party animals

Cardo, Pic and I joined friends at a park for some Independence Day festivities yesterday. The day ended in someone throwing up in the car. And you thought we were quiet people.

I've been pretty holed up since school ended and I was tempted to stay in last night also. Actually, Cardo wanted to go to Tahoe, but I figured it'd be ridiculously busy and that didn't really appeal to me. Anyhow, I'm glad we went out last night.

We all met at a park a bit out from where the fireworks were to go off. Cardo, Pic and I walked down to the nearby convenience store to make use of the facitilites (the structure that is NOT a bathroom at the park apparently used to be an ice house and the park (and, no doubt, surrounding land) used to be a ranch). We got back and Coach J and Baby K were there, so the kids played for a bit. J and Mr J had grilled chicken beforehand (and it was delicious) and we ate that and fruit and other munchies. Then, the five of us adults and the two kids sat down to play Duck, Duck, Goose. Actually, I should explain something here.

I think that Pic learned to play Duck, Duck, Goose at school, but I'm not sure who taught her and I'm not sure what rules she was playing by. She recently decided that she, Papi and I would play when we go to the park. Here's how we play: Cardo and I sit down and Pic dictates who will be chosen as the Goose beforehand. Sometimes, she'll dictate who is going to be the 'Gooser' and who will be the Goose. Then, when the Goose is chosen, s/he chases after the Gooser. Sounds okay, right? (Excepting all the premeditation, of course.) Except, they don't run in a circle, they just take off. This is how we started out yesterday and it was hilarious. Also, I didn't realize until yesterday that I had never actually explained to Cardo that this isn't exactly how you play. We finally got things to look more like traditional Duck, Duck, Goose, except that Baby K would get up and make the rounds with every Gooser. He would run around and sit, but then get up every single time. It was great.

Anyhow, not much else after this. There were, of course, fireworks. Mr M and Cardo ended up taking the kids across the street to a vacant lot to better see the fireworks. We were far enough away that although we could hear the booms, they weren't overwhelming. By the end of the evening, Baby K was swaying where he stood, he was so exhausted. My child, of course, was wide awake. She was also, of course, upset that we were leaving. We got back into the car without much fuss, though.

On the way home, Pic told us she was hungry, so we handed over the carton of strawberries. A bit later, she told us, 'I have to froak up...or cough.' She kept telling us this. ('Froak' = both 'throw' (she also says 'frow') and 'throat'.) Then...she threw up in the strawberries, all over her seat and the blanket covering her. She told us, 'The leaves were too sour for my tummy.' We pulled over to the side of the road and I moved to the back to sit with her and soothe her a bit. Actually, she was doing quite well after she got it all out. All I could think, while I was sitting back there, was that it smelled like strawberry smoothie. (You're welcome.)

So, we got home okay and did some late wash. Pic and I took a bath and then we got her to bed. Cardo put The Man Who Knew Too Little into the VCR and he and I spread some blankets out on the floor and watched it. Last night was the first night in a very long time that I was tired before three or four o'clock in the morning. I was asleep around one, woke up once at about 1:40 and then was back asleep. Pic woke up at some point and came out to lay with us. I was sleeping in the middle and trying not to squish either Cardo or Pic and I ended up laying on my arm. When it fell asleep along with the rest of me, I woke up. I realized that Pic was uncovered, but in trying to cover her back up again, my useless arm kept flopping down on her. I was afraid she was going to wake up and ask me what was wrong with me, but I also didn't want her to wake up from being cold. It wasn't quite as bad as the time I kept punching myself in the face when I woke up with an arm that was asleep...and I couldn't figure out who was hitting me.

So, wow. This post is long enough as is. Later, I'll report on more of the walking we've been doing. Because that's the really exciting stuff.