What a great weekend!

This past weekend was fantastic!

Friday night, in preparation for Saturday's big ride,  Dean and I detailed the bikes. Ok, I better re-state that before Dean corrects me. I washed MY bike, and Dean detailed both of ours! He wanted me to enter mine in the bike show next day, which-when he had my bike all purty look'in-I actually contemplated doing. He even did my rims and spokes, and anyone who's done that with their bike knows what a pain in the neck it is, and is saved for just a couple of times during the summer. (unless of course you have severe OCD and no kids to worry about while you're doing it.)

While Dean was detailing his bike, I got a wild notion to replace the chrome trim that runs along the inside edge of the tub. I mean, how hard could it be? Dean was running to the car parts place to see if they carried it, and as he left said, "Wow. Angela has been really quiet for a long time. What she up to?"
I wasn't worried, "She's playing Dog the Bounty Hunter in the back yard." I said, cuz that's what she was doing that last time I'd heard her stomping around (cuz she stomps when she walks) and her games last forever. Yes, it did occur to me that I should check on her RIGHT THEN, but I was very busy at the moment, so I didn't. Dean had been gone about 10 minutes when the guilt for not checking became too overwhelming. Mostly because I could hear the news headline in my head. "Child (insert terrible accident here) while mom plays messed up priorities tinkers polishes chrome."

I looked in the back yard at the climber and she wasn't there. I went in the front door and listened, and there were no sounds from Angela anywhere. I went to the basement and saw that her door was closed but her light was on. (she's obsessive about her light, so I knew she was in there. ) but she wasn't talking. Ummm if Angela isn't talking she's either eating or sleeping! I called, "Angela, are you in there?"

We're trying to teach HER to knock before entering, so I knocked on the door.

The voice said "No."

"You're not?"

"No."  (I can her rustling around.)

"Ok, but can I come in?"

"No. I need privacy."

"Well, I need to come in and get something."

I opened the door, and found out why she was so quiet. She WAS eating.

About 5 years ago I bought Angela an Easy Bake Oven. She never wanted anything to do with it, and I keep thinking I need to craigslist it or something. It's been sitting on a VERY HIGH shelf in her closet all this time.

And Angela is very short.

"I made cookies." she said, as she was trying to stuff the oven back in the box without my noticing. There was a bag of cookie mix poured all over the floor...and all over her face...and in her hair. "I see you were making cookies. Looks like you had fun. Can you do me a favor and next time, ask for some help, ok?"

I couldn't  yell at her. The toy was in HER closet, after all. If I don't want her to play with something, I guess I better not have it in her room, especially since she has finally realized the world does not stop at her eye level, but that that if she looks UP there are interesting things to behold! I glanced at the spot on the shelf where the box had been, and shuddered picturing Angela climbing up there. "Make sure you clean up the mess you made. The broom is in the kitchen."

I went back out to my bike, grinning at this very normal kid experience. Yeah, it was a couple years later than would have been typical with my other kids, but it happened, and for that I'm thrilled. Dean came back and I told him the story, and he grinned too. Angela provides us with a lot of entertainment.

Half hour later she still hadn't come outside to orbit around us while we work and she plays, which is what she usually does. I went back downstairs and found she'd made yet another discovery. (all in one day, too much for me!) Angela has a closet of full of stuff that has always been there but she has never played with. Every year I get rid of things, and get different things in hopes she will one day actually PLAY with something. I try getting them out and setting them up for her to "stumble upon", but it never works. But this day she discovered the Easy Bake Oven....and the Board Games! She had every one out, with all the pieces scattered around the floor, and when I found her she was playing "Sorry" with some invisible friends. (No, I could not see them, she was talking to them, so I knew they were there!) I left without saying anything, and she never knew I was there.

When I returned to the bikes Dean asked me what she was up to. "She's playing sorry all by herself. Poor kid."

"Oh honey," he said, "She's never alone! I bet she has 3 invisible friends with her!"