Age almost 6. Haha
Summer was coming; it was the beginning of May in Newport. The weather was unusually hot and humid for May. Instead of the average 60 degree temperatures, it was hitting in the high 80's. This was actually a good thing because Ryan's 6th birthday was less than a week away, and Ryan was adamant on the fact that he wanted a pool party, oh and no clowns like last year.
"Oh, and I want a Gameboy and that cool football game, oh and you can't forget that I want a Sega Genesis."
"Ryan, slow down buddy," Sandy said patting him on the back and chuckling as he headed to put his dish in the sink.
"I want a puppy too, a nice one, that doesn't bite."
Sandy and Kirsten both exchanged nervous looks, a puppy, no way.
"And a pony, maybe, but not a pony like Marissa's, I hate that pony."
"Ryan," Kirsten scolded, "you won't get anything if you don't stop saying that word; now go brush your teeth and finish getting ready for school."
Ryan jumped out of his seat and ran up the stairs, "Hey Seth, what should I name my new puppy?" Sandy and Kirsten heard him yell to Seth.
"Ryan, use your inside voice please." Kirsten yelled upstairs.
"Ya know, by yelling up the stairs to tell him to use his inside voice, defeats the purpose, because your not using your inside voice when you yell to him."
"Shut up Sandy," Kirsten responded, "what are we going to do about this new pet stage?" Kirsten asked worriedly.
"Don't worry about it sweetie, by tomorrow, it will be a car or something."
"That makes me feel a lot better." Kirsten rolled her eyes, "Do we spoil them to much?"
"Way too much," Sandy said truthfully, "But we live in Newport Beach."
Kirsten dropped the kids off at school and then headed to work. She thought she would head to the mall during her lunch break; she needed to pick up some presents for Ryan and some party favors for his party this weekend.
They had invited everyone in the three kindergarten classes and Kirsten invited all her co-workers at work who had children along with her parents and Haley if she decided to show, she was 22 now and her partying just got worse and worse. She had also invited all of the neighbors on her block, with children or not. She had sent out a total of 85 invitations and most of them R.S.V.Ped, yes. The hardest thing was that in a month she would have to do this all over again for Seth and it had to be just as big and just as great.
Sandy went out and bought a bounce house, he refused to rent one. They bought all new pool toys and bought a slide for the pool. Sandy wanted a diving board but Kirsten insisted they were too young yet. They ordered three different cakes from the caterers, and had to order to separate menus, one for the kids and one for the adults.
Today was the day that Kirsten's mom picked the kids up because neither Sandy nor Kirsten could leave work on Monday's too pick them up.
"Grandma!" Seth cried out as he and Ryan ran up and jumped into their Grandmothers arms.
"Hi, you two, how was school?" she asked as she took their hands and they walked back to her Mercedes that was parked in the parking lot.
"Great, I got to bring Captain Oats to show and tell today…" Seth started but was interrupted by Ryan, "Seth, you bring him everyday for show and tell."
Alice Nichol laughed, she loved these kids.
"Grammy, can we have a snack?" Ryan asked his grandmother when they stepped inside the gorgeous mansion.
"What do you say?" His grandmother asked in a stern voice.
"Please?" Ryan pleaded.
"Sure, I will get it ready, you and Seth go get changed into your play clothes."
And with that Ryan and Seth ran upstairs to the room that was designed especially for them. There was a set of bunk beds and two dressers, along with a walk in closet and numerous toys that poured out of toy boxes. Kirsten's mother suggested they designate a room to the boys, once Kirsten went back to work full time and she knew the boys would be coming over a lot more. Kirsten thought that idea was great.
At about 5:30 Sandy came and picked up the boys and they headed home. Kirsten was getting dinner ready when they walked in the door.
"Hey boys, why don't you go and get washed up for dinner." Kirsten said as Sandy walked in with the boys in tow.
At dinner, Ryan was still dropping ideas of what he wants for his birthday.
"I want a big surf board like Daddy's."
"We'll see Ryan," Kirsten replied getting annoyed with his constant nagging of what he wants for his birthday.
"Hey, I want one too and a skateboard." Seth chimed in.
"We have another month before we have to go through this with you kiddo." Sandy told his son sympathetically.
"Thank God" Kirsten mumbled to herself, but Sandy caught it and smiled.
By 8:00 both of the boys were snuggled up in their beds and Kirsten and Sandy's goodnights were said and bedtimes stories were read.
"I got some gifts for Ryan this afternoon."
"A puppy?" Sandy asked chuckling.
Kirsten shook her head laughing and Sandy continued, "Oh, so you decided on the pony huh?"
Kirsten kissed his forehead and retorted, "No, I was going to let you go and get the surfboard."
"I was actually thinking about, so don't tempt me, it is about time one of them learns how to surf."
"I don't think so, Sandy." Kirsten said seriously, "He will use it once, and he'll hate it and never use it again."
"Oh, and we never waste our money, do we honey?" Sandy joked.
"I am ignoring that comment and going up to bed, I have an early meeting tomorrow, so you have to get the boys ready and get them to school. Can you handle that?"
"I don't know Kirsten, I mean, I have never done this parenting thing before."
"I was being sarcastic."
"So was I" Sandy smiled, "Night babe."
Over the rest of the week, it was mostly exactly the same as the beginning of the week. Ryan pulling things out of the air for what he wants for his birthday. He even went as far to say he wanted a Captain Oats plastic horse like Seth's. Kirsten's mom took the boys everyday after school and she too got a kicked out of Ryan's enthuisisam for his birthday.
