Sunday, January 9

7:30 am
Kitchen

Why the Hell do kids wake up with the sun on weekends when they can sleep as late as they want?  And more importantly, why do they feel the need to SHARE with their parents the news that they're up early?

Forgot to lock the bedroom door again.  Romeo came bouncing in at 7 am.  Luckily I intercepted him before he climbed in bed and woke up Cate.  We came out to the family room to watch cartoons.

Seriously, if this kid's gonna keep this up I'm gonna teach him how to make my coffee.

We're gonna make breakfast in bed for Cate.  He wants to do it RIGHT NOW but I told him we have to let her sleep at least another hour.  I explained she's really tired because she's been working a lot this week and we need to let her rest.  He got all serious and had this adorable worried look on his face.   He said okay, he doesn't want Cate to feel bad.  Such a sweet kid.  But I know I'm gonna hear every five minutes "Is it time yet?"

We all had a fantastic time at the sock hop last night.  It was in the high school gymnasium, and it was a Hoot.  Got some awesome pics of all of us together, and me and the boys and Cate and the kids... all the possible combinations.  There's one of me and Jess and Jake and Romeo that's just priceless.  We look like a herd of Fonzies, all doing the thumbs up.  Of course none of my kids know who Fonzie is, ha ha.  I tried to explain, then finally gave up and turned to YouTube.  You can find anything on there.  The two little Chuckleheads thought Fonzie was hilarious, so they spent the rest of the night running around going HEEEEEYYYYY!  Goofballs.

Cate and Steph looked fantastic.  Somehow they managed to put together a Pink Lady outfit for Steph, complete with big poofy skirt and pink satin jacket and saddle oxford shoes.  Her hair's not long enough for a ponytail so Cate bought her one of those fake ones and they tied a scarf over it to hide the clip.  She looked adorable.  More than a few boys at the dance thought so too, but she ignored them.  Apparently her heart belongs only to Brendan.  Crap.

She ran into some of her summer friends at the dance so we didn't see much of her once we went in.  But I did convince her to do the Peppermint Twist with her Old Man.  It was fun, and I'm pretty sure that's gonna end up on YT too, judging from the number of iPhones pointed our way.

I was right about Cate too, no poodle skirt for her.  She was smokin' in black spandex and leather and a tight tank top and a pink scarf.  That was fine with me -- I got to finally live out my boyhood fantasy and go home with Pinky Tuscadero, ha ha.  Too bad I didn't get to do everything else I always dreamed about doing with Pinky, if you know what I'm sayin'.  Damned biology.  But at least she let me feel her up.  Second base was about all I was capable of back in the Day, anyway, ha ha.

I can't remember the last time I laughed so much with my kids.  Jake and Romey were just wild, running around the dance floor and shaking their booties and not caring in the least that they weren't actually dancing with anybody.  I got a cute video clip of Cate and Romeo dancing together to Leader of the Pack.  We all tried to do the Hand Jive together, which was just hilarious.  My boys have NO coordination whatsoever.

Jess was funny to watch, too.   Man, that kid is smooth.  He has that whole aloof, cool slouch down.  I swear, we weren't there ten minutes before he had a whole gaggle of cute girls giggling around him.  He flashed them that crooked grin and that was it.  Those girls didn't have a chance.  When I commented to Cate she just laughed and said the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

As much fun as I had with the kids, the best part of the evening was watching Cate.  She was smiling and laughing and her eyes were sparkling and she looked so relaxed and happy.  She completely let her hair down and we were just silly and goofy and acted like teenagers.  Especially when we slow-danced, when she snuggled her cheek against my shoulder and molded her body to mine.  It was like we were at the prom, just waiting to sneak away from the chaperone's eagle eyes and fumble around in the backseat.

But we couldn't exactly do that with the Chucklehead Brothers running circles around us while we danced, ha ha.

We closed the place down, spent 4 hours there dancing and laughing and drinking punch and eating cookies.  Everybody was sad to leave.  But the kids were worn out; they were half-asleep in the car.  When we got home Cate and I got Jake and Romey to bed and Jess and Steph went to their rooms to text the night away or whatever it is they do in there.  Before Steph went up she gave Cate a big hug and thanked her for a wonderful day.  That melted my heart.  Cate's too, she had tears in her eyes when she turned around.

When we went to our bedroom it was playtime for the adults, ha ha.  I got to peel that leather and spandex off my Hot Mama, and she helped me wash the pomade out of my hair, which was no easy task.  Then we crawled in bed and cuddled together and talked about how much fun the night was.

All day yesterday I watched Cate with the kids, especially Romeo.  She seemed to genuinely have a good time, didn't seem sad at all.  But last night when we were in bed she said something that made me wonder again if there's something bothering her about the kids.  We were recapping the night and she snuggled against me and hugged me and told me she really loves spending time with my kids.

I gently reminded her that they aren't "My Kids," they're "Our Kids."  She's a parent to them too, maybe not through biology but because she's family.  Cate got real quiet, then after a minute she said in a sad voice she wasn't sure Dorothea would be okay with her calling them "our kids."  I mentally kicked myself in the ass because I realized I couldn't say much to that or she'd figure out Dorothea told me about the incident.  So I hugged her and said I didn't think Dorothea would mind at all; she wants Cate to be a big part of the kids' life.  Cate didn't answer, she just kinda sighed and hugged me back.

Maybe there is something there.  Maybe she does still feel like an outsider.  Maybe Dorothea's words still sting.  Or maybe there's something else.  I have no idea.  But she's not ready to tell me yet, and I can only pray that someday she will.

Romeo's bugging me again about starting breakfast for Cate, so better get off my ass and do it.  First I need more coffee.  Then I'll let my son take all the credit for my culinary skills, ha ha.

6:15 pm
Home

Holy Crap is my wife worked up!  I thought I was a rabid football fan!  She is most definitely NOT  happy with her Eagles' performance first half.  She's been yelling at the TV and jumping up and down on the couch.  The Boys think it's hilarious, usually it's me getting like that when the Giants play for shit.  Romeo told Cate she's gonna have to put money in the Swear Jar, which curbed her potty-mouth a little but not much, ha ha.

Halftime now, waiting for pizza delivery.  Glad we drove back from the Hamptons House after lunch so we could watch the game here and just relax.  Dorothea's not home until tomorrow so kids are here tonight.  I'm taking them to school tomorrow.  Get to play house-husband, get everybody up and ready for school and pack lunches and cook breakfast and send my wife off to work before I take the kiddos to school.  Love it.

Hoping to have a little Happy Time with Cate tonight.  If these fucking Eagles don't get on the stick and score some damned points that may not happen.  Then again, she may want to take out her frustrations.... heh heh.