July 15, 2010 by Barbara.

My sister Karin, usually known here as “Aunt Karin” wrote this story in an email to Ken and then decided to send it to me, too. I wanted to capture it here because it’s very funny because Reid is 6 instead of 16. I’m not considering that it might be foreshadowing anything.

On Tuesday, Dave called me at work and in a  DEADLY CALM VOICE asks me If I’ve seen Shea’s nipple.  Shea has had swollen lymph nodes due to mono so I thought great, now he has a swollen boob?  I said, ”No, I’ve haven’t seen it, what’s wrong?”  Dave said, “He got his nipple pierced, I told him to pack his bags”, still calm.  I said, ”Dave, there’s worse things than that” then my phone rings and I have to go. I called Dave back when I could and said, “Calm down.”  He said, ”I’ve always been calm,” then he said ”I guess there are worse things.”  

Shea had been to Grand Bend overnight and a friend, who already has both nipples pierced, told Shea (who’s a big chicken) that if he got it done right then and there that he would pay for it. Shea asked the man how much it. When he found out it cost $100, he told his friend to pay and he would do it. I think he thought his friend would back down and if not then Shea would do it.  I asked him who signed his permission form and he informed me that at 16 you don’t need parental permission for a piercing, but tattoos can’t be done without parental consent till age 18. Good to know!

Since your daughter is fast approaching her 16th birthday, I thought I’d share my story.

Posted in Growing up, Holidays, Barbara's family, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »

June 8, 2010 by Barbara.

Reid’s daycare teacher decided to celebrate the birthdays of all of the kids whose birthdays fall in the summer tomorrow. I immediately volunteered to bake the cake that they would share. I’ve been looking for an opportunity to try my hand at a rainbow cake, like the one Amy at Muddy Boots made. I doubt I’d enjoy the additional stress in the midst of planning for a real party but without the rest, I was keen. I started the cakes at 6 and finished by 11:25. I’m so wired from the sugar - mmmm, marshmallow fondant - and I’ve got a second wind, that I decided to write down what I did.

I followed Amy’s directions for the rainbow cake -basically, I added gel icing colouring to white cake mixes - and also followed her directions for marshmallow fondant. Her instruction to grease your hands with Crisco was critical to success!

Adding the food colouring to the cake batter was a bit like making playdough. I loved the vivid colours.

Just look at them! You know the cakes are going to be amazing.

In order to avoid baking 6 cakes - 2 at a time in my little oven -I put two colours in each pan. Another time, I think I’ll try 6 cakes.

I need to learn how to bake cakes with flat tops. I had to cut the rounded parts off of the first two cakes. Of course, this meant that I had to try the cakes, just in case.

I melted a small bag of marshmallows in the microwave in only 1 minute and added about half of the 1 kilogram bag of icing sugar before remembering to add the 2 tablespoons of water called for in the recipe.

The water kneaded in easily and I added probably 3 tablespoons when all was said and done.

Amy mentioned chilling the fondant overnight but I didn’t have the time and it rolled like a charm still warm.

I measure against theh top of my cake-taker to see the size of marshmallow fondant I would need and then draped it over the cake. Marshmallow fondant is much more forgiving of irregularities in the stacked cakes than regular icing. If only I could figure out how to make cream cheese-flavoured fondant, I’d switch to it entirely.

I used some more icing gel to colour more marshamallow fondant to decorate the top of the cake. Reid has been very interested in rainbows lately, thanks in part to They Might Be Giants’ ROY G BIV, a song about the colours in a rainbow. I couldn’t manage indigo. She’ll have to tell the kids its ROY G BV instead.

And here is the final product. Ta da! (If I can get a teacher to take a picture of the cake once it’s cut, I’ll post it, too.)

Edited to add: I asked Reid’s teacher to take a pic of the cake once it was cut since I couldn’t see the inside. She sent this piece home with Reid. You can’t taste the food colouring.

Posted in Holidays, Food, Daycare | Print | 5 Comments »

March 17, 2010 by Barbara.

View More Wordless Wednesday Participants, look at my previous Wordless Wednesday entries, or check out the cute babies and kids at 5 Minutes for Mom.

