Happy 4th Birthday, Cheeks!

I'm way overdue to write about Neve's birthday!  It was a whole lotta fun.  We invited family and friends to meet us at the park for chili dogs and cake. 

She felt special and loved, as she watched each of her buddies from all of her cute separate worlds (church, school, neighborhood, Daddy's work, etc.) collide into one big circus-themed party.  The weather was perfect, and we even got our $20 deposit back (despite the mess the rented elephant made).  A girl couldn't have a better day I tell ya.

The above cake was my gift to her, as I stayed up until the wee hours rolling, cutting, and dyeing fondant.  I posted it on FB already, and it received some really kind comments.  But let me just tell you, it was all show.  Fondant is the grossest tasting stuff next to marzipan.  Actually, at least marzipan has that almondy flavor, but fondant tastes like a plastic Strawberry Shortcake doll.  How do I know, you ask?  Don't pretend like you didn't lick them too when you were a kid, hoping that the taste would be as good as the smell.  You did.  Anyway, I was lucky the cake-cake part tasted good, otherwise I might as well have made that Amy Sedaris cake I've been meaning to try.

My dog is scratching at our door for the 9th time in the past hour, so that is my cue to say goodbye.  Well actually, in the time it took me to write the previous line, he just pooped in the laundry room.  I better go before he takes himself to the pound.

Jerry Fuchs

We received news early this morning that one of Terry's closest friends died. 

This was that rare kind of friend that you never saw as much of as you really wanted.  He passed through Atlanta too quickly when he'd visit family for a night or to play a show while on tour. 

He laughed a lot.  He was funny, but he always made you feel like you were the comedian, with his loud infectious laugh. 

He always asked questions about our family and he always listened.  He always seemed interested, which is a rare quality.  Especially by someone who had so many stories of his own to share.

He was also one of the most talented musicians that Terry and I have ever known.

I occasionally saw him live (someone had to stay home with the kids while the other half went to see Maserati, or !!!, or Juan Maclean, or Turing Machine).  But the few times that I did, I was blown away.  He always looked as if he were on the verge of a heart attack as he powerfully and yet gracefully beat his drums like Animal.  I was as equally impressed with his endurance as I was with his talent. 



We met Jerry 6 or 7 years ago, not long after meeting Adam, Jerry's little brother and Terry's best buddy.  Terry and Adam hit it off immediately as kindred music and design spirits.  Years of working together, then watching him fall in love and get married, and then have a beautiful baby girl, we've become nothing short of family.  Adam is really like a brother to Terry, despite how tight Adam was with his real brother, and his two sisters.  It didn't take long before Jerry and Terry were like brothers too.  Their family has made a point to invite us to all family functions over the years, emphasizing that "we are ALL family!" over and over again.  Warmth radiates from these wonderful people.

Last night, Jerry and a friend were on a freight elevator on their way to a party in an old warehouse in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  When the elevator stopped between floors, the friend jumped to safety but Jerry's hoodie got caught on something and he fell down the shaft.

It's rare to hear Terry say that he loves another man, but he said it every time he was with Adam and Jerry.  Both of them.

Terry is sitting shivah (or the Gentile version) with Adam right now.  There is so much I want to say, so much running through my head, but all I can do is write how sad we feel... Jerry, you will be missed by so so many.  You were truly a gift to us.  Rest in peace.

Neve's Birthday Update

Everyone, exhale... I know you're dying to hear the latest about Neve's upcoming birthday.

Really, I'm only posting this because I'm so pleased with how it turned out.  Bragging.

Alas, we have flipped the flop again.  As much as I'd love to have a Wild Things party, I'm afraid it would be more cost efficient to do a circus theme.  Don't ask me why, but it just seems to be so.  And Neve could honestly care less what the theme is.  I think she said she wanted the theme to be "cheese" at one point, and I don't even think we have enough money for that.

While I happen to love the way the invitation turned out, I will not be putting the budget concern explanations in the baby book.  That is for blog eyes only.

Little Red Riding Fiona (and her lazy ass mother)

A story, by Fiona McKay White:

"Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Little Red Riding Hood who needed some fresh air.  So she asked her mom if she could take a walk by herself, and her mom said yes because her mom thinks that she is old enough to go for walks alone.  Little Red Riding Hood is 6 years old.

Her mom said, 'you can walk to grandma's house to bring her some pie and chicken soup because she's sick.'  I think she had a problem with her neck or something.  Like a bump on her neck or something.

So, she went out the door, gave her mom a kiss, she doesn't have a sister, her daddy is at work, and her mommy said, 'stay on the path!'  So Little Red did, but she really wanted to go a new way, not the way she always goes, and she walked and walked.  Into... THE WOODS! 

(Fiona gives me spooky fingers.)

While she was walking and looking around at all the stuff she never had seen before, she saw a wolf.  And he was mean, but she didn't know that he was mean because he was kinda nice.  Not really nice, but just kinda, you know, like Daddy.  Whatever you call that.  Happy but no smiling?  What's that called?

(I'm totally at a loss for an actual term for "happy but no smiling?", but that is indeed her father.  I must seem bi-polar to these kids.)

He tricked her.  He said that he would go with her to her grandma's house too.  And Little Red said ok, but she had a BAAAAAD feeling about this.  So they walked together, but then Little Red wanted to walk because she got a little scared.  So then the wolf started running too, but not after her, he was going to grandma's house.  But Little Red didn't know that, and so she hid behind a tree because she thought he was going to eat her.  And the wold ran to grandma's house by himself.  He's a man-aged wolf.

When he got to her house, he opened the door and walked right in.  He didn't even knock!  And then he took grandma out of her bed.  Then he took off all her clothes, because he only eats meat.  (Laughs).  Grandma meat (uncontrollable laughter now) is so gross.

(She quickly regains composure.)

So he puts her head in first.  And then her shoulders.  And then her body part.  And then her legs.  And that makes his tummy feel really bad, because the grandma is like so much bigger than that.  I bet her legs were sticking up out of his mouth.  But when Little Red walked in he pushed the grandma all the way in.  And then he got in her bed with the covers pulled up to his face.

Little Red walked inside and she said, 'Grandma, I brought you some food because my mom said you didn't feel good.  Your neck.'  And grandma said, 'thanks', in a funny voice because it was really the wolf.

She said, 'Grandma, what big eyes you have.  Grandma, what big ears you have.  Grandma, what big feet you have.  Grandma, what big teeth you have.'  And he said, 'the better to eat you with!!!'

But guess who's hand came out of the wolf's mouth?  Yup, GRANDMA!  And the grandma climbed out while Little Red punched him so hard.  (Miming punches.) And out she came, in her bra and panties.


(I ask why she always feels the need to insert 'bra and panties' into every story.) 

Well, because the wolf had to wear her clothes to trick Little Red, remember? And even grandmas wear bras and panties, right?

And then he ran out of the house yelling and screaming, because he didn't know that the grandma could climb out of him.  He didn't chew her, I guess.  And then Little Red and her grandma hugged, and the grandma said you are my best daughter.

(I say, "you mean granddaughter?")

No, best daughter granddaughter, because my other daughter, your mother, didn't come to save me.  So thank you, not her.

(I ask if the grandma has her clothes on yet.)

No. But Little Red doesn't care.  She's seen bras and panties before.

(The end?)

Um, yeah, sure.  The end.