Proceed to Party

Tonight, Julie and Clara got caught up inside the KinderCare so Ted and Joe beat them to the car. When Julie opened the door to put Clara in her car seat, the Glee cast's version of Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror came pouring out. (Longtime Fans may recall that several weeks ago, Julie and Ted gave a car concert of this song on the way to Target one Saturday morning. We're almost ready to take our act on the road. We are no doubt available for your upcoming event so keep us in mind.) Clara, rather charmingly, as is her wont, immediately began to bust a move. When the song ended, she immediately requested "more, more," and both Birds were dismayed to learn that Joe had already requested Sing With Me. Sing With Me is the lead off number on the second of MacPhail Center for Music's second children's music album. It's fine. Sort of a folk vibe. Not even rockabilly, which, frankly, Fans, we could not describe, but is at least fun to say. In any case, let's just say that the King of Pop wouldn't have covered it.

But just as you're thinking that Joe's musical tastes leave much to be desired, he requests "See the Party." Translated, this is Red Solo Cup, the chorus of which includes "proceed to party"--hence, "see the party." For our Fans who are perhaps dismissive of country music, we should add that Red Solo Cup is a sort of stupid, but fun, Toby Keith hit. Our Hero sang us home. Proceed to party, Fans.

Birdie With Pony

Fans, some of you have noticed that Our Birdie is getting rather a lot of hair. Of late, many days we will arrive to pick her up and find her sporting a "pony." (When Julie was little and getting ponies, they were called pony tails. She is coming to realize that the full compound word is passe.) These ponies of Clara's are of the Bam-Bam variety. We weren't sure, but we suspected that our girl, who knows her own mind, was requesting them. Today, her sheet noted that she "asked for a lel-low pony," meaning a pony, secured by a yellow elastic (again, they were "rubber bands" back in the day; now, "elastics"). And here she is, rocking the lel-low pony.

Moe Goes Fishing

Tonight, Joe heard his first "Moe" story. For the uninitiated, when Ted and his sister Kate were little, their dad would make up stories at bed time chronicling the adventures of Ned and Kit. The stories tend to have a similar arc: Ned and/or Kit experience an activity very similar to something their namesakes did recently and usually involve explaining in great detail some otherwise small piece to the story (which was only fully realized and appreciated tonight because Ted found himself doing the same thing - a good delay tactic while you think of where to take the story). There are enough twists and turns to keep the listener on the edge of their bed, but all ends just peachy with the heros fully grateful for the experience and better for it somehow. So, before handing Joe off to Julie for the real story time, Ted had Joe nestle into the upstairs sofa for a Moe story. At first Joe was a bit confused, he didn't get the concept of lying back and listening - he was trying to see if Ted was holding a book, but after a couple lines to the story, he settled in.

The inaugural story told of how Moe went fishing with his Uncle Scott (admittedly, this was old material, but it is what came to mind and what Joe would want to hear about). As the first few lines were spoken, Joe started softly whispering the words right after like he knew the story, so he was told that this was a new story he hadn't heard, which quieted him down (so our narrator could concentrate). Our story was brief, and it found Moe and his Uncle Scott off to fish. They sat on a big rock by a lake, Moe caught a fish and reeled it in (this is the part that got extra detailed: "and he kept reeling, and reeling, and reeling, and reeling...), and Uncle Scott caught it in a net. They then released it back to its friends. The End.

Immediately afterwards, Joe launched into his own Moe story, regaling Ted with a tale concerning any object he could spy in the room, it went something like this... "And Moe.......he.....had a computer....and a shirt was on it....and the light was on.....and he fell down. Was that so funny!?!?" A good time was had by all. Ted (or should I say Ned?) will work on his improv so Joe will look forward to more adventures with Moe and might even put up with hearing about Moe's little sister Sara.

This Just In

Joe: "Mommy, I going to sleep, and I don't want Clara to wake me up."

Said the pot to the kettle.

The Grand Reveal | Part 2

Berenice plotting rug destruction.

The cupcake kitchen and grocery corner.

The dining room.

The dining room drapery fabric, up close, for interested parties far away.