Saturday, October 06, 2007

Happy Birthday, Mark

When was the last time I waited SIX DAYS between posts?! I don't know but this time it's symbolic. 32 years ago, my son, Mark, was due on his sister Amy's 3rd birthday, September 30. He came 6 days later.

So today, after my last post recognizing Amy's 35th birthday, I recognize Mark's:

32 SMACKEROOS!

We'll be celebrating both kids after Nicholas' soccer game today, eating together, playing Spades and watching football. But last night we also celebrated by going to the Fair! We needed another person to accompany Nicholas on some of the rides Donica and I can't stomach. So Mark went with us.


My favorite shot of the evening was this one, showing the legs/feet of Mark and Nicholas. I love the difference in size. :)




Donica decided to try one of the rides (while remembering last year's debacle) and was behind Mark and Nicholas the entire way...looking like a sick puppy.


Nicholas had his own moments, as did Mark, but a couple of these rides did go down in history. Nicholas is clearly an older boy than even last year!


But from that point on, the 3 of them stuck to terra firma rides.




Since I spent my time taking photos, I didn't ride anything until the end of the evening when Nicholas and I rode the 30-minute round-trip alpine ride across the entire fairgrounds. It was already past Nicholas' bedtime, so it was a good ride to end on.
Calming and reflective.

I'd like to think Nicholas will often reflect on Uncle Mark's being with us for the first time in his 6 fairs. So thank you, Mark, for joining us and being the uncle Nicholas (and we) needed. I'm quite certain he'll always remember THIS Fair as the time you came and were his buddy. It was a birthday present to all of us. I hope it also was to you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, again!

13 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday to Mark!

    How great that you guys could all be together at the fair this year. Just look at the big smile on Nicholas' face. Those are some pretty scary rides you've got there. I would just stand on the sidelines and eat my cotton candy and watch y'all having a good time.

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  2. Happy birthday Mark, and so glad you had fun at the Fair. Personally I'm not very brave when it comes to scary rides, the carousel is about my limit!

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  3. Indeed Happy Birthday to Mark! What a fun way to celebrate - and many, many more!

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  4. Happy birthday to Mark! Those rides look like fun - Uhm... well most of them :) Happy to see that you all had a great time.

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  5. Christina: You and I would have fun standing there and watching! AND eating cotton candy!!! :) It really was special to have Uncle Mark with us this year. Now Nicholas will always want him to come. :)

    Ex-S: I LOVE the carousel. Just the right speed for me. The first year, when Nicholas had just turned 2, he and I perched ourselves on our own horses, side by side, and spent all our tickets riding time after time. We didn't get off--just handed our tickets to the guy after every stint, ready for the next one. This time, that was Nicholas' last ride before he and I rode the alpine lift and floated over the fair for 30 minutes. So fun.

    Judy: I know your wishes will mean a lot to him. Thank you so much.

    CS: All the rides are very fun to watch but we all jokingly say to each other which ones we are NOT interested to ride. Even Nicholas (who wanted to ride them all last year) will say he doesn't want to ride certain ones now. Once his stomach was "tickled" on that first fast ride, I think he had it for the night! :) So cute to watch what he's like each year.

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  6. Great photos and family remembrances. You take excellent people photos.

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  7. Very cute....I like the legs in the sky as well!!!

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  8. Tim: You're so kind. Thank you.

    Neva: Thanks for stopping by and commenting again!

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  9. those smiles and laughter on the bumper cars are worth a million dollars!
    Dontcha just love the saturated colors at fairs? So fun to photograph!

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  10. OH my it looks like a good time for sure, Not sure i could go on that ride tho.

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  11. Mad: Oh yes! Totally worth every minute! :)

    L&N: I was glad to be the photographer, Lilli. :)

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  12. That is so symbolic- the six days- did you plan that? Clever woman! Happy Birthday Mark... a little late:D

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