Birthday Season Over

(Above are the photos of the food spread Candice did...soo goood!)

Breanna got up this morning feeling so excited that it was her birthday. She couldn't wait to get to school and wear her birthday hat. I had no idea what that meant so I asked her. She said her teacher Ms. Bishop makes them a hat on their birthday to wear all day. How cleaver that is, something so small makes these little kid's day.

Kevin ran errands and I worked at the charity for a while. Of course we were in a rush when school was out to get Bre' ready to meet bio-mom and Cameron's homework. Not sure if Breanna would be fed on her two hour visit (according to her they usually don't feed her on Friday for her weekend visit, so I had my doubts that anything was planned for this short visit) so I decided to make her a favorite peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich with apple juice and banana for dessert. Of course she love it, she's a kid. We dropped her off on time and I must say that arrogance must come naturally to some people. I'm sure we are all guilty of it a times, but some people just blatantly display it for what I guess is just a personal shove. First of all bio-mom was smoking (okay outside the car for a change) and didn't even budge to come get her daughter that she felt the need just a few days ago to express that she must have her on her actually birthday because she laid in labor all that time for her. I tend to think that I might at least look a bit excited. Bio-mom's sister instead proceeded to open the car door and grab her before she could finish telling everyone bye (a ritual we go through everywhere we go, not to mention bedtime), Kevin had to stop her so he could tell her bye and we'd see her in a couple of hours.

We headed to the hospital to visit mom. She was up and in a chair, had been exercising and doing her therapy. We had a good visit and it seems that she may get to go home tomorrow some time after lunch. I know she will be so glad just to be home. Recovery is so much better at home than a hospital. Of course it will make if much easier on my dad. He is so sweet, he is going to make sure she is taken care of and has everything she needs...while hobbling on his broke foot. The are the best parents.

Kevin headed out to get Breanna and Cameron and I headed to church. I took cupcakes for the kids birthday at church. They were given the option of taking them to church or school and both chose church. Cameron's class had a Halloween Party so the cupcakes were a great addition. Candice made some wonderful treats for the kids; hot dogs wrapped like mummies, bone bread sticks, pretzel and fruit roll up witches brooms, string cheese fingers, cheese pizza and ice cream punch with gummy worms. I'm thinking something else to but can't remember. She always has great games for the kids. The class is wonderful and Cameron really enjoys it. Breanna's class worked on crafts and enjoyed their cupcake party. She was so excited when she got there. Luckily praise and worship lasted a little bit longer than usual and she got there just as the kids were heading to the classes. She came to see me, hugged me and said where's my party? It is such a gift when you see a child's face light up. Don't rush those moments or ever let them pass you by.

After church we came home and got the kids all scrubbed up. Breanna said she was hungry and as predicted ate nothing on her visit (do some people just not think?). Not only that she let us know that she only got a sweater and pair of pants from her grandfather and not a single gift from anyone else. No cake, no small party, no anything...she was told that on her next visit that they would give her a party. I'm not an expert but it seems like that would be a little hard for a 6 year old to comprehend why a week before they put off her party, now on her birthday no party and is expected to wait another week and a half for her birthday. She was very disappointed. Of course she is beginning to get used to being let down and that just breaks my heart. And another issue that as a mother just blows my mind is the fact that bio-mom either is to prideful to tell us she needs us to send clothes for her when she comes down there or she just doesn't care or know what size her child wears. Most of the time Breanna comes home in clothes to small for her. This last time she came home with pants about a mile to long and shoes two sizes to small. When Breanna told her that she needed to buy her some new shoes tonight in a size 13 (she asked her size before she left) she was told to tell Kevin that he needed to send her clothes and shoes down there. When we got custody of Breanna, I specifically told Ms. Bio-Mom (sorry for the sarcasm) that we would pack her a bag for every visit and for her just to please just place the unwashed clothing back in her bag and return everything. I told her that is what I did for Cameron when he was visiting Jack. Her reply was, I don't need anything from you...I can provide anything my daughter needs. So that was that, from then on what she sent her home in would be what we sent her back in for each visit. It has been that way for three years now. So Kevin politely (and I do mean politely, no sarcasm) left a voice message to remind her of her own words and told her if she needed him to send clothes and shoes down there that she needed to let us know and not send messages through Bre'. Also told her that Breanna is growing and needs clothes that fit her and to please not to send her back in shoes two sizes to small, then he gave her what size clothes she was in I believe. We kind of expected a nasty little phone call, but well it's after 10:30 p.m. here and so far no call. There is always tomorrow. I don't mean to seem like I'm acting ugly, but you know...enough is enough, how selfish can one person be? I just want to tell her to wake up, Breanna is slipping away from her and she doesn't seem to care. On the way home from church she said, when I turn 8 I can make my own decisions. I asked her what she meant and she said you told Cameron when he was 8 he could decide whether he went to Jack's or not. She was right, that at least was something that we both agreed on...we would never force him to visit and eventually it just became a place he never wanted to go. I told her that if and when she ever felt that way she needed to talk to her Dad. I knew someday this would happen, just didn't know it would happen at 6. Another said point is that bio-mom as even express this to Kevin and is aware that Breanna will eventually not want to visit and this doesn't change her actions.

Okay on a very funny note; just as Cameron was going to bed Kevin found a song on the Internet that was a favorite of his when he was little. First let me tell you that when Cameron was born he had a hernia and it wasn't able to be correct until he was 5 years old. So technically he was born without a belly button. It was a protruding bump when the belly button should be about the size of a quarter and stuck out about an inch, I'm sure you can imagine (I'll have to find some pictures). Well he was a huge Veggie Tales fan and we happen to find a little song that says, I've got to tell you something...I ain't got no belly button and it quickly became his favorite. He loved to dance to it and pull on that loose limp piece of skin it finally became. I was so happy when they went in and repaired the hernia and made him a belly button.

I made Breanna some left over chicken and rice after her bath. She was so excited about her little party at church with her friends. I hope these kids are the ones she grows up and has strong bonds with. I know this is a little gross but just as she came to tell me goodnight I notice she had something in her nose and told her to go clean it out. Well I don't know how it progressed but she couldn't get it and told me to get it out. I just blurted out, no that's a monster booger and it must be holding on until Halloween...that sent her into a big laugh. On and on it went until Kevin tried to get it and finally, yep I ended up with the job. Afterward she kept asking for her birthday whippings. I told Kevin we really should reconsider punishments and spank the kids, when they beg for a whipping, 6 and one to grow on...you know you don't spank your kids enough, lol. So I started to give her her birthday whipping as she called it and she counted and kept counting to 8 and I said hey you are only six are you trying to get older to fast. She thought that was really funny. She said yeah I want to be big I'm going to be 10 next year. I told her no way, next she would want her own apartment and thank goodness she said no. Actually she agreed to living with me forever and when I get old she would be here to take care of me, so I should be good since both her and Cameron have agreed to this (I have a feeling I should have got that in writing, lol.). Okay so now Kevin had to do the birthday whipping and finally she could go to bed. I'd say this was a great birthday, not just for her but Cameron also. They had a big party, each got a special birthday dinner party and a church party...I'm jealous. Hey, they are only little for such a short time and I plan to enjoy every minute of it...no matter how exhausting it is.

Well, I think I need to head to bed...it is waaaaaaay past my bedtime. I can't wait until Judgement House tomorrow. I really don't know what to expect, but it is something Kevin and I have wanted to go to since we met and now Cameron is old enough to go.