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January 26, 2010 by Barbara.

On Sunday night, we had a scaled-down version of a traditional Robbie Burns dinner. Notably absent were the guests, toast to the lassies, Ode to the Haggis and (gasp) whiskey. We did manage haggis, mash-ed tatties, and bash-ed neeps. I added carrots to the turnips to make them less bitter and also broccoli because it seems dinner needs actual vegetables to go with the meat and starches. I also recited the Selkirk Grace*. Reid was less-than-impressed my old Scots accent.

As we sat down to our feast, Reid noticed the mashed turnip-carrot mixture and declared her opposition to mashed carrots. Fortunately for her, I’d kept some unmashed for Ken, who disregards tradition in favour of personal taste. Reid didn’t mind the carrots but asked resentfully why she had to eat the turnips. Before I could explain the dish was steeped in tradition, a response I was sure would resonate with Reid, Ken answered, “Because I do,” in a tone that brooked no argument. It’s good when your husband has your back ;+)

I’m not sure why Ken and I didn’t have a bit of the “water of life” with our supper. It seems like the least I can do for a guy who eats turnips once each year to satisfy my whims.

*Selkirk Grace:
Some hae meat and canna eat
Some would eat that want it
But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae the Lord be thankit

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December 25, 2009 by Barbara.

A friend suggested that I should take a photo every hour to document the “waiting for Santa” feeling on Christmas Eve and another said that it was even better to do hourly photos on Christmas day. I took a bunch of photos each day but I wasn’t organized enough to produce an hourly visual record. I’ve produced a written one, though, if wondered what we’ve been up to.

Christmas Eve
6:30 Daddy pokes his head to check if we’re awake. I am. Reid isn’t. Quite.
7:30 We’ve kissed Daddy good bye and are bathing in a tepid bath. Why did the hot water heater choose this morning to be persnickety?
8:30 Reid and I have donned our festive clothing - Reid in a Mrs Santa dress; me in red-and-white striped socks with fake fur at the top, Christmas tree on my red t-shirt and skirt - and are in the car, heading to a Christmas party where I work. (Well, sort of where I work. My division isn’t located with the rest of the branch. I suspect that Reid thinks I spend all of my time in the boardroom since I never show her an office with a desk and all of the rest.)
9:30 - Reid is settled into a comfy office chair - that is too big and moves too easily for her to climb into on her own - and is making a foam gingerbread man. She has tried smiling and making eye contact with the little girl in the next chair but she is even more shy than Reid. Reid is confident at the party, this being her third time attending.
10:30 - Santa arrived about 10:00 and since then the kids have been sitting on the floor in front of him. They sang a couple of songs and he started calling names for the kids to come forward to get a present. Reid’s waiting patiently to hear her name.
11:30 - Once Santa left, the party started winding down pretty quickly. Reid and I went to Michael’s to buy embroidery floss for Grandma Joyce. We wouldn’t otherwise have gone shopping on Christmas Eve but Grandma Joyce does a lot for us.
12:30 - At St Laurent Mall to pick up a parcel. I waited until the last minute in case other parcels arrived but they didn’t. Reid decided a last minute visit to Santa was in order. The line was short and there were igloos to play in and slides to slide down while we waited.
1:30 - On our way home from Melissa’s, where we left Reid’s coat on Thursday night.
2:30 - Home at last with Daddy. Stories to be read, cuddles to be had.
3:30 - In the tub once more, this time the water is hot.
4:30 - Reid and I are wearing our matching blue-and-snowflake pajamas that Grandma Joyce made us. 4:00 didn’t seem to early for jammies under the circumstances. Reid and I play the train dominos game that Santa gave her this morning. There are as many as 12 dots on each domino, which makes recognizing the patterns and numbers more complex.
5:30 - Frozen pizzas are out of the oven and on our plates. Reid wanted “Mexican pizza”. At my blank look, she added “with pineapple”. I suggested that she might mean “Hawaiian” and she nodded vigorously. I told her to choose between meatlovers’ or veggie. With a look that suggested veggie pizzas are an affront to pizzas everywhere, she chose to share Daddy’s meatlovers’.
6:30 - Time to set out cookies and juice for Santa.
7:30 - Sleeping time. Not actually sleeping but getting close. Whispering questions in the dark about how Christmas Day would unfold.
8:30-4:30 - Mostly restful sleep with the snuffles and heavy breathing that indicate Reid is starting a cold.