Once Saturday came, it was beyond hectic at the Cohen's residence. Ryan was running around like a mad man, Seth was right after him and Sandy and/or Kirsten were chasing them. While the carters set up around the house and Sandy tried to get the bounce house up. The pool place was installing the slide and Kirsten was decorating with Rosa, blowing up balloons and placing streamers in every inch of the house and the backyard.
By 3:00, some of the guests had arrived and many of the kids were playing around in the pool. By 5:00, the party was underway, the parents were politely mingling, and the kids were going wild in the bounce house and in the pool or just running around playing tag and hide and go seek. Finally Kirsten and Sandy got everyone together and announced it was time to eat. After everyone ate their dinner, it was cake and ice cream time. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Ryan as he sat at the head of the table on Sandy's lap.
After everyone enjoyed the cake and ice cream, it was the moment that Ryan had been waiting for and preparing for, for the whole week, present time.
The pile of presents was three times taller than Ryan and about four of five widths of him. Sandy and Kirsten tried to make it clear on the invitations, no presents, but obviously Newport Beach was just too generous, HA!
Ryan opened up many gifts; he did get both the Gameboy and the Sega, along with numerous, numerous games for both. He got many board games, and Lego's and even stuffed animals. He got an actual size soccer net and a new soccer ball. Of course, he got the boring gifts too, the clothes and sneakers, that he just tossed in a pile, where Kirsten could admire them. He got a new bike, a pair of rollerblades, even a pair of skis from a charitable neighbor. Who knew when he would use those? He finally got to the bottom of the pile were Sandy and Kirsten's presents were and his grandparents presents were.
His grandparents got him a helmet for his new bike, an air hockey table that can also be a pool table or a foos ball table. Sandy and Kirsten got him a real arcade game and also a basketball hoop. There were two big presents that couldn't be wrapped left in side the pool house, one from Ryan's grandparents and one from his parents. Sandy brought out the first present reluctantly, he didn't know how Kirsten would react, it was a surfboard. Kirsten looked stunned when Sandy brought it out, but she didn't look to upset either. The last present Caleb brought out, and it was clear at first sight what it was, a puppy. Kirsten and Sandy looked at each other and then at Kirsten's mother who just sweetly smiled at them. She will be dog sitting a lot thought Kirsten. They also gave Ryan, all of the dog's needs, some food, a bowl for food and water, a collar, a leash, a bed, even a popper scooper.
Ryan was beyond excited, as soon as he saw the little light brown furred golden retriever, he called him Buster. That was his name Buster.
After everything was cleaned up, and everyone had left, Kirsten and Sandy thought they should sit down and talk to Ryan about the responsibilities that a dog entails. They actually thought that maybe his grandparents should be doing this, but all they did was buy the thing with no permission from the home owners.
"Hey Ry, come here for a sec." Sandy hollered into the family room were Ryan and Seth sat playing Ryan's new Sega games.
"Yea, Dad?"
"Sit down for a minute, we just want to go over some of new chores you have now that you have a dog."
Ryan sighed and sat down, all he wanted to do was play his new video game.
"You will have to feed him everyday and give him water. You will also have to pick up after him and take him on walks and things."
"Okay,"
"You have to do this everyday, you have to make sure you take good care of Buster, he is yours and that means he is your responsibility, pets are very big responsibilities Ryan."
"Ok Dad"
"Ok? Do you understand?"
"I understand"
"Good" Sandy said getting up and picking up his little boy, "So did you have fun today?"
"Yea, tons, thank you"
"Anytime, kiddo" Sandy retorted giving him a kiss and letting him go back to his video game.
"Not much longer guys, it is almost time for bed"
He heard the two of them moan in the family room and he chuckled.
It had been about a half an hour that he was in his office working before he heard Seth and Ryan arguing in the other room.
"It's mine, and I don't want to play that game." Ryan yelled at Seth.
"Well, I don't want to play this game."
"Well, it is not yours, so I get to choose."
"No, you chose the last game, it is my turn to choose."
"It is my game, don't play if you don't want too, actually I don't want you to play and it is mine so HA!" Ryan finally said to Seth before he put in his game and started playing.
"I am telling Dad, that you are being a meany." Seth cried.
"Go right ahead, I don't care."
"Fine, DAD!! DAD!" Seth yelled as loud as he could.
"Shut up you baby." Ryan yelled over Seth screaming.
"What was that Ryan? Don't say shut up, apologize NOW!" Sandy shouted standing behind Ryan.
"Why he is being a baby." Ryan retorted.
"Turn off your game, your going to bed." Sandy said coming around and grabbing Ryan's hand.
Ryan started crying, "This is unfair, he started it."
Once they were in Ryan's room, Sandy shut the door and placed Ryan on his bed.
"Ryan, you got everything you wanted today, I could take it all back." Sandy said sternly.
Ryan just looked down at his hands.
"Kiddo, you have to share. Seth shares his things with you and you need to share with him." Sandy said lifting Ryan's head up so that he was at eye level with Sandy.
"But I didn't want to play that game." Ryan said quietly.
"But you picked the last game, take turns, give Seth a turn to pick. Okay?"
"Okay"
"Good, how about some surfing tomorrow morning?" Sandy asked changing the mood.
"Yay!" Ryan said excitedly.
"Get in your PJ's, me and Mommy will be in soon to tuck you in."