So Exciting!

Each year Hubby buys season tickets to the Pacers games with a few other families, which means we get tickets for five or six games.  It's his way of scheduling individual dates with the kids.

And finally, after almost four years of waiting, Turken was finally old enough to go.  Sakes alive, it was the best day of his life. 

He is normally a shy kid, but he couldn't hold it in yesterday.  He had to tell everyone, "I'm going to Daddy's office, and a restaurant, and a Colt's game."

Yes, a Colt's game.  Hot on the heels of football season, he was a bit confused, having never seen a Pacer's game on TV, let alone hear about who they are or what they do.

After piano lessons, we headed downtown.  He didn't stop talking the entire way there. 

"I'm going to help Daddy work.  What do you do at Daddy's office?  I'm going to have macaroni and cheese.  And ice cream.  I'm going to his office, and a restaurant, and a game.  I'm not going home.  We're going downtown so I can go with Daddy all by myself."  and on and on and on. 

The big kids thought it was cute.  At first.  By the time we got to Daddy, they were ready to see him go.

I didn't even get a wave good-bye.  He was so focused on getting into that office. 

At 9:45 I finally got a text telling me that the game went into overtime, and they would be getting home late. 

The kid is three.  We were way past late already.

Finally, at 10:45 they rolled in.  Turken did not sleep one wink the whole way home.  He couldn't stop talking. 

This is what he looked like when he walked in the door:

I took the photo this morning, when there was some light, and I could get him to stop talking.

You know you've had fun when you come home with a ginormous alien balloon hat and a Pacers bag full of stuff.

And your face painted to boot.

At 10:45 he unloaded his bag to tell me the story of everything in it.  How he spun a wheel to get the magnet.  How he was tall enough to reach the bag, so he got to keep it.  And of course, how the woman made his hat.

We finally got him to bed, and as Hubby closed the door, he was heard loud-whispering, "Hey, Cuckoo!" wanting to wake up his little brother to tell him all about it.

Five minutes later, he jumped out of bed, opened his door, and hollered, "Mom!  I had ice cream at the game!"

Apparantly, he didn't stop talking for the entire 6 hours he was with Hubby. 

At the office, he started out by examining Hubby's desk.  He needed to know what each and every thing was.  When he came to the business cards, Hubby told him that they were cards with his name on them.  Turken paused (for the first time that day) and then said, "But I don't see a D on it!"  (For Daddy.  He doesn't know Hubby's real name.)

He then stood at the big window, looking out over the city, and remarked on everything he saw.  At one point Hubby's secretary yelled in, "I hope you weren't planning on getting any work done this afternoon!"

He woke up at 7:25 this morning, Pacers on the brain.  We went through all of his goodies again, since Cuckoo hadn't seen them yet. 

He told us about Boomer (the mascot) falling off the ceiling, but on a swing so he didn't get hurt.  And it was dark, because they turned the lights off.   He didn't know why.

He told us about Boomer making slam dunks.  He told us about the greeen team winning most of the game, but blue won the game in the end.  And on and on and on.

And when I pick up Giant and Star from school at 3:00, we'll go through it all again.

And when we pick up Phoenix from play practice at 3:45, we'll go through it all again.

And when we pick Buttercup up from volleyball practice at 4:30, we'll go through it all yet again.

Even then, I don't think I'll be tired of hearing him tell of his evening.  His cute little voice telling his version of the highlights of the whole experience just makes me smile.  It is amazing how one little date with his dad can be the most exciting event he has ever experienced.

This is why we do individual dates with our children. 

Now, for my own fun experience.  Tomorrow I leave for the annual book club trip.  This year we are keeping it closer to home and heading to Chicago.   The itinerary, as far as I know, includes:

     - an evening at an improv show
     - a dessert tour of the city, with a sample at every stop
     - dinners at lovely places, as it is their "Taste of Chicago" week
     - a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's home, as a few months ago we read the book Loving Frank
     - a bit of shopping if there is time

It's "as far as  I kow" because I didn't have to plan any of it.  I love my friends.  They don't mind letting me tag along to all of the fun things they worked hard to find and plan.

Have a lovely day!