Christmas Day
4:30 - Reid asks if it’s morning yet and gets an emphatic “not yet” in reply.
5:33 - Reid simply “can’t sleep anymore”. I read to her until 6:03 and then we wake up Daddy.
6:30 - Well into present opening. Reid figured out that the large object under the Santa presents was a sled, unwrapped it first, and opened her other presents while sitting in her sled. Ken and I stayed in our chairs.
7:30 - I’m making pancakes for breakfast, my able assistant by my side.
8:30 - Finishing eating our breakfast. I’m wishing for peameal bacon. Unfortunately I didn’t think of that family tradition while shopping on the weekend. Reid remembered that she’d made Ken a “C” at pottery and so he got an extra present with breakfast. I’m not sure what one does with a “C” the size of a man’s hand with the fingers splayed but Reid is sure Ken will like it.
9:30 - Time to play Reid’s Bus Stop game. People get on and off according to the “plus” and “minus” signs on the board. The bus riders are a blend of ages, sexes, colours and religions (according to headwear). Reid wins with the most people on her bus. Ken and I tie but since he got to the bus station first, he says that I am third. I don’t think either of them was listening when I explained that it was a game of chance that anyone might win. ;+)
10:30 - I’m secretly thinking it’s time to undecorate the tree. Okay, not secretly since I say it out loud.
11:30 - Cutting cheese, searching for crackers and reheating spaghetti for lunch. It’s a bit unconventional as Christmas lunches go but Grandma Barb serves turkey at 4:00 or so and we don’t want to be too full for that.
12:30 - Packing the car for the trip to Grandma Barb and Grandpa Terry’s. Ken, Reid and I are all so happy that they are only an hourish away.
1:30 - Almost there. Reid fought sleep but succumbed. She wakes when we leave the highway - she has always preferred to sleep at 100 km/hr - and is groggy when we get in.
2:30 - Wearing her red-and-snowflake nightgown and matching pajama pants, Reid is unwrapping presents. I brought her beautiful blue Christmas dress but Reid cried when I tried to put it on her. Thank goodness I’d brought the nightgown, which was festive and free of pizza sauce.
3:30 - Reid is cuddling her new stuffed bear from Uncle Kevin and resisting my suggestion that she call the bear “Noir”. Many candies, nuts and chocolates are being consumed and I wonder if I should have offered a bigger lunch.
4:30 - Grandma Barb and Reid set the table and we all sit down to a Christmas feast. Reid mostly nibbles but I’m not wise enough to follow her example.
5:30 - I learn the secret of Grandma Barb’s dark pumpkin pie. Not only does she use fresh pumpkin (which I knew about) but she sweetens it with molasses. Reid was hesitant to try the pie but once she had a taste, she ate her whole piece.
6:30 - Reid is talking about being so tired because she got up so very early. What had been a point of pride earlier in the afternoon has become a burden.
7:30 - In the car, Ottawa-bound. Ken and I are talking quietly and Reid is resisting sleep, begging for the Sesame Street podcast videos on my iPod.
8:30 - Reid is taking Advil and the humidifier is humming and gurgling. Time to sleep.

We hope you’ve had a merry Christmas and will have a happy New Year!

Posted in Holidays, Ken's family | Print | 1 Comment »

December 25, 2009 by Barbara.

Ken often chooses sweet and loving cards for Reid but sometimes they are funny. The Christmas card that he gave her  fit squarely in the latter category. I had to share it with you. On the front it reads:
Daughter,
You’d better watch out
You’d better not cry
You’d better not pout
I’m telling you why …

(And inside it says:)

‘Cause that stuff just doesn’t work anymore.

I don’t think Reid laughed when I read it to her. I’m sure that she didn’t laugh as much as me. She will one day, though. But maybe not until she has her own daughter.

