July 4, 2004 - Sunday
The Fourth of July is Chloe's birthday and we took the boys down to celebrate at her house. As self-centered as it sounds, the best thing about this day was that the kids basically played happily by themselves most of the day either down in the basement and in the pool outside while we, the parents along with Tom and Amy, sat on the porch drinking and snacking, then eating French crepes and talking about mostly adult subjects. Even naptime was a proverbial piece of cake, although only Jeremy actually slept. Chloe and Harry watched a video. And, it's all because the kids all getting a little older and a little less dependent and keeping them happy is a little less of a full-time job. Sure, some day we'll long for those days when they always wanted to talk to us and have our attention, and some day we'll be fighting for their attention just as much as they used to fight for ours. But, I think now we're entering a time of a happier balance.

Speaking of cake, Harry actually ate the cake and not just the frosting. Jeremy ate his whole piece with the usual gusto and was the last one sitting. Chloe was just her normal happy self.


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