Shanda's birthday yesterday was super-fun for us all! We left the 3 kids with "Uncle 'Rad" and drove into Newnan for our bithday girl day. Lori Jean met us at the Dollar Tree and then we piled in her car to hit Red Robin. At lunch Beka and I surprised Shanda by covertyly asking the waitress for the "birthday treatment." The staff came out and loudly annouced Shanda's special day. Pretty funny. After lunch, we went to Michael's (craft store). Next it was pedicures for the ladies with Beka, Shanda and I getting a super-sparkly 'diamond' star on our right big toes (LJ opted out of that fun since she's the only employed member of our group and felt she should maintain some professionalism on her toes). Target was next and THAT was a very long visit. Purchases included sunglasses for LJ and me, sandals for Cassie, PJ's for Beka, matching shirts for Calla and Cassie, etc. I used a giftcard so I didn't technically "spend" anything! We split up after that with LJ and I driving to Shanda's house and Beka and Shanda making one last stop at Starbucks (Shandy got a free drink cause by that point we had forced her to wear a special tiarra in honor of her 35th birthday). Can you believe I've been in the South THIS long and haven't had one single trip to Sonic!!?!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Brad had all 3 kids under his care. When we left around 10:30, I had just put Cassie down for a nap (she asked for one too..."nap, Mommy. Sleepy"). She slept until about noon and then got up to play with the other kids. Our little girl is very sensitive...at one point Brad and Calla were sitting on Gus' toddler bed while Gus and Cassie played with the train-table. Gus decided he'd join his family on the bed and then Cassie was the only one NOT on the bed. She must've felt left out cause Brad said she started to cry--just cause she was alone. Brad got everyone up on the bed for a brief moment before Gus climbed down and Cassie followed him (she's his shadow and will go ANYWHERE he does. If she doesn't see him, she asks, "where's Gus?" and goes on a search. Gus does the same for Cassie though so it's almost like they're babysitting each other). Next sensitivity episode occured when Brad was carrying Calla out of Gus' room and Cassie reached up to Brad to be carried as well. He picked them both up and cuddled them on the couch for a long time. Both girls just sat next to him peacefully watching cartoons. Eventually, Calla climbed down (she's incredibly agile considering her broken leg!) and proceeded to get into mischief with Gus. Brad sternly told both his kids "no" to what they were doing...his reproof must have upset Cassie though because she put out her little lip and started to cry...then she started coughing and...well, you know the rest. She threw up all over which gave Brad his 'to do' list for the next hour (clean up couch, Cassie, clothes, etc.). All the kids slept from 1:30 to when LJ and I got home at 5. It was so very sweet to creep into Cassie's room and wake her up...she was out cold! I wanted her to get up though to see LJ.
After Beka and Shanda got home they cooked a bunch of pizzas and we all ate dinner. LJ ended up staying until after 9pm when we began giving kids baths before bed. We had a great chance to chat--I told her all about the stuff I've been learning and how I was applying it to my life. I wish I had heard more from LJ, but she seemed to be in a 'listening' mood so I didn't want to pry or push her to talk. Anyway, it was SO good to have all of us together out in the yard, watching the kids play (well, Calla "sorta" played but more sat with the adults and watched...again, tough to interact with a broken leg). Their yard is huge and really allows Cassie the chance to explore "far off places" by herself. Back home in DC I'd never let her wander so far from me/an adult, but here in the big fenced in yard she has the chance to see what life is like outside of Mom's arm-reach! Cassie's biggest love is not Mommy, Tiaboo or Gus, but the swing (as further evidence of that statement, Cassie just woke up a little bit and over the baby monitor I heard her ask for the swing)! I pushed Cassie on the swing for a long time while LJ was showing Beka pictures of her house-redecoration projects. While I pushed, I played a little guessing game with Cassie using the signs from Signing Time. After I had totally exhausted all my sign language vocabulary, I told her it was her turn to think of a sign for me to guess. She thought and said, "Umm...how 'bout.." and put her fingers together in a tent shape--I had FORGOTTEN that sign and so she really did come up with a legit and challenging entry to our guessing game! How cool is it that she's beginning to play WITH me! ;)
Don't expect me to send an update like this every day...I just thought I'd write since I haven't been able to talk to any of you very much. I know it's not easy to find time to read this much text, so thank you for making the effort to get this far in my writing!
