Friday night, we celebrated E and Z's day with pizza and cake (by my baker friend––the first time I ever that I didn't bake my own kids' cakes!) and a friend of theirs among the crazy sculptures at our favorite farm store.
Saturday, M had his band members over and they played some Nirvana and AC/DC in the basement while I made my free-range-organic version of one of his favorite meals––hot wings. I had the genius idea (if I don't say so myself) of serving root beer floats instead of birthday cake. Easy and delicious!
And, yes, I actually did make a purchase from vanhalenstore.com.
Sunday we went to Boston and visited the Science Museum with my sister and brother-in-law, who were in town for my niece's graduation. Unfortunately, she was sick, so we missed seeing her (and she missed her own commencement ceremony!). Other than a broken switch in the driver-side window that left us driving a wind tunnel from the New Hampshire tollbooth on, we had a great time, and now we have a membership, so we will go back at least once in the next year. I forgot to take my camera, which turned out kind of nice––I could just relax and enjoy watching the kids do the museumy things, without worrying about documenting it all.
Monday night, M's actual birthday, after a quick picnic in the park of gas-station sandwiches and pizza, we all went to M's baseball game, where he scored the only run of the game, by hitting a double and then stealing third and home while the ball was still in play. Can you think of a better birthday present for a twelve-year-old?
After we got home and got the other two boys in bed, and M finished his social studies homework, he and I went out to look at the stars. He had been supposed to sketch the stars and moon over the weekend, which he failed to mention until Sunday night, as we drove home from Boston under the clouds (we should have gone to the planetarium!).
We took a blanket out to the neighbor's field, and lay down, he with his head on my hip, and watched the face in the gibbous moon (looking more like a lady than a man), peer out around a cluster of clouds and grow a rainbow halo. We found Castor and Pollux, Spica and Arcturus, waited while the Big Dipper emerged from behind the clouds, and wondered where Saturn should have been at that hour.
Afterward, walking back to the house, drawings in hand, M, my newly-minted twelve-year-old, said, "Thanks for bringing me out here, Mom." I love that kid.
They are getting so big!
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