Chapter 6,

March 15, 1999,

I woke up this morning and was so excited because today's my fifth birthday. I raced downstairs and کہا "wow; Pokémon everywhere!" There were balloons with the characters faces on them from the TV دکھائیں and a big pile of presents sitting on the table. Dad wasn't up yet because he didn't expect me to be awake for at least another half an hour. I went into the living room and waited for him to wake up

I was amazed that dad was able to pull all this Pokémon stuff off because I wasn't into Pokémon until about a ماہ پہلے when I had come across an episode of the دکھائیں on TV. For the past three years now all that I had been interested in was superheroes and the سٹار, ستارہ Wars movies, which made it easy on dad because he knew exactly what to get me for my birthday and Christmas. He sat through a couple episodes of Pokémon with me and I tried to explain the whole concept of the دکھائیں to him but; he never understood why I liked it so much.

Finally; dad came downstairs and کہا "happy birthday AJ!" I hugged him and کہا "thanks for the Pokémon party decorations daddy!" He کہا "you're welcome; it took me forever to find them because I didn't know what I was looking for!" Grace followed behind him with Prince holding her hand and Paris in her other arm. Prince کہا "it's my birthday!" Dad کہا "no silly; it was your birthday last month!" Dad کہا "come on AJ; I want آپ to see what gifts I got you!" I کہا "I hope آپ got something that I will like because I know آپ always get the Pokémon characters names wrong!" He laughed and کہا "I have a real strong feeling that you're going to like what I got you!"

We went into the باورچی خانے, باورچی خانہ and sat at the میز, جدول with my gifts on it. He grabbed the one off the سب, سب سے اوپر and passed it to me. I ripped it open and کہا "oh my gosh; آپ kept telling me that I wouldn't get a Game Boy until I was 10 years old!" I started to tear open the other presents and I got three different Pokémon games. I کہا "thank آپ so much daddy; I love you!" He کہا "I love آپ more! Now there are some rules that go along with that Game Boy! First of all, I don't want آپ playing that all دن long. سیکنڈ of all, if آپ don't listen to me that will be the first thing that I take away from you. Last of all, these games are small and آپ better not lose any of them because they're really expensive!" I کہا "I'll try my best not to lose them!"

March 21, 1999,

I was sitting at the میز, جدول in the باورچی خانے, باورچی خانہ playing my game boy and dad was clearing the table. He کہا "I want آپ to do something else, آپ can playing with it some مزید tomorrow before آپ have to do your school work!" I ignored him and he کہا "I know آپ can hear me.” I continued to play the game with my eyes pretty much glued to the screen and he کہا "you better put that down!"

He walked over and took it out of my hands. I shot him a dirty look and کہا "give it back!" He کہا "don't talk to me like that; go play with your action figures یا see what Prince is doing!" I tried to grab the game boy out of his hand and he put it on one of the high shelves that was mounted on the wall. I کہا "as soon as آپ walk away I'm going to get a chair and grab it!" He sighed and کہا "you better not because if آپ do I'm going to send آپ to your room and آپ won't be allowed to watch TV یا do anything fun!" I laughed at him and کہا "yeah right!" He کہا with a serious look on his face "I'm not messing around and I don't think it's funny at all!"

I climbed on the chair and smiled as I reached for the Game Boy. He کہا "you have three سیکنڈ to put that back up there before I put آپ on punishment." Putting me on punishment was the same thing as being grounded to other kids but dad didn't like the word grounded so he changed it to punishment!"

That didn't stop me from getting off the chair and as soon as he tried to take it from me I ran as fast as I could! He caught up to me though and took it out of my hands. I started laughing when he picked me up and کہا "you're going to your room!" When we got to my bedroom door he opened it up and gently tossed me on my bed. I looked up at him with a shocked look on my face and asked "wait; am I really on punishment?" He کہا as he looked at me "I told آپ I was serious!" I کہا "I promise I won't do it again!" He کہا "it's too late for that now!"

He shut the door behind him and Grace کہا "for a five-year-old AJ is pretty strong! I'm glad that آپ can still carry her while she's trying to kick آپ because I know I can't do that anymore!" He کہا "yeah I know; I'm just glad that she thought I was joking because she made a little bit easier on me. She's easy to carry when she's not flipping out but when she is It makes her feel 20 pounds heavier! I have no idea what I plan on doing when she is nine years old because if I keep doing that I'll end up pulling my back out!"

March 23, 1999,

Well; because of the stunt I pulled with the Game Boy a few days پہلے I'm stuck up in my room doing absolutely nothing. The only thing that I've been allowed to do for days is school work; which is obviously not fun! I'm allowed to come downstairs to eat but that's about it and it's driving me crazy! I must've really hit a raw nerve with dad because he doesn't want to listen to me when I try to convince them that I'm sorry and that I won't do it again! The only thing that he has کہا to me is that he would come and talk to me before he is going to let me off of my punishment!

I was sitting in my room filling out a worksheet when I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. My doorknob turned and dad stood there looking at me in complete silence. One thing he has definitely learned as a parent is how to make me feel guilty! Grace can't make me feel guilty but; just looking at dad after I've done something wrong makes my stomach turn! He definitely uses it to his advantage!

