The Aged Eye at Daddy’s Birthday party was treated to some new sights as seeing glimpses of the past.

Surely the little boy knew he was going to a big party to celebrate Daddy’s birthday, but walking in the door with his cool swagger of importance, he seemed surprised to see so many faces.  The first offspring of the birthday boy, RC, two and a half- plus a few days- captured everyone’s attention with his winning smile and a heart “Hi!”  This word, of course, precipitated the just too precious opening and squeezing of tiny fingers on the right hand of the second offspring MR, fourteen months-plus a few days- aboard Daddy’s hip.  A pink bow holding back a wisp of bang- she was “ready for her close-up!”- her eyes smiled brightly and…I think her mouth did too but it was stuffed full of binky so I could not see.

“MaMaMa!”- those joyous words- and RC was on the move looking for a path to me and he tried to see just how to get between over and around to my chair which was the farthest away from him with six or seven people over whom to crawl.  “NaNaNa” (My daughter) helped him figure it out and then arms outstretched we were hugging our hug- prize winning- just like another birthday boy I remember well in yesteryear.  I knew the hug was the same!

“Crabs are bad!” RC said, tentatively looking down into an open cooler holding a bushel of hot steamed crabs! “Oh no!” said NaNaNa, “they are good! These crabs are good food for us to eat.  They don’t look like the ones you saw at the beach, do they?” “No!” said he, “but they’re still bad!”

“More food?” MaMa asked MR. “Yes” (of course)- expressed with all finger tips cupped together.  And so she ate cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and many helpings of crab meat from Granddaddy Corky.

“I’m ready!” said RC making determined headway getting into the youth seat on his own despite protests to wait for help from NaNaNa. “Would you like some meat?” asked D-Dad.  Yes he would. And then, “I need some dippy” he demanded, scarfing down the broccoli and cauliflower!

Daddy, NaNaNa and other culprits plied a crying MR with, who was full now and with gums hurting fed up with all the crab-eating, noisy laughter and confusion of the tables.  Rocked by several, she soon settled down to resigned composure and her curiosity took over and entertained her.

NaNaNa brought out a low to the floor, large-tired tricycle, vintage 1986-87.  No problem here as RC climbed on and soon was making speedy passes from refrigerator to family room and as he zoomed by me I thought, Gee, I’ve seen this movie before-new floor but same guy!!

A vintage remote controlled fire truck came next and if placed on end was about as tall as RC himself.  The lights flashed and a siren screeched intermittently and then stopped.  T-Top, NaNaNa and MaMa tried many avenues of repair under watchful eyes, ans when T-Top went for new batteries, RC picked the truck up, turned it over, looked at the battery pocket, closed it, patted it gently, put it down and announced, “It’s stuck!” (After all had left, the fire truck was put in order with radio sounds, lights and sirens and hopefully will not be “stuck” for the next visit!)

The cake was presented and Daddy said RC would be helping blow out the candles.  He was very patient while matches were found but annoyed by a further delay while a camera was found, he uncontrollably just had to put one finger in the appealing chocolate icing.  Good Job with the candles! He took his piece of cake to the table and waited while I found a fork.  He made a perfect use of the fork and short order of his slice and did not drop a crumb until the last bite from which a corner broke away, dropped from his chest to his lap then onto the floor.  He looked down at this small bite and as our eyes met, we both said, “No dog!”

Time to go and all of us were treated to some parting songs. Beginning with Open Shut Them, RC very good naturally complied with wishes for him to continue into into Itsy Bitsy, Patty Cake, ABS’s, Twinkle Twinkle and Skid-a-ma-rink.  “Shall we tell them our new story we learned at the beach?” I asked. I began, “Hey diddle, diddle.” He filled in all the blanks as I recited, “the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon! (Loud Laughter) The little dog laughed to see such sport, (Mouth covered and more giggling) and the Dish ran away with the SPOON!!!!” Hoots of laughter!   Good Job! Everyone clapped and suddenly, RC took a most impressive bow! No one has ever seen this before- no one has taught him to bow, but bow he did and all of us were blown away!

MaMaMa