FamilyMatters

Can I Watch TV?

Mike and Liam BOTH got sick last night -- we think from too much brownie batter, but we're not quite sure.

Liam was first up at 2 -- throw up....blech. back to bed. Pete got it and I fell asleep before I figured out what was going on.

Then Mike at 3pm -- throw up...blech. back to bed -- this time I got "wind" of it -- if you know what I mean -- and helped him back into bed.

Then Liam back up at 4 -- "DADDY - TUMMY HURT AGAIN" this time we both got up.  And as I'm helping Liam by rubbing his back as he throws up into the toilet, this transpired.

Liam, hands on the bowl, head in the bowl throwing up. Blech.

Then he looks up at me, "mommy, no school today? me stay home?"

Lee: "yes, honey, you'll stay home today."

Liam: "Me watch TV?"

now I don't think he's putting his finger down his throat to throw up -- way too many tears for that -- but even when this kid has his head in the bowl it's all about myth busters and dirty job!

"I'm Going To Vegas"

One day at school Ms. Levy evidently had a travel segment, where they all talked about going on trips and how to travel and different modes of transportation.  Liam was quite excited.

When Pete picked Liam up that day, Liam told Pete that he was going on a trip with Xavier, Kyle and Jack. When Pete asked Liam where they were going, Liam tapped his forehead and said "thinking." Pete volunteered "are you going to Vegas?"

Liam: "Yeah, Vegas Baby!" and so it started -- by the time the boys all got home, Liam was in full on planning mode for his trip to Vegas that night with Xavier, Kyle and Jack.

I happened to be home early that day. And no one had clued me in. (I repeat, no one had clued me in.) Liam came up the stairs, went directly to his room, packed his bag with all of the necessities (stuffed animals, a few trucks, a couple of books) and came out to the living room with his bag in tow, announcing that it was "time to take (him) to the airport" because "my airplane 6 o'clock."

An animated conversation ensued.

Me: "Liam, where are you going?"

Liam: "Vegas. Me, Kyle, Xavier, Jack go to Vegas six o'clock. you drive me to airport."

Me: "tonight?"

Liam: "Yes - you drive me now!"

I was confused -- what the hell was going on - and where the hell was Pete?

Then the phone rang - I picked it up - pete's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi - it's me, is Liam there?"

"Sure"

"Tell him it's United Airlines"

Did I mention that I hadn't been clued in yet?

I handed the phone to Liam and said "it's united airlines"

Big-eyed, Liam took the phone.

"Hello, is Liam Caraher there?"

"Me Liam"

"Yes, Mr. Caraher I'm calling from United Airlines and I'm sorry to say that all of the flights to Vegas have been cancelled tonight..."

"CANCELLED?"

"Yes I'm sorry that there is no flight to Vegas tonight - I have to go now." and "United Airlines" hung up and then came out of the bathroom.

Liam was devastated. Big crocodile tears. You get the picture. and then he got an idea ....

"Me go to Vegas TOMORROW."

And I said "Liam, I'm sorry baby, but you have horse back riding tomorrow, you can't go to Vegas tomorrow buddy."

And that's when Pete said "Oh Horse Back Riding was Cancelled for tomorrow."

HELLO!

That night Liam called out in his sleep "Cancelled, Vegas Cancelled."

Liam and Madi

Liam's girfriend is Madi MacDonald -- they are in the same class and are very close!

About a month ago, Liam brought me a blank piece of paper and a pen and said "mom, make my list"

"What do you want on your list?" I asked.

1. Suit

"Suit? Like a bathing suit?"

"No like Daddy's suit."

"ok - 1. Suit"

2. Dress for Madi

"uimmm dress for madi? what kind of dress?"

Big and White.

"Oh really."

3. Big Cake

"What kind of cake?"

Big, White and Liam and Madi on it.

4. Milk and Water

because you need something to drink to eat the cake with.

Ok what the heck has he been watching?

but a few weeks later, Pete and Liam are walking down the Avenue and Liam sees a Bridal store and GOES IN.... Here is the dress he would like to give Madi

Santa Called Liam Last Night

A couple of nights ago after watching Polar Express (again) Liam brought me a piece of paper and said "Santa. Note" and then mimed licking an envelope.

So he dictated a note to Santa....

Lee: "Dear Santa....ok Liam what do you want to say."

Liam: "This is Liam."

Lee: "Ok, now, do you want to tell Santa that you were a bad boy but you want presents anyway?"

Liam: "No!!! Me Nice!"

Lee: "Ok -- I have been nice this year, and I want....."

Liam: "Indie whip and hat." (Referring of course to Indiana Jones' hat and whip from the first movie.

Lee: "Anything else?"

Liam: "mmmmmmm" (tapping his finger to his forhead) and then with a triumphant finger to the sky "Indie coat"

We finished off the note and addressed it and put it in the pile to be mailed.

Yesterday Santa got the note, funnily enough at my office, and called Liam last night.

Lee "Liam, the phone's for you."

Liam: "who?"

Lee: "I don't know."

Liam "hi...." Listens to Santa (who looks a lot like Dan from Double Forte) say "Liam is that you?"

Liam: "yes" and then his eyes got really big when he heard "this is Santa"

Liam: "Santa?!??!!??! Ohhhh myyyyyy gosh!"

