Summer fun

Last Saturday the boys had a birthday party for their friend Lucas but before that Theo and Reed and I went to Art on the Porches, our favorite neighborhood event and one of my favorite events all year. One of the streets in our neighborhood is shut down and bands play on two stages on either end, food trucks and picnic tables fill the street, and local artists take over the homeowners' porches to sell their work. I didn't really have time to look at the art this year but we enjoyed the food and music for the short time we visited.

The highlight was Theo paying for his own pizza. Reed and I were eating spring and summer rolls at a picnic table and Theo, after trying them, decided he wanted pizza instead. I pointed to the wood-fired pizza truck, at the far end of the block, which I could barely see, and I asked him if he wanted to go buy his own pizza. His face lit up. He took my $20 bill and walked proudly down the street. I watched him on and off when I could see him between people. He circled around the truck, not knowing at first where to go, and then I lost sight of him when he got around to the front, where there was a long line. I wondered out loud to a neighbor whether he would be able to figure out how to negotiate the line. She suggested that line-goers would let him budget because he was a kid. Sure enough, Theo came back about five minutes later, grinning ear to ear, and handed me the change. He reported that he had ordered his cheese pizza and he had told them his name was Theo. He held up his hand "FIVE MINUTES! It will be done in FIVE MINUTES!" A few minutes later, he walked back over to the truck, and then after another few minutes, he came strutting back up the sidewalk to us, pizza clutched in both hands, chin in the air, the hugest grin on his face. If I hadn't been so enjoying watching him enjoy the moment, I would have taken a picture. I do not think I have ever seen such pride on his face. A great moment for us both.

This is from when Reed got into the scotch tape a few days ago. I had just replaced the roll and Theo was using it for a project but forgot to put it back. I should have known when I didn't hear anything for a while and I could tell Reed was standing in the same place in the house. He somehow figured out how to wrap it around his torso, so then when he walked around the house, the tape followed. I figure he used about 3/4 of the new roll. That's his water bottle wrapped up in the mound of tape.