Posted in Holidays, Daddy | Print | 1 Comment »

November 28, 2009 by Barbara.

6:31 - We’re on the train, in our seats with the tables open in front of us. Reid has many questions, about how I knew what seats we were in, what the leather bits at the top of the seats are for (we called them antimacassars when I worked at Woodside National Historic Site but I don’t know if the Victorian term has stuck), whether the engineer wears a seatbelt and if so what if s/he needs to go to the bathroom. Reid was pleased that she has the window seat so that she can see out and so that she doesn’t have to sit beside someone she doesn’t know. She added that she does like to look at old people. I’m hoping the 50ish man across from us doesn’t realize she meant him when she said this.
6:40 I asked Reid if she could sing in a whisper. The look she gave me was equal parts surprise, insult and confusion. I explained that some people were probably trying to go back to sleep and mystification took over. Sleep, now? The adventure is just beginning!
6:46 And we’re off. The car we’re on is mostly full.
6:58 Reid has found markers in her backpack and is turning her garbage bag into a hand puppet.
7:01 The snack lady stopped by for a visit. We bought a chocolate chip-banana muffin (it almost seems healthy with the banana) and an apple juice. When the hand puppet is finished, the snack will provide a diversion. The man behind us chose a bag of chips. It seems a much less healthy choice for this time of the morning but I remember reading that people should think of muffins as “fat sponges” and maybe it’s no better than the chips.
7:17 Reid asks, “Mama, can I watch your iPod.” I remind her that she meant to say “may I” and she rephrases her question.
7:18 Before I’ve had a chance to take my iPod from my pocket, Reid is asking where “the” iPod is. Having been a student of French, I’m aware of the importance of articles. It’s a family resource now, I guess.
7:55 I convinced Reid to pause the video and come to the bathroom. Her bladder is much stronger than mine.
9:36 After Dora, Diego, Super Why and Sesame Street podcasts, the iPod has outlived its attraction. Its now time for Reid to recline her chair, adjust the tables, rinse and repeat.
10:43 Time for Princess to have a nap. Reid says she is going to have one, too, and I’m afraid she will. We’re too close to Toronto for her to sleep and awake refreshed. She’ll be grumpy if she falls asleep and I won’t be able to carry her and our bags.
11:11 We calculate that we have 15 minutes before our train is scheduled to arrive.
11:13 Reid hits the wall. When I refuse to let her change the rules of I Spy in the middle of my turn, she starts to cry.
11:18 I’m banned from playing again for seven months. Reid doesn’t know all of the months in order consequently, my punishment doesn’t include January, February, March, April, May or September. Next we’ll be talking about briar patches.
11:26 On time arrival in Toronto. Hooray.
11:36 Veggie burger for me, original for Reid, fries for both of us from Harvey’s. The 5-minute wait for a veggie burger dragged into 10. I complained and ended up with a free meal. We had to hurry to catch our train I would have rather paid and had my food in 5 minutes.
12:45 Nap time. Please, please, please.
1:13 Reid asks to sit on my lap
1:16 Must. Pee. Now. I thought she was faking but I don’t play Russian roulette.
1:21 Start of 15 snuggly minutes. No sleep but actual rest.
3:05 Reid has made friends with the 11-month-old girl in the seat in front of us. They’re non-napping comrades. We’re almost to Chatham and I am looking very forward to seeing Melissa and her boys.
3:31 We made it safely to Chatham. Now for the craziness that is my side of the family.

Posted in Holidays, Vacation, Barbara's family | Print | 2 Comments »

November 24, 2009 by Barbara.

On Saturday afternoon, Reid noticed some Nutcracker soldiers in a cabinet at the National Arts Centre. She pointed them out to me like this “Look, Mama, a Nutcracker. I’m kind of like that …” She paused and so I asked how she was like a Nutcracker. Reid answered, “I’m a gum cracker,” and she chomped loudly on her gum and grinned. And then she returned to chewing her gum quietly.

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July 30, 2009 by Barbara.

