Wild

Yesterday was one crazy day. (Also known as "The Day of Bad Pictures.") First, it was the day of Older Son's fifth grade promotion. As one of those responsible for organizing and pulling off this little event, I was there at 7:00 am to set up. There were the usual minor glitches--not enough sun shades, missing extension cords, my son's name inadvertently left off the academic achievement roster--but on the whole, the event went smoothly. Funny what two months of planning will do for you.


Congratulations, Boo! Middle school, ho!

By 11:30 the clean up was done and we headed home to drop off our stuff. Minutes after we walked in, my best friend called to tell me she had her baby! This wasn't a surprise, since she went in to be induced on Tuesday (a week after her due date, with the baby already weighing nine pounds--and she's tiny). After 20 hours of hard labor, the baby got stuck and became distressed, so she ended up having a c-section, but mom and baby are both fine.

We took the kids out to lunch and a movie to celebrate Older Son's promotion. Ironman. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. It's really fun and entertaining and Robert Downey Jr. is great in the role. There is some violence, but I didn't think it was too much for most kids. I covered my younger son's eyes three or four times. (I'd say it was about on par with the Indiana Jones movies, and not as bad as the Spiderman movies, the last Star Wars movie, or Transformers, if that helps. We pre-screened it last week and decided it was okay for our 8- and 10-year old boys.)

By the time we got home, it was dinner time, and then I raced across town to visit my friend and her new baby at the hospital before visiting hours ended. And so I can present to you:

(Yes, it may well be the worst baby picture of all time, but it is the only one I managed to take without visible nipple, so bear with me.)

Nicholas Andrew
Born June 11, 2008 at 5:33 am
9 pounds, 1 ounce

Welcome to the world, baby boy!

Now I have to run: I've got to cut up watermelon and deliver pizza for 30 fifth graders before I serve donuts and juice to 20 second graders. And then I have to go order a birthday cake and buy 20 squirt guns for Saturday's birthday party. And we're out of dog food, live crickets, and dead mice (don't ask). It must be summer!