See the Tree How Big It's Grown

Thirteen. Where did the years go?


I know where 26 weeks of each of the last 4 have gone...to Lars with his "only limited contact allowed" mentality. Please let HIS last birthday be his actual last birthday.

My son has grown up in so many ways, and yet I still see the face of the little boy who very earnestly responded to the Kindergarten teacher's inquiry during Fire Safety week that "the fire alarm goes off when my Mom is making dinner."

This is a big birthday. I want to make it memorable. But not electronic!

He's mentioned Major League Baseball tickets. And I take that to mean "with all the concessions money can buy, while we're there." I can start there and build a weekend of fun around it.

I go online for tickets to our local team. To my dismay I find that the entire summer there are about 4 days that the team plays at home and the stars align so that the kids are with me and not being held hostage by Lars. Super. I painstakingly search for tickets in any section for any game on those nights. There is one possibility. We can stand for the duration of the game on that deck in the outfield.

Why not just watch from across the street in a bar?

I decide to get creative. Neighboring cities...there are at least 3 that would only require an overnight weekend trip. Maybe our team will be playing in one of those cities on a weekend that they are with me. They are on the road for most of them. A little sight seeing, a little baseball, a little shopping...perfect.

No such luck. It is beginning to look like a conspiracy.

Maybe football? Sure if I want a pre-season game. Ho-hum. I can hear the cheerleaders now. "Apathy! Apathy! A-P-A-T, ah who cares!"

I expand my horizons. Any neighboring team playing any team in any sport on any weekend that I have my kids before Patrick's next birthday.

Bingo. Orioles. Box seats. Inner Harbor. Add to my shopping cart...cha-ching.

And now the fun can begin. Scott and I will book a hotel between the harbor attractions and the stadium so we can walk or take a short cab ride to everything. Maximize the visit. Maybe take a ghost tour so Hil can get her fix. Perfect!

And to add to the theme...I go on line.

MLB Baseball Bloopers DVD. He's mentioned it before. Who doesn't love the face plants, the bobbles, the dives into the stands that go awry?

Unbeatable Baseball Numbers. A DVD about all the greats and their incredible statistics. The Hank Aarons. The Nolan Ryans. How cool is that when you are 13?

And, just to show I am not fundamentally opposed to all things video game, I also throw in the Playstation 2 MLB game. Points for Mom for not being entirely nerdy.

Bring on the cake and candles.