The Birthdays-- Cash only, checks not accepted.

As you know, Ty's birthday was Sept. 11. He turned 7, which seems like I've been telling people he's 7 already so...whoops. That also means my house turned 7...and all that comes with it! Ty had a small family party since he had the big blow-out last year with all the kids in his class. It took him a day of mourning to adjust to the idea of NOT getting 25 presents, then he was fine and actually loved all his gifts. In fact, when he blew out his candles, we asked what he wished for and his reply: "All my wishes already came true!" OK...that was the perfect thing to say because then Aunt Britney went out and bought him a robe, which is what he's always wanted. I know, not the first thing you think of when little boy comes to mind, but Ty, for those of you that know him, is not a typical baby. He's an artist, a daydreamer, a child of wide interests--from rainbows and tiaras, hula skirts and wands, swords and wrestling, soccer and of course DRAWING...he knows no bounds.
Then there's our favorite second child Kindsay. The BIG 13!! The 14th year is the most difficult for a girl, so I am only seeing the rise of the Tsunami at this point. Drowning comes next year. She has already begun the non-stop talking on the phone! And of course, she's talking to other girls from her special ed class so it's like 2 different conversations going at the same time and at the end they are both crying and mad at each other only to make up the next morning. I can hear screaming down the hall in her room, screaming angriness, then crying--bawling..'I thought you were my friend, but you're not! bwahhhhh!' I'm sure the other little girl's mom is thinking the same thing: What the he**??? Anyway, so she's 13 as of yesterday and this kid only wants cash....cash people--even a single dollar bill will receive the same reception as a new car to a 16-yr-old. Good thing my family knows this. It started out on Thursday. My dad came by with a card. She tore it out of his hand and ripped the card open while tipping it upside down to allow bills to flow out. $25..."yay! oh my gosh, a $20 bill! Look what I have...!" All the while my dad is standing there waiting for some acknowledgement. Kindsay only continues to smell her cash and count the 2 bills over and over and over. I get her to read the card which is really girly and cute, and she likes it, but I had to almost take the cash to get her to look at grandpa to say thanks. Next day, her birthday. Kindsay's grandparents in Utah sent her cash. They knew that sending a check would not have the same affect so they chanced it with cash...and what a pay-off. It was $40...a 20 bill, a 10 bill, a 5 bill, and 5 ones. Again, she dumps the card onto her lap. Out flows the money: "Oh! A 20! a 10! a 5! and a one a one a one a one and a one! ohhhhhh, I have 20 dollars. oh yeah baby (sniff money)...(wicked laugh)...ohhhhh, 20 and 10 and 5 and some dollars...how much do I have? I think it's like 20 and some dollars, ohhhh I'm rich! (waves, sniffs, fans herself with cash)..." You can imagine her complete glee when I tell her she has a total of $65...heart attack! That night I went to my mom's to get her gift since she was out of town. My mom warned me--Kindsay isn't going to like it, it's NOT cash! Sure enough, she rips open the card, dumping the emptiness onto her lap. "Oh, I do NOT like this, no oh no no no...there is no money." Instead she pulls out of the gift bag a full length flannel nightgown. Now, we as family members love this gift. We are tired of Kindsay's underwear parade and crotch in the air as she bites her toenails. Maybe she'll wear this one because the others are 'old'...oh no, but someone does enjoy it. Guess who? Yep--Ty. When I get my desktop computer that has my pics downloaded onto it back online (this is my work laptop I'm using) I'll give you the proof you need to see not only Ty in his robe of dreams, which I now use as leverage to get him to clean his room, but also in a new love--the nightgown. sigh. Thankfully it's not rainbow colored and sparkly because then he'd NEVER take it off. Kindsay is cash only, and she's serious about that...so next weekend is her big friend party at the bowling alley and yeah, she'll like her gifts because she loves opening gifts, but if you drop in a buck, you are the friend of the year.