A Fire Fightin' Pirate Train Party

Oh my!  Soon I could be the dubious hostess of a fire fightin' pirate train party.  That's one unique theme, huh?  C'mon, couldn't there be just a few pirates out there somewhere who ride on trains and fight fires all day instead of sailing the high seas and causing trouble?  Gosh, I sure hope so.  Our original firetruck-train party theme needs some updating for the new pirate on deck.  Well, there seems to be at least one junior fire-fightin'-pirate-train-rider on the planet, today anyway.  And that is the Saminator.

Way back when we planned to have the firetruck come to Sam's birthday party, all of three weeks ago, he was totally obsessed with all things fire.  He has been like that since before he could walk or talk - literally.  In fact, "obsessed" is not even a strong word enough for it.  We have stalked at least half a dozen fire stations in the area, spreading the wealth for fear of wearing out our welcome at each for visiting too often.   And we had the firetruck come last year for his birthday, too.  It was the only birthday party we've been to that had every father was present.

He's been wearing his red plastic fire hat from World of Mirth 24/7 for the last few months, no exaggeration!  He's worn it everywhere --literally -- to the grocery store, school, even to bed.  I kid you not -- I have seen ti perched on his little head at 3 AM, and although exhausted, I was not hallucinating.   He also has been wearing ti in the tub, taking it off only long enough to wash his hair and then slapping it right back on  his wet head.  Question"  Can hair grow mold?

He's been equally obsessed with trains, hence combining the two themes, especially to have a backup theme in case the fire truck has a real emergency.  Yes, the train was intended to be the fallback theme, just in case we need Thomas the Really Useful Engine to appear on the scene at the last minute.  Plus, I'd have my pick of lots more paper products at Party City.

Suddenly in the past couple of weeks, though, it has all changed -- the Saminator has been struck with pirate fever, probably because of his new Veggie Tales "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" video.  Normally this would have been a welcome relief had there not been a firetruck-train birthday party already looming on the horizon.  Couldn't he be Fireman Sam for just another 10 days until we get the party under our belt? 

Well, the most important thing is that he enjoy the party - it is for him after all.  I just hope he doesn't want to add in a cowboy theme at the last minute.  We need to save something for next year.  Ride 'em, cowboy!

LibbY

The "F" Word

Everything's an "F" word with Sam these days--not THAT "F" word, but other words that have morphed into starting with the letter F.  The other morning he announced that he was "Fhree." Not free as in "Freebird," but it was in fact his third birthday, so he was right, technically speaking.  He now is "Fhree," or three, depending upon how you choose to pronounce the word. So, happy birthday, Fam!  

There are lots of other "F" words floating out there as well - today I dropped him off for camp at "Fool" (school).  We've been going to our nearby lake and doing lots of "Fimming" (swimming.)  You get the gist.  His best buddy is "Frent" for Trent, which sounds uncannily like a merger of "friend" with "Trent."  My favorite, though, is "Foo-driver" for screwdriver.   I'll admit it -- I'll be sad when Sam's "F" words go away.  

Meanwhile he has learned another F word from me apparently, commenting the other day when we got into the roasting car, "It's Freaking hot!"  Oops!  I couldn't help but laugh, which only made him say it all the more.  Plus, it was just so freaking true!  Well, it could have been worse -- such as the real "F" word, for instance.

Rock on, Fam!

LibbY

Ahoy There, Matey!

"Ahoy There, Matey, Beware" read the birthday party invitation on a torn piece of paper.  Captain Nathan was hosting (with oodles of help from Mom and Dad) a Pirate Birthday Party at his home "pier." "Come if ye dare!"  We took the dare, and we are so glad we did!  

Clad in a sash and pirate sword filled with soap bubbles, the boys waved the cutest pirate flags made with a real stick and the crossed-bone motif, walked the plank, and threw water balloons "overboard" creating deck cannon ball spray.  They also went for a treasure hunt, finding gold coins filled with chocolate scattered around the lawn, and played at a sand table filled with neat pirate toys.  

