So my to-do list for today is about six miles long; I got up early (which I almost never do on Sunday, because sleeping late is easily in my top 5 favorite activities) and did some work and picked up the house a little and went out for groceries and was back before I’m usually even awake on the weekend.
The plan was to have a couple of families from Monkey’s new school come over to swim, so everyone could meet everyone else and the boys could play and—hopefully—Monkey would not refuse to get in the car when carpool time came.
So I baked some muffins (when in doubt: bake) and made some iced tea and threw some lemonade pouches in the fridge for the kids. I put on my swimsuit and slathered Monkey in sunblock and truthfully, I was nervous, and also thinking about all of the other things I needed to be doing, or would have to rush to do after our guests left.
People arrived and kids splashed in the pool. I was just settled into a lovely conversation with a woman I completely plan to force to be my new best friend—children swarming around, Licorice loping around the pool—and suddenly Licorice darted back up the porch steps.
I looked up, and there was another dog on the porch. And the last time I checked, we only have one dog. One small black dog, in fact, and THIS dog was 1) large, 2) blonde, and 3) wearing a tiara.
I know I am prone to exaggeration, but all of those things are true.
“Where did that dog come from?” I yelled up the porch, to no one in particular, and no one answered, nor did anyone seem concerned, and I sat there completely ignoring the conversation I’d just been having (I think I stopped talking mid-sentence, even), trying to figure out what the heck was going on.
And then I realized it was my father’s dog. WHICH IS WEIRD, because my father lives in New York. And I’m pretty sure his dog doesn’t know how to drive.
My rusty ol’ brain went click-click-click and finally I realized that THAT’S BUDDY, and Buddy was wearing a Happy Birthday tiara, and that’s because my dad and stepmom were there, with matching tiaras, because they’d all just driven down to be here for my birthday this week.
So then I went from trailing off mid-sentence to shrieking OH MY GOD OH MY GOD and then I rudely jumped up and ran up onto the porch to say hello and give hugs and left my very patient guest sitting poolside saying, “What’s happening?”
Buddy isn’t a big fan of his tiara, and Licorice isn’t a big fan of Buddy (yet), but I think it’s going to be a really fun week.
I may have to change my mind about refusing to have a birthday this year.
Number 7.
Happy Birthday Week!
-otto
Awww! Happy Birthday!!!
So sweet! Happy birthday month. (Mine is the month of July.)
What a fantastic surprise! Happy Birthday.
Mir’s dad totally wins at birthdays. Have a happy!
Hey, we share the same birthday week! Mine is on the 18th! WOO HOO! Only, I don’t think anyone is going to be visiting me from out of town with a dog in a tiara. That’s okay, though, it’ll be a good week anyway!
That is the best surprise I could possibly imagine. How wonderful! And Happy Birthday, from one Leo to another. And I’m way older than you, so take it from me, it’s OK to keep having birthdays and get older. 50 ain’t bad, and you’re not nearly there yet. (Neither is 51.)
Awwwww! I love it! What a great day and enjoy the birthday week! Hope all goes well with all else – will be thinking of you! Hugs to everyone!
That is a wonderful story!!!! May your Birthday week be wonderful, and may all car pools go without incident.
Best ruin to a productive day EVER. Have a lovely, lovely birthday week!
Oh what a wonderful surprise!!! And they all came already dressed for a party!
Have a wonderful week with your family!
Awwww… Happy birthday week.
That’s great! Happy birthday to you!
Oh, how sweet! Happy Birthday week!
Wishing you the best birthday ever. Already started with a wonderful surprise from your dad…Yeah Dad!
You totally lucked out in the family department, didn’t you? All the way around you gots you some awesome relatives.
Happy birthday week indeed!
That’s really sweet of them to drive. Hope your week rocks, Mir. Buddy’s pretty in his tiara.
That’s awesome! I’m sure your new best friend will understand!
Okay, I have never actually cried at any blog post and this did it… Your Dad ROCKS!
Happy Birthday! I’ve said this before but your dad rocks!
This is awesome! I always think about people making the trip to surprise me (I live several states from my closest friends and all my family), but it hasn’t happened yet. I’m so glad your parents were able to come visit with you, and that dog is adorable.
You GO, Dad! Yay for cool parents :)
Happy birthday, Mir! Hopefully your maybe-new-best-friend understood once she figured out why you were squealing like tween.
I love Mir’s dad!! That is awesome.
That’s so fun! Happy Birthday Week, Mir!
How great. Hooray for dad!!
YAY!!!!!!!! For surprises and families and new friends and pool parties (I almost typed poop parties but that would have been SO wrong!) LOL
Happy Birthday Week!!
YOU GET A WHOLE WEEK?!? I’m now green. Alas, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Awww. What a great surprise! Happy birthday week!
Happy B-day week! And you can invite your new best friend to the party!
Happy Birthday week!! Your dad is so awesome!! :)
Mir’s Dad and Otto rock birthday week!!! What an awesome surprise!
Enjoy your week :D
Happy Birthday Week! Yay DAD!!
Happy Birthday week! I hope Monkey made some smarticle buddies!
Happy Birthday! And, how did Monkey do with the new kids? Any friend potential there?
:-)
happy birthday week! the amount of love in your family just floors me sometimes. these are the best posts!
Happy Birthday Week!!!! What an awesome surprise.
You’re gonna make buddy a big ol’ sissy!
Happy Birthday Week, Mir!
WAIT!!! I want to know how the party was….how did Monkey like it? Did he enjoy his new friends? Don’t leave us hanging!!!!
That is so awesome! Happy birthday week!
Awwwww. Happy Birthday Week!!!
I’d SO wear a tiara for you.
back to back parties! Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday Week! What an incredibly awesome surprise. :D
Happy Birthday week, my friend. I wish I’d known, I would have sent a bunch of BBQ (b/c you can’t have cake, you see and nothing says love like a bunch of cooked meat). Happy Birthday. Enjoy!
Hope your birthday week is wonderful and that you have tons of fun with your tiara-wearing clan!
What a lovely surprise! And please tell Buddy that he looks wonderful in a tiara. Not everyone can carry off that look.
Happy Birthday Week!!!! Hope The Week of Mir is wonderful!!!
Wow! That would be so cool. I just got back from a (planned, non-surprize) vacation at my parents’ house.
Happy happy birthday!
Oh mi gosh now that is a great Happy Birthday story.
Happy Birthday Mir.
Happy Birthday! =)
♪♫♪HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIR!!!!♪♫♪
You are having kind of a pretty awesome week! Tiaras for everyone!!!