No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on December 7, 2014

She had fun. Her friends had fun. I had forgotten how loud 10 children between the ages of 10 and 12 can be when they are playing. Fortunately I still have my acting training and the ability to be heard over the din thanks to my acting teacher back in college.

They played the Disney version of Apples to Apples and had a great time defending their cards or other people’s card trying to get the judge to pick their card. They played a variety video games on our various systems. I did get the stations put together nicely but today have to put everything back together in the main media station.

I was pleased that the first thing to be consumed was the fruit plate. The only thing left were three pieces of honeydew melon. They even ate the blueberries.

They played some other board games together including a new one that Shana gave Caroline for her birthday entitled “The Crazy Cat Lady Game” in which you try to collect as many cats as possible.

Caroline was very happy about her party. The other children had fun. So win-win in my book.

Today is going to be about cleaning up from the party and putting the house back in some sort of order. Then we keep it that way for a while I hope.

Only downside for the entire day was my back giving me the sharp stabby pain rather than the dull ache. Makes it hard to move or move in certain directions. It seems better today but I haven’t really tested it.

I think we raised our ‘cool parent’ status with her friends. Sean’s Adventure Time blood sword was a big hit. I do need to replace the batteries in Sting (the sword not the singer).

Today it is a little too windy to put up the Holiday lights. Need to look at the weather forecast and figure out when I can do that. I like to be able to feel my fingers when I am done.

I am grateful that everyone had fun at Caroline’s party.

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Posted By Kathleen David on December 6, 2014

Caroline is having her birthday party today. We are having it at the house and it is a game party.

We are setting up three stations with our various video consoles so more than one kid can play at the same time around the living room. I am pulling together the games for each console and putting them with them. Because of some very generous friends at some electronic game companies, we have a pretty wide selection.

We are also pulling out board games and the like as well and setting up a table for that.

I have capped the number of kids at ten plus Caroline. I know I have enough room for that but not much more than that. I am figuring currently based on the RSVP we are looking at 6 to 8 which is fine. Caroline will have fun and that’s the most important part.

After that I plan on collapsing for a day or so.

Then back to the puppets that need to be done before the end of the year.

I have a new one that will be probably the trickest I have done. I have never recreated tattoos before and am sorting out the best way to do it.

I am grateful for everything that got done yesterday.

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Posted By Kathleen David on December 5, 2014

Dear Caroline,

I came down this morning and found you dress and ready to go with your bookbag and lunch packed. You double checked to make sure you had everything you needed in school today. Breakfast you are having at the school because you are attending the Principal’s breakfast for doing so well last marking period. You are my little self starter.

You have been on this planet for twelve years now and in such a short time you have put your mark on it. You have done things and been places that many kids, and a number of adults I know, have only dreamed of doing.

You have such a caring heart. You want to help both people and animals that are in pain. You are thinking about what kind of career would allow you to help people the most. I tell you that you still have time to find what you want to do with your life. I am not sure that you believe me.

You have a vivid imagination. I do listen to what you are dong when you are playing with your toys. They have always been lucky enough to go on some grand adventures. And you do a lot of crossover so the My Little Ponies will attend Monster High for example. You have ideas for stories and tales you want to tell. You have started to write some of them down and I hope you continue to do so.

You’re smart. Grades aside, you can work through mental problems really well. You have a good retention of information from things you have read. You are working at taking abstract principals and writing about them. This year you are learning a lot about writing essays and reports along with test taking. It hasn’t come easy but with each you get a little better. You know how to organize and outline a paper which is a skill you didn’t have at the beginning of the school year.

You love to read all kinds of things. From books to comics to magazines and just about anything else with words in it. You do have your favorites that you reread but you like reading new things. I know if I buy you a book you want, it will be read and treasured.

You love to draw. You have always loved to draw since you could first hold a crayon. You still sit and work on your art with such concentration. You have even made a business of it at conventions. Did pretty well this year too.

You are helpful around the house. We have been working on basic cooking skills which include clean up which is not your favorite activity but you do it. Laundry is next.

I am proud to be your mother. I love you so much Caroline.

I can still remember the first words I said to you while you were on my chest being rather upset about the whole thing, “Welcome to the world my baby girl.” Now twelve years later, I am so happy I said those words to you.

Love-

Mamamamamamamamamama

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Posted By Kathleen David on December 4, 2014

And I didn’t even know I had.

It was a Wednesday and my last day at Del Rey before I was on maternity leave due to some concerns about my health and the baby’s health.

I had brought home a couple of projects I was working on in hopes of getting them done before the baby arrived.

Baby had other ideas.

I went to my doctor that evening who was giving me an outline of the next couple of weeks and then stopped suddenly.

One doesn’t like it when one’s doctor is examining you and stops suddenly. All kinds of things went quickly through my head.

He looked up at me and informed me that I was in labor and would be having this child sooner rather than later.

I had no idea. My back hurt and I had what I thought were just more Braxton-hicks contractions which I had been having off and on for a number of weeks.

I remember that I was glad I didn’t have to ride the train into the city for a while because it was getting more uncomfortable every day. Much more that afternoon.

I didn’t need really to go to the hospital yet so we went home. The young lady who was going to stay with Ariel until Peter got back came over.

And I sent Peter off to bowl in his bowling league which surprised the guys that his wife insisted he go bowling rather than be with her. They still comment on it to this day. I knew if I called he would come home immediately. We were playing the sit and wait game for the contractions to be closer together. Also we were going to try to wait until after midnight so we wouldn’t get charged for an extra day in the hospital which worked out just fine.

Peter made it through two games before he told his team that he had to get home which both teams understood and he came home.

As we were driving to the north shore to St. Catherine’s, it started to sleet and then snow. We got there and got situated and started waiting for the arrival of our daughter.

I am grateful that the snow held off until we were at the hospital.

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Posted By Kathleen David on December 3, 2014

For some reason my coffee tastes like coffee flavored water this morning. I though I had the mix right but apparently not which means I dump this and try again.

Been doing that a lot lately. Not just with coffee. I have been trying to change or adjust some habits I have that I really don’t like so I am trying to get rid of those and replace with better habits. Not an easy task.

Jets and Giant fans, just figure this year is pretty much a total loss and figure out who you are going to cheer for in the Super Bowl. That’s about all we got right now. Also I figured that a judge was going to overturn the Ray Rice decision because it went against the basic tenets of the law as sucky as that is.

Got a lot to do over the next couple of days and then I move onto the next list.

I know that sometimes it feels like Kickstarters are like tossing money into the wind. There are promises of things that will be delivered but then other things happen and it gets pushed back or vanishes. I will say that the last three I have backed have been solid and I have gotten and am getting what was promised and when it was promised. There are another two that are rather dicey right now but I knew that going in. It is an investment in a project not a guarantee.

The Hiddleston Coriolanus looks interesting but I honestly don’t know, having stage managed the piece twice, if I could sit through it again. It’s a rough show. There are a number of those that have interesting casts but I would pass just because been there and done that a little too much. I can remember one depressing show I worked on that we made it a pact to tell each other jokes before we left the theater so we wouldn’t feel so depressed. It can get to you.

Ah my coffee now tastes like coffee.

The cats are all sitting on the back of the couch watching a flock of starlings that are in our yard. It’s like a kitty tennis match the way their heads are going back and forth at the same time.

Still need to get up my holiday lights.

Yes, on rare occasions I do miss stage managing. I was good at it.

Welp, enough of this. I need to get onto the next thing I need to do.

I am grateful that my blood pressure is better than text book.

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