently located across the street) and pretty much fell asleep immediately. Unfortunately, I had a hard time sleeping and even moved to the sofabed in the early morning to try there. Michael said the sight of me on the bare sofabed with a bath towel as a blanket was pathetic. But Michael slept well, which was the whole point. We had coffee at Peets and then I drove home.

Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, I was pleasantly surprised when everyone was all smiles when I arrived. Jenna said the girls woke up once, cried out a bit and then tried to open the door. She put them back in the bed where they stayed until 5:30 (a bit early for a night owl like Jenna.) Parker made it through the night no problem. We all hung out a bit and then we took everyone to Parker's soccer class where Elizabeth had a blast. Miranda wasn't feeling well, as evidenced by the fact she wouldn't leave my lap (except to climb on this fence.) Elizabeth, by the way, climbed to the top unassisted. That girl is something else.






After class, Jenna went home to nap, bless her heart, and we went to the close by Playplace. Parker and Elizabeth had a blast, but Miranda just wanted to sit with me. Then the girls wanted a snack. After some cottage cheese and applesauce, Miranda started throwing up everywhere. On me, the floor, the table, herself. She's screaming and I'm doing my best to clean it all up before the employees or other patrons notice. I tell Parker that we have to go home because Miranda is sick and he starts screaming. I told him he could go one more time down since I was still cleaning everything up. When I was done wiping cottage cheesey barf up, Miranda seemd better and since Elizabeth was following Parker up the play structure over and over, I decided to let them do it a bit longer.

Then Parker stumbled and got hurt. He starts screaming in the play structure. I'm still dealing with Miranda so I can't really do much for Parker. I tell him he can either stop crying and go up and down one more time or he can come out and we can go home. These choices were not good for him so he started screaming more. The screaming, of course, made Miranda start crying again. So, it was time to go. Elizabeth got her shoes on, but Parker was too hysterical to do that, so I carried Miranda and Elizabeth out to the car with Parker screaming like a crazy person behind me. The entire ride home (about 15 minutes) he told me he was done crying (as he was crying) and that we could go back to the play place. I didn't respond. At the end, he had changed his tune to "wanting to sit with mommy". I still didn't respond since I knew any response I gave would just make the crying and screaming worse. We got home, I put Miranda and Elizabeth to sleep and did the same with Parker. I lay with Parker for a bit with my arms wrapped around him and got him to calm down (finally.) A few moments later, he was asleep and I left the room.

Before the screaming began...





Hopefully Michael is having a more relaxing time than I am and I look forward to seeing him again tonight for dinner when Ebba is watching the kids for me.