Cranky

Over spring break we went up north to celebrate Aunt 'Lene's 70th Birthday.

It was at a Bocce Ball place in Los Gatos. 

Bocce is so fun.  Especially with this crew.  Actually, anything with Aunt 'Lene is fun.

She has amazing amounts of energy...even when she is sick...like she was for several weeks before and after this party.  But she managed to get herself well enough for this day and we are so happy we were able to celebrate with her.

It was a fantastic time for all...except...well...maybe a certain 3 year old who needed a nap. 

Let's look a little closer.

Keith's cousin Susie had t-shirts made for all the kids with Aunt 'Lene's face on it. 

All the kids were thrilled to model the shirts...except that certain 3 year old.

She was P-I-S-Sed.

She wanted to be home.

She wanted to be sleeping.

She was feeling shy and intimidated.

She let me force the t-shirt on her but she was

absolutley not going to let anyone look at the image on her shirt. 

She was holding on to her last bit of power.

The moment she got in the car she ripped that shirt off and threw it on the floor. 

She was taking her anger out on the shirt. She tried to punch it. 

She wasn't mad at Aunt 'Lene.  She loves Aunt 'Lene. 

She talks about Aunt 'Lene often and asks when she will visit and have a sleepover.

That shirt just represented her lack of power.

But I am a little sad that there are so many friends and family who don't get to see

the warm and silly side of Elise.

You have to stay at our house for a few hours to before she will let you witness her goofy nature.

But I am not worried.

My cousin Erin did not speak to anyone in our family until she was 12 I think.

She had the same look in her eye that Elise has at family gatherings.

Then Erin turned into a social butterfly in high school.

I hear she was a party queen at Santa Barbara.

You'd have to be to want to live on D.P. in I.V. while at S.B.

She works hard and plays hard.

Now she is a lawyer in LA representin' the hip hop world. Yo.

So Elise can shut down and give all the dirty looks she wants.

I know the real deal and she is something special.