Middle One is turning 8 in a few days. Eight!
We’ve been trying to pin him down on what, exactly, he’d like to DO for his birthday and, similarly, what he’d like to GET for his birthday.
This is the sort of conversation that ends up being pushed off for another attempt at a later date because…
So far he’s identified one thing that he’d like as a gift (which we mentioned to his Aunt and she’s planning to look for one) and.. the other things have been noted as, “That thing I saw? Remember?” and “That gun thing! THE GUN THING!” or “That thing from Zehrs!” (the grocery store? we’re pretty sure he means Zellers.)
Then he noted that he REALLY REALLY wants “Robosapien” which is ONLY $200 and will totally be destroyed by the first dog that sees it lurching around the house. I think we’ll be passing on this option.
As for what he’d like to DO, he’s insisted that swimming would be great (yay!) but that he isn’t sure whether he wants to invite just Milhouse, Milhouse and a friend, or everyone he’s ever known. Possibly his whole class? Or maybe just this girl he knows?
He also asked if it was possible for his brothers to NOT be a part of his party. We told him that was possible, yes, since it’s HIS birthday – but that would also mean one of the parents would have to stay home with those other kids. He’s pondering it.
Every attempt to discuss this upcoming event has led him to tell us a story about “the time I had a birthday party and no one came” and “the time I had a birthday and I got a monkey” and “the time I had a birthday party and I invited all of [Older One]‘s friends instead of my own” and.. on and on.
Yesterday Oldest One said, “Gee, maybe you could have a BOUNCY CASTLE in the yard!” and I noted that it wasn’t really a viable option for February in Southern Ontario. He made his fake-sympathy face and said, “Awwww, poor [Middle One] you’ll never get a bouncy castle on your birthday FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIVE!” before he laughed himself out of the room.
All joking aside, I’m quite thrilled that he’s turning eight years old if only because it means we’ll only have ONE kid in a car booster seat and everyone in the back will have more elbow-room. I’ll totally miss seeing Coffee in the middle of every day, though, since I won’t need to swing by his office after picking Little One up from school.
Tonight we’ll talk about the whole “birthday event” thing again and see what else his pointy little head has come up with for the celebration. I wonder if I can convince him that a pony would be a good plan?
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Are the rules on boosters different on your side of the Ocean? Here some form of booster is compulsory until they are either 12years old or 135cm (whichever comes first).
I was told that even when they get taller than 135cm it’s worth checking where the seat belt “sits” ie does it wrap across their hips or across the tummy. If it sits across the tummy it’s worth keeping the booster for little bit longer until it wraps around the hip area (the aim of the booster is to reduce the chance of internal injuries) even if the law says they don’t have to.
Sorry I am a bit stubborn about things like that (think of you and drinking non chlorinated water ;-) ).
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Here the laws are:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/safety.htm#passenger6Middle One is not a short or tiny child. He cannot sit in the front seat of the car until he’s at least 10 (and then it will depend on height, also) but he can sit in the back sans-booster once he’s 8..
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Happy Birthday Middle One and I can’t wait to hear how the “party” turns out, who gets to come, and what he “gets” for his gifts.
Whatever happened to what kind of cake and ice cream do you want, and the family makes his favorite dinner meal and maybe plays pin the tail on the donkey together. -
Weird isn’t it, 12 or 135cm or side, 8 or 145cm your side. You’d think they just put a finger in the air before they made their pick (most 9 year olds are 135cm or over IIRC). =)
When I go to France I have to make mine swap seats and sit at the back. He isn’t allowed to sit at the front yet over there yet but here there is no age restriction for sitting at the front as long as the age suitable child seat is used.
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You two are giving me a headache. My team at work is responsible for the spec pages in the back of new vehicle brochures. Among other things we must work with lawyers and help write the fine print, including all the rules about who can sit where and when and how old or tall or short of fat they can or can’t be. I get stressed just thinking about it. When I was a kid we rode around in the back of pickup trucks. Ok so maybe a few of us didn’t make it over the years. There’s still plenty of us around. I think by 2025, all kids will have to be bubble wrapped until they are 18.
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Happy Birthday, Middle One.
Violet, I came to check out your blog after you posted the link on A_O_K. Thanks for doing that! I’ve really been enjoying your blog. I recognize so much in the adoption process from ours and it’s been fun to read.
I’m so happy that things are going well for you. You rock. :)
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I thought he was turning 7 …. thus the card!
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Perhaps oldest one could save up and fly middle one out to Florida just so middle one can have a bouncy castle for his birthday.
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