Picture it! Edmond, OK. April 16th, 2010. Approximately 9PM. The day before Shepard's first birthday party. In addition to his fantastic immediate family, Shep's grandmothers, uncle, 2 aunts, and 4 cousins come drudging through the front door only minutes after the Return of the Father from a training course in Virgina!
Over the course of the next 2 days, chaos would consume the household! Mother Nature was intent on providing moisture to the clay-dry central-Oklahoma soil; it rained ALL weekend!!! The intrepid plans of Shep's parents to tie the children to a tree in the backyard drastically foiled!! No playing in the backyard. The sandbox was inundated. A march through the swamp to the swing set. The only option: to painstakingly tread through endless civil wars, alliances, compacts, resolutions, skirmishes with the cats, and finally PEACE!
But before the final dust cloud blew away, before oblivion went sweeping out the door, grandma, Sheldon, and Samantha joined the battle...6 adults and 7 children in our household...about 100 square feet per person! There have been wars over less!
Oma and Shepard!
The Nuggets having a sea skirmish the night after the party. John doesn't look very happy...must be boys vs girls...
Shepard didn't have a cake, he had CUPCAKES!!!
I swear if this was a banana, he would have had it down in 6.3 seconds...
Yummmmmmmmm.....
When asked 'any present ideas', we responded with "food" and "clothes". Most of the time, Shep would rather eat than play!
Big sister "helping" out...
The only birthday party you'll go to where you could eat half of the gifts!
And once again, Shepard is eating. Of course, Samara helps with the clothes!
