Real Time: Our April Fool: Sweetest Sixteen

Annika anticipates exciting events more visibly than most of our other children, counting down the days on her calendar, on the white board, and on scrap pieces of paper scattered throughout the house, with attending exclamatory marks, like so: "Only 63 days until NEWBSANITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

This is why the last couple of weeks have been hard on her, as her calendar (full to the brim with April birthday fun) served to remind her of all the fun she was not going to have on her birthday.  Today she turns sweet sixteen! In the last week, though, the title has changed to "sour sixteen," "stupid sixteen," and "slimy sixteen."   :)

Newbsanity was slated to begin today: canceled.
The Sloppy Fools Race was today: canceled
Her birthday date with Papa: with all non-essential stores closed: canceled
A trip to the DMV to take her permit test: closed and canceled
Having guests besides Mopsy to her birthday party tonight? Not allowed.

She can't even go on a hike because she's been having knee pain and swelling for the last 2 months that have barred her from running, most exercise, and walks longer than 15 minutes or so. This is why my extroverted, lonely, lover of people is sitting on the birthday couch, on a tablet WITHOUT ASKING PERMISSION, first thing in the morning.

Last week, I told her she could chat with her friends all day long, without time limit or infringement. And now I'm going to time her to see how long she goes without taking a break. We might have to administer i.v. fluids before long...