I went out to an event called Blog Out Loud Ottawa last Thursday night. It was as fun and interesting as it was poorly timed for me. I left an hour before it wrapped up to bake cupcakes for Reid to take to celebrate her birthday at camp. I planned for her to attend camp at her school this week so that she’d be able bring the cupcakes - every time one of the other kids brought something during the school year, Reid had asked if she’d be able to do so, too. All this being said, I left and caught a bus in a strange part of town but still made it home within the hour. Except the “hour” was 10:00 and I rarely stay up past 9:00 and, lately, have fallen asleep with Reid by 8:00.

I located the vegan cake recipe on the Instructables web site on the way home, just in case I was missing any ingredients. In addition to answering the “no eggs, no milk, no nuts” requirements for bringing food to school, it is a scrumptious chocolate cake that is super-easy to make. I made 32 mini-cupcakes, thinking the kids would like to have a couple each. One didn’t come out as it was supposed to and so I had to eat it. 31 wasn’t as good a number but I was too tired to make more. I did wait until they’d cooled completely before trying to take any others out of their spots. I piled them artfully on the base of my cake taker and sprinkled them with icing sugar. It looked pretty and was much less fiddly (not to mention faster) than icing a those mini cupcakes. Plus, my soy margarine has milk solids in it and it was too late to buy anything else for the frosting. Mostly I was going with the prettiness of the sugar dusting.  When I showed Reid in the morning, though, all of the icing sugar had been absorbed by the cupcakes. They were just too moist!

I’d promised Reid that I’d buy a candle in the shape of a “5″ but forget to do it. On Friday morning, I told Reid about my mistake and said we’d stop at the Metro on the way to camp. They had one “5″ candle on their rack but it was broke into two pieces. We checked at the Zellers and Food Basics in the same mall but they were both closed. Finally, I told Reid that we could wait and * maybe* find one at one of the other stores or she could use the five stick candles that we’d brought. Reid thought a moment and then said, “We should go to camp now, right, Mama.” I agreed that we should and we did. I was proud of her reasonableness in the face of disappointment. Maybe 5 is different than 4 (though she has been increasingly able to manage her disappointments over the last while).

After school on Friday, Reid reported that the kids and teachers had sung “Happy Birthday” and “Bonne fête”. They’d all had a cupcake but Reid said that none of the kids got a second one. I didn’t think to ask if she liked hers but, now that I know she didn’t eat her birthday cake or birthday pie, I probably should.

Posted in Holidays, Food, Mama | Print | 2 Comments »

July 29, 2009 by Barbara.

Reid’s birthday was a celebration from start to finish. I brought her breakfast in bed as I read about a Andrea at A Peak Inside the Fishbowl doing for her children. I’m particularly proud of myself for remembering the idea over the last couple of months. Reid, who had already cuddled into bed with Ken, was tickled to see me with the tray. She said that it was good that she was in daddy’s bed so that her bed, with it’s new sheets and quilt, wouldn’t get anything spilled on it. I’m pretty sure that this was the sort of thought she should have kept to herself, no matter how true it was. Reid was careful as she ate her Cheerios and banana and drank her orange juice from its wine glass. Only one Cheerio got away from her. Given the number of Cheerios that end up on the dining room floor in a given week, one was a good number. After breakfast, Reid opened birthday cards from Aunt Karin and Uncle Dave (and Shea, Adam and Sulienne), Uncle Rick and Aunt Stephanie and Grandmama. She was excited to hear what each one said and who they were from. Separating the card opening from present opening made the cards seem more special and brought excitement to breakfast.

Reid went to swimming lessons wearing the birthday cake hat that I got her from the Dollar Store. She took it off before she got to the pool deck but she told her teacher it was her birthday. He’s a bit odd. He didn’t wish her “Happy birthday” as I do reflexively when I’m told about someone’s birthday. Maybe I’m odd, too, but he is odd in other ways. The other little girl in Reid’s class was absent and so Reid enjoyed a private lesson, almost like I planned it. We stopped at the Dollar Store on the way home for a few more balls for loot bags. Parents replied to the invitation as late as Thursday and so I scrambled a bit at the end. I was ever so grateful that Grandma Joyce insisted that she should make as many cloth bags as kids that we invited, even though people say attendance at summer birthdays is low. We had two left over but it was a near thing.