After a homemade pirate cake, they got the ultimate party favor -- a gift bag in the shape of a treasure chest filled with all sorts of pirate booty -- not the snack food, cool stuff like long necklaces of gold coins.  Needless to say, Sam wore the sash for the next 24 hours straight -- including during his nap and overnight.  It's a wonder he didn't have an imprint of the pirate sword imbedded into his leg after sleeping on it.

Just when it couldn't get any better for Sam, it did.  Does he ever have the life, flititg to one party after another.  We drove to Chesapeake for a baptism, and lo and behold there was a face painter.  No, the face painter was not at the actual baptism, but at the party afterwards.  (Neither were we, I confess.  I blame it on the two hour drive.)  Sam was first in line, jumping up an down and flapping his arms.  

When the woman asked him, "What do you want?"  responded without a moment's hesitation, "I want to be a purple pirate!"  Boy, did she ever work some magic on his face!  I never realized how face painting can be such art.  The purple bandana she painted looked so real that people really thought it was a bandana.  And then when the lien dwindled she made a an amazing tattoo on his arm -- skull and crossed-bones of course.  Not your typical baptism garb, but what the heck.

Sam was a big hit at the 7-11 on the way home, which was twice as long as the drive there, which is a separate blog entry in itself.  However, as time went by, the paint started to smudge and he morphed into Frankenstein.  He still has purple remnants in his hair that make him look like he has severe sunburn.  Oh no, they are just his pirate roots

I guess that make me his Mommy Wench, so all he needs is a parrot now.  Oh, and a ship. 

LibbY

LibbY

face painter

parrot

pirate's mommy wench

I want to wear my make-up!"

pirtate plates, table cloth, decoration

search for treasure (golden coins)

ice cubes with toys frozen ins ide

adorable pirate cake 

pizza - who knew that Papa Johns delivers to pirate ships?  I guess with modern technology anything is possible! I bet you have to pay a little bit extra for the boat service.

Let's Go Camping!

Yesterday we went to a super-cute class for toddlers called "Let's Go Camping" at the Nature Center in Rockwood Park.  Chesterfield County Recreation Department sponsors lots of individual classes during the summer for kids, broken down by age groups.  The ones for Sam's age cost $4 a piece.  They're not $5, and they're not free.  They're $4.  I don't know why that cracks me up so much, but it does.  My favorite part, though, is when they ask which credit card you'll use to pay for it when you call to register.  Refreshing, that's what it is.

It is amazing how many things the kids did over the course of a mere hour.  First of all, the kids (with a wee bit of help help from Mommy) made their own backpacks out of brown paper bags. It was both so clever and adorable.  The straps were made out of a paper bag, too, and then glued on with impressive staying power.  Note to Self:  I have underestimated the power of glue all my life.  Then the kids each drew a picture which we, I mean, they glued on to teh front of the backpack.

Next we moved on to Miss Denise showing the kids a Fisher Price camping lantern, one of the cutest and most practical toys upon which I have laid my eyes.  And, trust me, I have seen a lot of toys in my time.  I'd like to own one myself, just looking at it makes me happy.  The array of built-in features was downright impressive --  frog and cricket sounds, light, canteen, frying pan with fake bacon and eggs, jackknife with knife/fork/spoon, and dinner plate.  Check it out -with a google of "Fisher Price camping lantern."  Oh, and how did I forget to mention it is only $19.99?

After Miss Denise read a book about camping, the kids and chaperones made some homemade (or Nature-Center-made) trail mix of M&M's, Wheat Chex, and granola.   No big surprise, the M & M's were a big hit with Sam who didn't see any point in putting any of the other stuff in his baggie.  He definitely is my child.

All equipped with a backpack and trail mix, we were ready to hike.  As we set out, Sam started to wail, "I want to go home!"  However, he cheered right up when it was time to take a break, sit on a log, and pick the M&M's out of his trail mix.  Once we got back to the Nature Center, Miss Denise handed out camping coloring and activity sheets to work on at home.