Then after a very animated discussion about santa, indie's hat and whip, pointing at the tree where Santa would leave the presents, talking about hot hot (hot chocolate) and cookies, we finally had to say goodbye to Santa so he could call other kids.

This morning when Liam came down to wake us up, he ran to my side of the bed and said

"Santa call me! make hot hot and cookies Today!!!"

Yeah, I'd be owing Dan $50 for this one!

Liam is 8!

Liam is finally 8!

He's been thinking and planning for it for a while now -- starting with the list of people he wanted at his birthday party.  For the last few weeks, he would come to my side with his list and say

"my turn talk"

"What do you want to talk about?"

"My pahty...here's my list"

So the day before his birthday, I hear him say to Pete first thing in the morning, "me 8?"

"No Liam you're still 7, tomorrow you are 8"

Saturday dawned to Liam standing by my bedside, poking me, proclaiming "me 8! my pahhhty today!"

And what a party! At Safari Run (where they've cracked the code on upscale Chucky Cheese)

Here is the Safari Cake that we had -- that'd be Liam in the middle wielding a whip, which he desperately wants so he can be the real life "indy" of indiana jones fame.

Much fun was had by all. He was totally red in the face from running around so much in the play structure and up and down the running track.

 

Does it get any better than this?

(Here's Liam with girlfriend #1 Madi on the right and girlfriend #3 Ranjini on the left (girlfriend #2, Lia was on the other side of the table.)

The Cop

Liam was a cop for Halloween-- he was VERY EXCITED to be a cop.

"Me cop for hawween!" He repeated over and over and over again in the month of October. 

We went online and ordered the best cop uniform we could find at Aeromax and it came 2 weeks before Halloween - complete with badge, billystick, handcuffs, id and a hat. Liam practiced being a cop by writing tickets for everyone he could and yelling "You Too Fast Dad!" from the back seat.

And then the day came -- Liam marched proudly in the parade waving to the crowd like he was running for office! 

And then before we went to our friend's house for the Halloween party and trickortreating extravaganza that is San Mateo Park, Dave came over in the Black and White and suprised Liam in his uniform!

He was so excited. When he saw Dave in the kitchen, his eyes went huge and he yelled "Ohhhhh Myyyyyy Gosshhhhhh" and ran to Dave to give him a hug.

"Uncle Dave cop. Me Cop!" He yelled.

Then Dave took him down to his Black and White and let him sit in the drivers seat! A Very Exciting Day!

Liam is Back in eSoccer!

This fall we enrolled Liam back into e-soccer (Exceptional Children Soccer) a fantastic program (that is a mission of an evangelical church in Pacifica) for kids with special needs and typically-developing kids to play soccer in a fun, non competitive, no parents screaming on the sidelines game. (Ask me how I feel about AYSO in Millbrae sometime.)

Liam is quite excited about soccer -- "Kick the ball in the goal!" and is off to a great start. He is running hard, kicking and following the ball and yelling and encouraging (?) his teammates!

GO TEAM!! 

 

Here he comes!

  

YEAH!

Where is the ball?

Do you think they'll bring it down here again?

 

  

SCORE!!!

Back It Up!

Abby may be thousands of miles away but recently she's been making her presence felt -- every day, all day.

If you've never seen her "Back it Up" -- e.g. dance? move? going backward with attitude while saying "back it up, back it up" -- really ask her to send you a video -- hell, Abby send me a video and I'll put it right HERE!

Recently -- this is how the kids are starting their days -- backing it up from breakfast to brushing their teeth -- backing it up from the bathroom to their bedrooms -- BACKING IT UP (loudly proclaiming their actions) from their rooms to the car...

So this is so funny

But SLOW becuase they don't come equipped with rear view mirrors and they keep bumping into walls!

Oh, that's where the Captain Hat is!

When Liam ended his first year at Arbor Bay, we went to Powell's so he could choose his end of the year treat. And then we met Liam's best friend Elliot (and his mom Julie) for dinner at Crepevine -- where of course Pancakes were for dinner.

Here is Captain Liam with his friend Elliot outside of the Crepevine for his end of the year special dinner.

All summer, Liam wanted to watch (again) the PBS show Carrier "Big Ship" with special attention paid to the fighter pilots of the Aircraft Carrier Nimitz. He asked for his hat, but we had left it in Millbrae....or so I thought.

Until we went to church Sunday and found the hat, complete with Liam's name written inside in big bold letters, in Foote Hall, just waiting for his return.

Who says church is a big black hole? It's holding everything precious waiting for us to return.

Seals and Sun

On Sunday we went to the    Fitzgerald Marine Reserve  in Pacifica -- which if you haven't been there -- is a great place. Sunday was a bit colder than today, but sunny and breezy and a perfect tidepool day. (Of course we found the "guide to northern california tidepools" when we were doing the laundry later Sunday evening!)

One of the coolest things that I never get tired of is how close marine life is to you when you live here. (I used to sit for hours watching dolphins and whales in Manhattan Beach). Here is a whole bunch of seals coming out of the receding water to sun themselves!

And here are three just checking us humans on the sand out.

So Cool!

 

And because we were there.... here are the kids having fun in the sun.