Reid’s party started at 10:45 at Cosmic Adventures. Unlike last year, when I dallied a bit and Ken was forced to speed across town and we were still later arriving than the first couple of guests, we got there before anyone else. We milled about in the lobby, collecting 12 of the 13 kids who were coming in the first 20 minutes. Each person entering the play area required an wrist band and I asked people to fill in “Hello my name is” stickers. It gave me hope that I’d be able to call the other adults something other than “M’s mom” or “J and L’s dad”. Unfortunately, most provided the kid’s names only. Still I did learn the names of 2 moms and one dad as well as one uncle. That uncle had never been to Cosmic Adventures before, was doing his sister a favour, and Ken told him that it was going to be very loud and that his sister would owe him big! (Sort of like I did last year, when Uncle Roger helped out at Reid’s birthday party.)

With all but one straggler accounted for, one of the party people led everyone to the little arcade to explain how the debit card thingys worked in the games. It would have made more sense to gather the parents close as most of the kids - the ones close enough to hear - didn’t understand the directions and the parents who probably could have understood, didn’t hear. Not that it’s rocket science; there are a finite number of ways to swipe a card. From the point of view of the kids’ experience, I think it was better when they got to feed tokens into the machines to play and then received a ribbon of tickets when they won. Environmentally - and economically, I’m sure - the debit cards are a better choice. As a parent who isn’t keen on the arcade, I missed seeing the supply of tokens dwindle, to mark the time I’d spent in that area. Our last guest arrived while we were still in the arcade and so we had 14 kids in total. Reid finally left the arcade without redeeming her card for the little plastic and rubber doodads that we absolutely don’t need in our house. All of the kids had some time in the climbing structure before we were called to the Mars room for lunch. Ken told me that at one point Reid went into the area reserved for kids 4 and under and he showed her the sign and told her she was too big. I bet that she liked being too big for something since she is still too little for many other things.

In the party room, everything runs with a military-sort of precision but the kids don’t seem to notice. They were enticed to all sit down by our party host who pointed out the crayons on the table that could be used on the paper that covered it. He got them to choose apple juice or Fruitopia by touching their nose or raising their hand, respectively. He made a crown for Reid out of balloons but involved all of the kids in stretching out the balloons and letting some filled ones go zooming around the room. No one seemed to mind at all that Reid was the only one with a balloon hat. The pizza was passed out efficiently - there’d been a choice between pizza and hot dogs but I’d decided it was too complicated to have both and ordered cheese pizza for all - and then another party host arrived to start painting faces. Each of the kids that wanted to got a small design on their cheek and didn’t mind interrupting their pizza-eating to do so. The party host gathered everyone together to show them the cake, a rectangle with a green and purple alien in one corner, and then asked if they were still hungry for their pizza or if they wanted cake. Reid went against the crowd and went back to eating her pizza.

We sang, “Happy Birthday” and passed out cake. Reid was excited to receive the first piece (told her dad about it later, even, though he was right there) but didn’t even pick up the fork to try her cake. This worked well because it meant we had time for a group photo and the present unwrapping. The party host sat next to Reid as she unwrapped her presents, recording who gave what on an official Cosmic Adventures form. It was like we rented a maid-of-honour. Once presents were unwrapped it was 1:00 and time for the official part of the party to end. The kids were welcome to stay with their parents until the 8:30 closing but we weren’t responsible for them. The moms were impressed by the cloth lot bags (I confessed Grandma Joyce had made them when asked) and the kids seemed to like the smiley-face ball, funny pen, notebook and Franklin story that was in each.

A surprising number of the kids had to leave immediately. I’d have been taking advantage of the no-admission-fee chance to let my kid run a bit more. A tired kid is the kind one wants at bedtime, no? Of course, there was the one kid whose parents had delayed the start of their family vacation until after the party and the others who had stayed home from the cottage in order to attend. Cosmic Adventures is a very popular birthday party location! We ended up staying until about 2:30 when the four who were allowed to stay longer left. We picked up the left-over cake and bag of presents at the desk on our way out. Birthday party packages are pretty expensive but the service is excellent.

