Birthday Run

Yesterday saw the completion of my second run up to New Hampshire although this one was on the eastern frontier. We traveled up to my native state to celebrate the birthday of the ABFA which occurred this past week. We were joined by the ABFA’s parents for a truly enjoyable family day at my Favorite Son’s home. The BRS was fighting off her first ever ear infection but was otherwise in fine spirits. We discovered she loves shoulder rides, but then again, who doesn’t. BR3 was also fighting off some sort of malady which seems inevitable with day care attendance. She was still a lot of fun and really revved up when we cordoned off the couch (her favorite playground) so she could jump with abandon. My wife’s mom, out an abundance of caution, wore a face mask when interacting with her great granddaughters.

My Mother in Law, Son and BR3
With Christening Gift from Bis-Abuela

BR3 in the Pit

Now Grandpa

ABFA aka Birthday Girl With BRS and Cake

The girls’ strategically planned naps occurred just as the Patriots were about to kick off so we enjoyed a half game’s worth of peace and quiet. The same could not be said of the New York Jets whom the Patriots took to the wood shed for an old-fashioned thrashing. The girls slept late because they had been giving their parents some rough nights and very early mornings with their assorted maladies. It was fun watching the game next to my son as well as comparing notes with him on what I should be watching next on Netflix.

Bonecrusher Deployed

Cake Hovering

BR3 Conferring with Grandpa

The moms created a fantastic meal which went really well with the football game. The little ladies eventually arose to once again sow chaos in their wake. The next event was the birthday cake ceremony featuring the unsheathing of Bonecrusher. The ABFA handled the cake and brownie severing with complete aplomb. In maybe the funniest moment of the day my son released BR3 from her brownie eating perch and remarked, “I guess we’ll see the effect of the sugar intake now.” As if on cue, BR3 took off at a dead run while continuously emoting. The entire room erupted in laughter as BR3 began a series of laps around the first floor.

Help! The Monster Caught Me!

Also Conferring with Great Grandma

Chaos is Imminent

I didn’t mind the drive home even with the dense traffic because 1. It wasn’t Connecticut so the traffic though heavy moved and 2. Any time spent with granddaughters and their parents is worth a healthy dose of aggravation to facilitate. We also had the foliage and a spectacular sunset to accompany us.

Couch Playground

Drive Home Scenery

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate and truly savor these times with family. There’s an ease and comfort that can only be attributed to familial bonds. One of my biggest regrets of my earlier days is the failure to completely recognize and enjoy those moments. I was too busy charging around the world with well-armed friends working on a military career to fully realize what a treasure I had waiting for me at home. It’s for this reason I encourage my granddaughters’ parents to immerse themselves in these sometimes trying times with their kids. While these precocious young ladies may present some truly mind bending challenges at times, you don’t want to miss the sublime moments they also provide in much greater quantities. These moments are fleeting and will be mourned for their passage in retrospect.

Meanwhile, In New Jersey

The FBR is getting into the Halloween Season

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RECURRING CHARACTERS                                           

BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3, BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Pittsburgh College Roommate– high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd musquetera (musketeer); Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in Brooklyn