Jackolympics

Camp ended for Jack last week, and Kate is home the entire month of August. So yeah I'm kind of going insane. But seriously! It's been great a lot of the time. I think tomorrow or the next day we'll go to Dunkin' Donuts, I'm looking forward to that.

Anyway, yesterday we had something I dubbed the "Jackolympics," and Jack liked it so much the name stuck. He set up little sporting events throughout the house. We had golf in the playroom, something similar to rugby in Kate's room, bowling in our room, and basketball in Jack's room, where the Jackolympics finished up.

In his room, he'd set up his wastebasket (onto which he'd stuck a piece of paper that read "don't put trash here") as one basket, used some shelving things as another basket, and made a hoop out of pipe cleaners (is that what they're called? I don't know) onto a third. One basket was worth 10 points, one 20, one 100. The basketballs were these little Nerf-like things. Jack went first and got 160, Kate went next and got 20 (she's little and throws like a girl, sorry), and I went last and got 150; I had to ratchet up the drama by barely missing my last one, probably on purpose. (But maybe not.)

I put Jack to bed, and we read his new Beast Quest book from Aunt Robin. He always reads a page or two. He came to a long word, "straightened," and slowed down. As he was working at it, I started to help him, but he said, "I'm looking because there are a lot of little words inside it." And I said yeah, you're right.

As I turned out the light, he said, "Daddy, what's today?" And I said, August 16th. And he said, "Every August 16th will be the Jackolympics." And I said OK then.

Talent Show

Normally Kate wakes up from her naps cranky and unwilling to get up. But today when I told her it was time get up she jumped up, went right to the bathroom, shook her hair out of her eyes, and was ready to go. Because today was Jack's Talent Show Day.

We've had an inkling of something coming up from Jack's camp for a little while now. Every so often he'll break into a little mini-dance, including hip shakes and chest beating. Turned out they were learning a routine, and practicing it, for a show at camp. It was today, so I roused Kate from her nap and we hoofed it over the park to see it all unfold.

When it came time for Jack's number, they did this little hip-shaking, jumping up and down, spinning dance number to a medley that included a Back Street Boys song. Jack was in the front and in the middle, perhaps because he was one of the more physically expressive dancers. Near the end he did this little foot shimmy that cracked me up, then a finger point, and finally an emphatic microphone wave and thrust that was right out of a music video I'm pretty sure he's never seen. It was a riot.

What was funny was how seriously he was taking it -- he later said he was nervous and shy -- he really looked like it was important to him to hit all his cues and do a good job. I recorded it, and we watched it at home on TV, Emily and I cracking up, Jack hiding his face in his hands. At first. And then we played it again, and he stood up, with his back to the TV, and did the whole routine again, with the music, just like his little video image on the screen. This time, though, he had a big grin on his face.

And his little sister got up next to him and did the same spinning, pointing, twirling dance. Big smile on her face, too.

For me, I think it was top 2 with seeing him score his first goal in soccer. I was grinning like an idiot while he danced like Justin Timberlake in his Mark Sanchez jersey. 2012 King Street Talent Show, look out.

Week with Kate

Emily says my most common visible emotion with Kate is frustration. I guess it's true, though I'd like to believe it's just when she sees me most with her (around dinnertime). She tests me, I get impatient with her, all that stuff.

So this week, with Jack at camp three days, I tried to avoid getting angry at Kate. I think I did OK; I feel like I didn't yell at her all week, which is something. I am not perfect.

Here were the memorable moments.

- Went to Leaping Lizards with her and Jack (on his one day off from camp). It's a big indoor play area, with slides and huge tunnels to run through and nets to climb. What was funny is that Kate has been once before, and I wouldn't think she'd necessarily remember it, but she's been asking for it lately and then all the way there she was singing, "We're going to Lea-Ping Liz-Ards,..." Jack must have been talking it up lately. Anyway, I think the first time we went there were isolated moments of tears, when Kate got trapped in some area. Not this time, especially with big brother Jack nobly leading her to safety on more than one occasion. There were a couple of other times when I believe he tried to hide from her; I'd see him run by, then her a few seconds later, trying to find him. I worked a little on my column for the magazine, then played some Skee-Ball with Jack and let Kate ride the merry-g0-round, and we headed home.

- Went to a toy store to get a birthday present for Jack's friend Dylan. Kate was pretty good; she grabbed the random toy here and there, I explained, no, we were just getting a gift for Jack's friend, and she was playful about it. "OHHHHhhhhh," she'd fake moan, then smile and go look at something else. She ended up being fascinated by this Thomas Train set arranged near the back of the store, making me sad we'd sold Jack's a while back when he hadn't cared about it any more.

- Pushed her on the swing in the back yard. I think she could do that forever. She laughs and laughs. And then I realize she can't do it forever when she suddenly says "I want to get off," almost in mid-laugh.

- Let her and Jack run through the sprinkler after camp. A big hit. My favorite bit is when she gets water in her eyes, cries for about 5 seconds, then continues running happily around like it never happened. She's an odd one sometimes.

- Went to the supermarket, again with both of them. Chaos. Neither wanted to ride IN the cart, both wanted to ride ON it. They clung to the side, or the front, argued over who got to hold the scanner, asked to see the lobsters, said they wanted to go get turkey at the deli. But Kate, I said, you never want to eat turkey for lunch, you always want peanut butter and jelly. And she said, "But can I just eat turkey here?"

And for most of the week, she was happy, and so was I.

- Irish cousins arrived today; one quick story. Kate wanted to play Hide and Seek with Abbey. "Abbey. You be the hider and I'll be the seeker. OK?" Abbey asked where she should hide. Kate said, "You hide...right here." She picked an exact place for Abbey to hide. Abbey hid there. Abbey said, OK, you should count to five. Kate, asserting her homefield advantage, said, "I am going to count to SIX." She walked 20 feet away and started counting. Finished counting, looked up, saw Abbey, and said, "I FOUND you!" Very proud of herself.

- Mikey read bedtime stories to Kate (Some Dogs Do) and Jack (not sure, I'll have to ask tomorrow). And finally the kids went to bed, so I could make sure I got it all down.