Bullety, Edition 23; The Birthday Race

• Last year, Alex's 4th birthday party was cancelled because he was in CHEO, fighting Kawasaki Disease.  This year, we've decided to throw a big outdoor carnival with all kinds of country goodness. We have plans to make maple toffee (with leftover syrup from last year), have a bonfire, ride snowmobiles, pull sleds and just enjoy what looks to be a great day.  It will be a weird sort of day, nearly exactly one year since he was admitted, but a good day, since we can remark at how healthy and amazing he is now.

• I'm so excited! Soccer season is fast approaching. It looks like we're going to try to make The Mud Run this year. We just heard that this year's Quest For A Cure Adventure Race is in Montebello! I'm hoping we can also try out one of the HSBC Series races, but they seem to have removed the race closes to us in Calabogie. If we can get away and camp with the families, I wonder if we can hit one of the out of town races?

• I'm finding that dealing with the public for most of my day has drained me of the ability to chat. When I get home the last thing I want is for John to hop all over me, asking for gossip. Or, the kids circling around me saying "Mommy! Mommy!". Poor them. Poor me. I just want to sit on the couch and sulk after being complained to all day.  They disagree. Crap.

• Going back to Alex once more. I asked him what he wanted for his birthday. He turns five on Monday and I didn't want to get him another Pokemon item. He has enough. (Read, I've had enough!).  His response was exactly the same as what he asked Santa for - a baby brother. It makes my heart ache just a bit and maybe, almost, in the smallest way, regret not having another baby. Not enough to actually have another baby, mind you. When he was a wee baby and I knew I was done, I never really gave much thought to the impact it would have on him. He has an opinion now. No matter how many times I say "But Daddy can be your best friend!", it doesn't jive.  His response is always "But I can't boss Daddy around and make him take a bath first."  It's sort of hard to argue with that.