Reid and I dropped Ken and the presents off at home and then went to buy some food for our planned picnic supper. It’s been raining so much and so often that I hadn’t wanted to commit to buying what we needed until I knew that we’d actually go. Sandwiches, cheese, veggies and the like are good for a picnic but seem weird as at-home birthday dinner offerings. It’s popular wisdom that you shouldn’t shop on an empty stomach and I can attest to the fact that it’s even worse to do when your stomach is empty and you’re tired. Everything that took *no effort to prepare* looked good. The only thing I was willing to buy that required me to expend energy were the cherries that I had to wash.

Melissa, Peter and Ben picked us up about 5:00 and we headed down to see Natalie MacMaster and the National Arts Centre Orchestra playing at one of the Orchestra in the Park concerts. We were early enough and lucky enough to find a picnic table to eat at and we enjoyed our supper and then I put a candle in the pie Reid had chosen at the store. We sang “Happy Birthday” and Reid tried to blow out the candle but the wind was so strong that the candle went out as soon as I lit it two or three times. Finally, I asked Reid to pretend to blow out the candle so that I could take the standard photo. (I’m such a cheater.) Reid refused the piece of pie that she was offered and also the ice cream that was all soft and creamy from its time in the cooler without ice). We offered extra pieces to the people sitting near us but most looked more than a little surprised that we offered and declined. One lady accepted and then her friend did, too. It was nice to share our celebration.

We tidied up and then left Peter and Ken to guard the chairs while Melissa, Ben, Reid and I went to see what else was going on. We found a water fountain that had way too much water pressure and a misaligned spout. The water’s arc was twice as large as it should have been. (I mention this only because there is a very good thing that Reid and Ben would say that it was the most memorable part of the evening. When we were walking, Reid asked me to carry her. I said “no” and noted that she is getting big and soon I won’t be able to carry her. Reid said, “Probably when I’m 20, I’ll be too heavy and too long for you to carry.” I told her that I was thinking more like 10 or maybe 7. I don’t think Reid believed me.

We saw some modern dancers (from The Dance School - Dancing in the Streets) performing on the grass. Reid watched a bit and then began emulating their poses and movements. We also went into a tent for the kids to try a guitar, ukulele (I think), drums and a violin. I’m pretty sure the Ottawa Folklore Centre provided the first instruments but I’m not sure from where the violins came. Having whiled away an hour, we headed for our seats. Reid couldn’t walk by the porta-john, despite our visit to the posh facilities (by comparison) of the Canadian War Museum. While standing in line, we got to see two people dressed in historic costumes and so it was good all around. We had to pick our way carefully to our chairs as the crowd grew dramatically while we’d been away. People were good natured about shifting, like they *should* be at outdoor concerts but sometimes aren’t. Reid and Ben had their chairs in front of ours. Reid has discovered, or maybe more accurately, finally noticed that Ben isn’t a fan of PDA (public displays of affection). He defines “public” as any situation involving more than himself and his parents when it comes to hugs or kisses. Reid likes to threaten to kiss him, she may actually carry through if she were able, and I have to tell her that everyone has the right to decide what happens to her/his body instead of smiling and remembering when little girls used to chase little boys and vice versa and it didn’t mean anything.

Once the concert started, Reid had trouble staying in her seat. She wanted to dance, had to dance, in fact. Unfortunately the closest good place for dancing was in Ben’s sight line of the stage. Still Reid listened some, danced some and talked some (it’s Reid, the talking was inevitable) for the 90 minutes the concert lasted. The sky looked increasingly ominous as the time passed. By the time Natalie MacMaster came out for her encore, people were getting antsy. As the last notes died away, the crowd began packing up their chairs and heading out. We got to the van - carpooling saved such coordination headaches - and Reid and Ken each got to open their presents before we went to out house. I was amazed that Reid didn’t fall asleep on the way home but I guess it’s hard to sleep when you’re talking non-stop.

Reid went to sleep quickly at home, or I think she did, I was out in no time flat, myself. She even slept in an hour on Sunday. It was a birthday full of happy happenings. I’m so glad that Reid had fun (and also that we only do it once a year).

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