July 24, 2007 by Barbara.

Melissa and Peter and the kids came for supper on Saturday night to celebrate Reid’s birthday. We ate tacos - a favourite of the kids and they’re not *too* messy. Well, not much messier than they’d be with any food. As always, the kids sat at the little table and chairs that Uncle Chris made for Reid. They are so much better behaved when they sit at their own table. They bicker a bit, as kids do, but without the attentive audience of adults it seems less intense. I don’t think it’s entirely the halo effect of me not having to see every transgression but that may help. 

I’m turning into a real advocate of a separate kids’ table like we had for big meals at Grandma Joyces. The problem start when the oldest kid gets tired of seeing the little ones open their mouths to reveal their supper. My favourite kids’ table memory is of my niece Melissa (maybe 18 or so) asking when she got to sit at the adults’ table and someone telling her that someone would have to die. In the family I grew up in, that’s funny. 

I baked an angel food cake (from a mix - only Melissa would make it from scratch). With a little creative relocation of part of the top, it looked pretty good. It was certainly up to the task of holding three candles and withstood Reid’s blowing. We had to enlist Ben’s help to get the candles out. For her real birthday, I’ll have to cluster the candles closer together.

Melissa and Peter were making movements to leave when I delicately asked if they thought that the kids would like to see Reid open her present. After a bit of discussion, we decided that Reid would like to focus on one present for a couple days before opening others. If it were me, I would space out my presents so that I opened one a day - or maybe one in the morning and another at night. Ken is more of a “the birthday is the big day” kind of guy and so we’re holding onto the presents and cards that she’s received so far for Reid to open on Wednesday.

Reid got some Colour Explosion paper, with markers that write only on the paper, and a craft book of hand trace/ hand print ideas. Reid is all about tracing and painting or colouring her hands.

Stephen was slow to get his shoes on and Melissa said “good bye” and walked out. This troubled Reid greatly. She had tears in her eyes and she asked how Stephen would get home. I’m not sure if she was empathizing about being left behind or worried that her only child status was threatened. Stephen finally hustled into his shoes and left. He didn’t come back and so we went to bed.

As we climbed the stairs, Reid said, “I want Uncle Roger and Auntie M.” Poor kid, she misses her extended family.

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July 24, 2007 by Barbara.

Saturday was another people-in-the-basement day. At bedtime on Friday, I told Reid that Uncle Roger, Auntie M, Danielle and Isabelle would be in the basement when she woke up and she nodded happily and then asked about Lee-Lee (Kailee). I said that Lee-Lee wouldn’t be there and Reid was sad for a bit. I’m not sure I’d have gone on family vacations as a university student either (probably I would have since I’ve long enjoyed freeloading) but I’d been hoping that she would come. Reid, obviously, hadn’t been listening when I told her that Lee-Lee was taking a pass. Or maybe Reid didn’t want to it to be so and so she decided it *couldn’t* be so.

Reid was happy to see Uncle Roge sleeping on the couch when we got downstairs. He took one for the team by sleeping upstairs, getting the first kisses, and delaying Reid’s trip to the basement. When we did get downstairs, we found Auntie M waiting eagerly for the kiss and snuggle that Reid was there to deliver. Isabelle, Danielle’s friend who is practically a cousin in Reid’s mind, had quick smiles for Reid but Danielle tried to sleep through. Like she is a teenager or something! Oh wait, she *is* a teenager and it *was* 6:30 am.

Always a good hostess, I had less than half a cup of milk and so Roger and I were at the grocery store when it opened at 7:00. As we walked to the checkout, I noticed a woman with a copy of the newest Harry Potter book. It turned out that she didn’t need it afterall and so by 7:15 I had a copy in my hands for almost half-price. Now I need to organize myself to re-read the other books first.

After breakfast, Danielle and Izzy put on a little performance through the window to the living room as we sat in the dining room, featuring two Dora the Exporers, a baby doll and a cat. Later, Auntie M and the girls headed to Old Navy for super summer deals - $2.47 for jeans, kind of deals - while Uncle Roge, Reid and I went shopping for batteries. Reid had eaten her breakfast while I was at the grocery store and so hadn’t had the chance to mooch from me. She was hungry by the time we were half way to mall. I got her a hamburger for the trip back and when we were almost home, we let Reid talk us into stopping at the park. I went the rest of the way to get Auntie M, Danielle and Isabelle. They all came and the big girls played on the water pad with Reid. Well, mostly the big girls played on the water pad and Reid played around it with the occasional foray into the water. It’s wonderful to see my “grown up” nieces and nephews playing as though they were kids (which, of course, they are). It happens when Danielle and Shea visit.

We ate lunch and then the girls and Auntie M helped us make birthday hats for when Melissa and her family came. Reid was delighted to have so many people drawing, colouring and gluing with her. Melissa’s family was impressed with the quality of the hats. Auntie M is particularly crafty, if you ever need help she is the one to call.

All too soon it was time for our guests to go where they were heading all along, we were just a stop on the way, and it was past time for Reid’s nap. She gave hugs and kisses and we all waved lots and then headed upstairs for a nap. Long visits are nice but we’ll take any visit that we can get.

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