Elmo's World ... and then some.

photo by The Short One 03-09

I can not TELL you the number of times I have looked at this Elmo kite in my garage and wanted to throw it in the trash. It has been flown ONCE since my eldest son requested it as "the only fing I want for my birfday" when he was two. That was eight years ago. I ordered the darn thing online way back then because it was NOT to be found locally during the highly unpopular kite-flying month of January. (And I STILL wonder where he got the idea that he wanted an "Elmo Kite" for his birthday, but he told anyone who would listen of his only birfday wish.) TODAY, the little red monster PAID for himself.

We were the foot-stompin', smile-gettin' LIFE OF THE PARTY for the toddler set at this year's Zilker Kite Fest. "It's ELMO!! IT's ELMO," they'd shout. Secretly, I was so proud. And The Big One, for whom the kite was originally purchased, wanted to crawl into the nearest Porta Potty and HIDE 'til this party was over.

The Big One (TBO): "Mom, do we HAVE to take the kite?"
(TBO): "Can't we just take a football instead?"

(TBO) "We don't even know how to FLY a kite."

(TBO) "Mom, it's ELMO!!"

(TBO) "Mom, I've never seen you fly a kite ... like ... EVER!"

(TBO) "You're just gonna CARRY it on the shuttle bus?"
(TBO) "And you're gonna carry it INTO the park?"

(Because GOD FORBID someone should carry a KITE into a KITE FESTIVAL!!)

Then ...

TBO: "Are we done?"

TBO: "OK, you've FLOWN the Elmo kite, can we go?"

TBO: "Now?? You done?"

But, THEN ...

"Mom, how come we didn't bring the dog?"

And I'm thinking the embarrassment that his totally uncool mother has caused him by forcing him to ride a shuttle bus and fly an ELMO KITE has amounted to NOTHING compared to what COULD'VE BEEN his totally uncool mother toting a backpack heavy w/ water bottles, snacks and baby wipes; dragging a little brother; flying an ELMO KITE AND corralling a LAZY, but BARKING, BEAGLE. ON A SHUTTLE BUS!! AND IN A PARK!!!

"I just thought Lucy would be happier in the backyard," I said.

And then I tripped over those much-too-lengthy Elmo Kite tail string thingies and almost bumped backward into a pregnant lady w/ a princess kite and got into a "snarl" (kitespeak) w/ a Green Alien and a Rainbow Box and The Big One threatened to start walking home.

"Oh, but you think we should've brought the DOOOOGGGGG??" I yelled.

But, it WAS a glorious day. It was. Full of friends and funnel cakes. And big, tall rock climbing.

And big, tall tree climbing.




And mercifully forgiving weather, shuttle bus lines and parking.

And The Short One who has been know to WOW! us w/ his spot-on, candid photography didn't disappoint.

Here's the bus line ... for everyone going any direction but ours. (Cool, no?)






Here's ME ... (Scary, no?)





Here's his brother's back ... (Thoughtful, no?)




Here's his brother's front ... (Happy, no?)





Here's the ice truck with that kinda cool bike tied to that tree and the "cigarette smokin', ice-totin', golf-cart driver delivery guy." (Interesting, no?)



Here's his brother's jacket realllly close up. (Clever, no?)


Here's the cigarette-smokin', ice-totin', golf-cart drivin' delivery guy closer up. (Time to go home, no?)




And because I didn't get a SINGLE picture of me and the KITE FLYIN'-EST WOMAN I KNOW today, here's a little diddy from a few weeks ago, where it looks like we're on a tropical isle, but we're not. (Tricky, no?)

I feel so happy to be back within "slapping distance" of Michele. (I just made up that little distance diddy ... and it means "close." Like on a map.) Because LORD, whether we're near or far, we can laugh. But, when we're CLOSE, we can PUT AWAY some funnel cake.

***

In unrelated news, here's my grand baby. Suspicious, no? Precious ... yes. And a year old next week.