Susan Senator

Yesterday we celebrated Mother’s Day, my dad’s birthday (69), Laura’s belated birthday (45), Ben’s belated birthday (8) with my family in Connecticut. Somehow, it was a glorious, sunny, hot day, totally ex machina. Mom got a Carvel ice cream cake and Laura and I ate some even though we are both usually carb-free. Delicious.

We divided into two teams: Dad, Mom, Nat, Ned, me vs. Max, Paul, and Laura, and played wiffle ball in the back yard. Laura and I kept laughing about everything and everyone, making totally dirty jokes under our breath just like when we were teenagers. So much fun. Got a tan, plus, I never struck out once! I got a ton of hits. My strategy? Hold the bat “wrong” (Ned’s description) and swing at every single ball! I got more hits than anyone!!! Probably helps that pitching for their side was my 10 year old nephew! Paul is a very special kid; totally Nat’s ally. Asks him what he’s thinking about, tries to teach him how to skim board and how to use the bat.

They won, 10-7. Dad pitched for our side and despite absolute shoulder pain, he was very good, just like in my younger days. Mom was pretty good at batting, it turned out! (The tree doesn’t grow very far from the apple?) You may be wondering what happened to Ben and Kimmie, Laura’s little girl who is Ben’s soul mate? They were in Littles World, which is what they do when they get together. They get so absorbed in their play together that they don’t even eat.

Later on we were scootering down the slope in Dad’s driveway and riding on toddler trucks, all hunched up. Ben is very good at stunts. Max hurt his ankle. Ben and Max bickered over the scooter. Mom and Dad bickered over dinner. I got pissed at Max for pouting over the restaurant choice and at Ned for sticking up for him. Nat seemed utterly content, which was good. We all made up and ate a huge Italian dinner.

Ned drove the whole way back home (nearly three hours) while I slept in a car-induced stupor of cramped-neck drowsiness. Home at 11 p.m.

I woke up at 6:36 a.m. but knew that I could not get out of bed because the men were supposed to bring me my coffee. I tried to go back to sleep and succeeded until around 7. When Ned heard that I was up, he swung into action. But I came down before he could bring me my coffee; couldn’t wait anymore. We ran out of Splenda so he had to go get some. He decided to go to Dunkin’ Donuts and get the boys treats and bring me a few Splenda as well. Couldn’t get Nat to come down and eat his donut because I guess he was “busy” in his bedroom.

Max and Ned got me some gorgeous earrings and Benj made me a Mother’s Day Coloring Book! Every page has a drawing of a different item I care about, with color-by-number instructions: one page has my boys, one page has the cover of MPWA, one page has two diamond rings, one page has Ned! Ben also made up a poem for me:

MOTHER
She lets me watch TV,
She helps me when
I scrape my knee.
When I’m hot, she
puts on the A.C.

She sets the timer
on the oven, I really
like her mother lovin.
Her kisses make me
feel like I’m hoverin.

I love mother and
she loves me, hearing
this, she’d blush with glee.
She sews the clothes
that need a mend, and now its…
THEND
love, the youngest.

I am totally undone.