Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today's my dad's birthday. Sometimes I feel bad for my dad (and all dads) because when it comes to gifts, they kind of get the raw end of the deal. When it's my mom's birthday or Mother's Day or Xmas, I get all excited and try to think of some cute, creative, useful gift for her. When it's dad, we're always at a loss. Most dads, including my own, are easy to please so it shouldn't be this difficult, but it always is. So, here I am at the last minute with no gift, trying to come up with something....sure hope it comes to me soon because I'm going home tomorrow to see them. Joey can't wait. He asks about Papa Mark all the time. When Heather first had Grace, my dad wasn't real fond of "papa", he's always preferred "Grandpa". But, somehow Joey seems to get away with it. I think it's the way he says it- it would make any papa's heart melt. He loves my parents house because he gets to spend 99% of his time outdoors. I grew up on a farm and I don't think my parents ever worried about kidnappers or cars hitting me in the street, or where I was. It was "go outside and don't come back" message, actually! So, it's great going home to send him outside and let him run all over with no boundaries. I guess if we can't live on an acreage, the next best thing is having "papa" and "gamma" live on one.

Anyway, here are a few conversations Joey and I have had lately.
1- This one was on the way home from Lisa's yesterday:
Joey: Mom, I see the moon! What's it doing out already?
Mom: Sometimes it comes out early because it wants the sun to go to bed early.
Joey: I don't like the mooon! The moon is not my friend! The moon is mean!
Mom: That's not very nice, Joey. The moon is very nice and we want to see it every night before we go to bed.
Joey: Oh.....yeah, I know. I was just kiddin' mom! I was teasin' you!

2- This one is from Joey in the bathtub last night. This is actually very disturbing and I'm not sure why I'm sharing it with you, except for the fact that I don't want to forget this story because I plan on sharing it with his first girlfriend someday.
Joey: Farting in the bathtub...
Mom: Ew, Joey, are you farting in the bathtub?
Joey: Yeah, mom I am! Should I drink it now?
Mom: Drink what? What are you talking about?
Joey: Drink my fart. I farted in the bathtub. Should I drink it now?
Mom: No, you most certainly should not. Let's get out of the tub now...

This was my sister's comment to the story, "He is all boy. My girls would NEVER say that. Drinking their fart would never even cross their mind."

This is a story about my neice Grace now.
Heather and Grace are driving and see a boy playing a guitar.
Grace: Mom, see that boy playing that guitar?
Heather: Yes, I see him.
Grace: I don't even want to tell you what my friend said about him.
Heather: Tell me Grace.
Grace: She said that every time she sees that boy play the guitar, it makes her want to kiss him!
Heather: What'd you say?
Grace: I didn't say anything.
Heather: Did you tell her that gross? Because it is gross.
Grace: Yeah, I told her it was gross. (clearly, she did not as noted previously, she's just trying to please her mother).
Heather: You shouldn't kiss boys for a long, long time.
Grace: Yeah, except if you're in love. If you're in love, you can kiss them.
Heather: No, not until you're in high school at least, okay?
Grace: Okay (Clearly, she intends on kissing a boy tomorrow at the very latest).

Here's my response to Heather: "Clearly a girl thing. Kissing someone besides their mama would NEVER even cross my boys' minds." Right back at you. Although, my story is still more disturbing.

3- Lastly, here's Joey in the bathroom with me while I'm getting ready this morning.
Joey: Mom, can I have your blowdryer? I need it.
Joey: I need a kleenex mom.
Joey: Can I flush the toilet? I want to flush the toilet.
Joey: I want that toothbrush. Can you give it to me?
Joey: What is that, mom? What do you have? I want it. Can I see it?
Joey: Where is my net? I thought my net was in the bathtub. I want my net.
Joey: What about now? Can I have the blowdryer now? It's a gun. I want to shoot Spiderman with it.
Joey: Can I take a bath?
Joey: Where's daddy? Is he at the gym? When is he coming back?
Joey: Can you get Maddox? He's bugging me.

Seriously, how can one kid have so many questions and need every single thing you touch? I finally gave up getting ready. I lived with my hair half wet/half dry and decided that Joey need to be removed from the bathroom completely.

I had the boys home today and it was a great day. The day goes by faster and easier when it's nice outside. After naps, we're going to do a couple of quick errands and then when we get home, daddy will be here! We'll pack for Gma and Gpa's tomorrow. Joey will get to ride with dad in the tractor if dad is the field, which I'm guessing he will be. He's going to love that. He usually hangs all over dad, and climbs all over in the combine because there's more room. A tractor is a little less roomy. And, he'll take "Ranger" rides with Papa Mark- his favorite.

Happy Birthday to my dad! Many more!