All that in a hour and for only $4.

Here's to Miss Denise!

LibbY

Mama-Palooza

My mothers' club put on quite the rockin' "Pretty in Pink" party last night, nothing short of an 80's themed Mama-Palooza.  Since it was so God-awful hot, I didn't take any pictures to protect the hot and sweaty partygoers.  When was the last time you had a Bartles & James shooter walking into a party?  It's been a while, for me at least.  

They really did it up with bubble-gum-pink balloons everywhere a la Molly Ringwald.  The hostesses had also set up six TV/VCRs set up alongside each other,  each playing a different favorite 80's flick -- "The Breakfast Club," "Sixteen Candles," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Saint Elmo's Fire," and" "Less Than Zero."  An 80's girl at heart, it was tempting to stand there awestruck all night watching them unfold, but I settled for chuckling at the hilarious movie quotes scattered around the buffet tables.

Meanwhile the DJ was spinning (not literally, it is 2008 after all) some great 80's tunes -- Prince, Howard Jones, Culture Club, Def Leppard, Modern English, and Madonna.  My night was complete once I heard "I'll Melt with You" and "Wild Thing."  The dance floor (usually used as a driveway) was hoppin' with mommies galore gettin' down.  It was like a high school dance with the women bee-bopping away as the men stood around trying not to think about how incredibly hot they were.  I guess since the husbands have seen their wives through labor, they could handle watching them dance like a pack of high school girls just fine.  One husband aptly filled out his name tag as "Rebecca's husband" because he knew that was the only way that people would know him.  A wise man, that Rebecca's husband.

Rock on, mommies!  You've still got it.

LibbY

The Happy Camper

I don't know who was the happier camper this week, Sam or me.  OK, we'll call it a draw.  He really was in his element there, running off to jump in the little blow-up pool when we arrived, not even checking to see if I was still behind him.  That sure is a far cry from the sobbing mess he was when he started preschool last fall, clutching onto me and wailing, "Mommy, stay here!" Ah, my little man is growing up.  Whoever said, "The days goes slowly, but the years go quickly" was so right on the mark.  Cheers to you, wherever you are!  

I must say, though, I am enjoying these days so much more than the infant daze, and they sure do fly by before I can catch my breath.  It is so nice to be able to communicate with him -- he can tell me he's thirsty.   I can find out exactly what he wants for lunch, usually peanut-butter-and-jelly-like-he-had-at-Trent's-house, animal crackers, and some pineapple, all washed down with some apple juice.  And he has a good idea of what he wants to do, always "something fun," an expression he picked up from me.

Don't you worry, though.  We still do have our miscommunications.  The other day when I showed up at school, I mean, "camp," to pick him up, the poor little guy was roaming around moaning to himself.  Miss Julie said, "I don't know what's wrong.  When we had lunch, he kept looking around like there was supposed to be something else in his bag.  And he didn't seem to enjoy the pineapple."  Well, the heat-sapped Saminator was starving!  After playing in the water outside all morning,  he only had some measly pineapple to eat for lunch.  I don't have him on an all pineapple diet on purpose-- really!  

Both Sam and his teachers were confused because I had only put some pineapple and juice in his Veggie Tales refrigerated bag.  To save space, I had put the other non-perishables directly in his canvas bag  -- the peanut butter & crackers, animal crackers, and raisins.  Alas, they didn't see them in there buried under the clothes.  So Sam had to sit there and salivate while watching the other kids (whose mothers loved them more) eat their deliciously filling lunches.  Yes, there was some serious mommy guilty stirred up there.  I felt so bad for him, ravenous yet unable to explain himself or his mother's well-intentioned packing rationale.  Oh, well.  He can tell his therapist all about it when he is 25.  I'll even sport the co-pay and bring him some non-perishable snacks in a canvas bag.

On a brighter note he forgot all about it, but as you can tell, I haven't.  I guess kids don't learn to hold grudges, even against themselves, until they are older.  

Note to self:  Try to be more kid-like.

LibbY