Two

Last weekend, despite my former resolution to scale back on the grand tradition of big backyard kid birthday parties - that tear up my house, cost double what I plan for, and typically leave me feeling like a hamster on a wheel for the duration of the party, we decided (against such sensible resolutions) to host another one. For Hayes in honor of his second year (Which naturally came too fast, but gosh they always do) because he's our only Spring baby, and the weather 's been nice, and because it gave good reason to hire a local Marionette puppeteer as entertainment. An act I had seen a couple years back, at the boy's end of year preschool festivities where I, along with the rest of a full theater, was totally enchanted by. A funny, quirky, 30 year veteran of the art who arrives with a case full of hand crafted puppets he brings to life with show stopping personalities he's created along the years. From a lying (but lovable) Pinocchio which Hayes only wanted to feed, to a shy trapeze swinging clown, to a limb springing purple alien, to a cookie seeking superhero deemed "Fat Man," to my personal favorite: MC Hamster. Who's stellar dance moves in coordination with "Can't Touch This" is, in my opinion, what really what brings down the house. For those of you who caught a glimpse of that one on Snapchat, let me just say that that was only a sliver of his talent exposed. Really, things only got better from there.

Point being: if I'm going to blow money on these big kidie of events, let it be something that makes me laugh just as much. Which I did. For a good long hour there in the company of my friends and their squealing children splayed out on the lawn below a makeshift stage before turning them over to the Mr. Haynes to gather round a table to construct their own brown bagged colored puppets.

In other news, Haye's got a new car, refused to eat cake with his hands, and fell fast asleep still in his party clothes just after 7pm.

Here, a video on the morning after his party. For me. Mostly.
To remember what waking with him at this age looked like. A bedside plea for something I can never quite guess. Random toys tossed at and around me. Climbing, tumbling, laughing, pouting. And kisses. Always a generous amount of early morning kisses.

TWO from Mrs. Habit on Vimeo.

Franklin Haynes Marionette Booking Site HERE