He came over and sat on my bed. I didn't say anything and just stared at him for a few minutes. He asked "so; have آپ been having fun up here سے طرف کی yourself?" I کہا "NO! I'm so bored!" He کہا "that means that that was true punishment because you're supposed to be bored out of your mind!" He pulled out the chair I was sitting in and کہا "come here; sit اگلے to me!" I walked over and ended up sitting on his lap instead. I کہا "I promise آپ that I really am sorry for not listening to!" He kissed the سب, سب سے اوپر of my head and کہا "I told آپ from the very beginning that I didn't want آپ playing Pokémon all day! آپ are getting to be very disrespectful to me and it's really starting to bother me!" I کہا "I truly don't remember what I'm doing when I get that irritated and I understand why I got in trouble!" He smiled and کہا "I know that and I also know that I can be a little annoying at times but; that's part of my job as a daddy!”

April 14, 1999,

For about five days now I've secretly been intimidated سے طرف کی Prince! When I say that I don't mean that I'm scared of him but; I'm worried that he is almost too good! This is the first time that I've felt jealous of him since he has been born. Most of the time; I think he knows that he is better behaved than I am. I know he's only two years old but; I think he's trying to almost rub it in my face! Dad doesn't notice that lately he has been constantly comparing me to Prince. I know he means well but; it kind of has been making me feel like I am the bad child! I don't want to bring that to dad's attention now because I know he will feel awful about it!

I was sitting in the living room and Prince was in the play room. Dad was in the باورچی خانے, باورچی خانہ putting some things away when I came in to the room and sat at the table. Prince came running in and کہا "juice please daddy!" Dad reached for a bottle and Prince کہا "no; I want Spiderman cup!" I کہا "that's my cup; he's too little to use it." Dad poured the رس, جوس into the cup and passed it to Prince. Dad کہا "Alanna; he is not a little baby anymore! If he doesn't want the baby bottle anymore; he doesn't have to use it! I wish آپ would've دیا up using bottles that easily! I remember that I had to argue with آپ about giving them up and آپ were screaming at the سب, سب سے اوپر of your lungs!"

I looked at dad and کہا "I'm sorry that I can't be as perfect as Prince is!" I ran upstairs and he کہا "wait AJ I didn't mean…" He followed me upstairs and got to my room just-in-time for me to slam my door! He opened it up and I had curled myself into a ball on my bed. I wasn't crying but; I was really upset! He کہا as he knelt down اگلے to me "I didn't mean it like that AJ! What's wrong?" I looked up at him but; didn't say anything! Then out of nowhere; I کہا "I am a bad kid!" Dad scooped me up and sat down on my bed. He کہا "you're not a bad kid! I don't want to hear آپ ever say that again! Don't let anyone tell آپ that آپ are because you're not!" I کہا "I never listen to آپ and I know I don't! I wish I would listen to آپ but; I just can't!"

Dad looked me in my eyes and کہا "stop saying that!!! God made آپ exactly how آپ are supposed to be and I know that's never going to change! To me I couldn't have ended up with better kids if I picked them myself! I کہا "all week long; the only thing آپ have talked about is Prince! AJ; look at Prince… Isn't he cute? You're so good Prince! I love آپ Prince!" The look on his face کہا it all! He asked "what do آپ mean? Give me an example!" I کہا "said all right; like yesterday!" He asked "what happened yesterday?" I کہا "well; آپ made me feel like I didn't even exist because آپ were spending so much time with him. I know that he listens to آپ better than I do and that bothers me!" Dad کہا "oh; AJ if I had any idea I was doing that I would've stopped! I never want to make آپ feel like آپ aren't good enough! If آپ catch me doing that again all آپ have to do is remind me and I'll make sure not to say anything like that anymore!" He kissed me and کہا "by the way… You'll always be perfect me! آپ don't have to try to be good enough… ever!"

April 28, 1999,

I'm so happy because one of dad's best دوستوں Mark Lester is coming for a visit all the way from the UK with his oldest son! His oldest son is from his گزشتہ marriage and his name is Kyle. Kyle is only a few months older than I am and am excited to have someone to play with that is the same age as me! Mark has two other children with his current wife but; their only toddlers so they're not coming.

I woke up this morning and ran downstairs. Dad was sitting in the living room and I asked "when are they going to get here?" He کہا "in a couple مزید hours. Are آپ excited to see Kyle?" I کہا "I can't wait to دکھائیں him my room; we haven't seen them since we traveled all the way to see them last year!" He کہا "speaking of your room; آپ need to go clean it before they get here." I کہا "why? It's not a mess!" He کہا "if آپ don't think that room is a mess then آپ must be blind because it looks like a tornado destroyed it!" I کہا "I hate cleaning my room! Do I really have to?" He کہا "yes آپ do." I threw my hands up in the air and complained as I walked up the stairs."

It took me almost 3 hours to finish cleaning my room because I kept getting distracted سے طرف کی the TV. Dad walked down the hallway and into my room. He stood there in shock then کہا "wow; I don't think your room has been this clean since آپ are learning how to walk! I'm impressed! He hugged me and کہا "Mark was just on the phone; they'll be here in about five minutes!" I کہا "I'll get dressed for the دن so I'm ready when Kyle gets here!"

I quickly put on a pair of jeans and a Pokémon T-shirt. When I walked downstairs Mark and his son were just coming inside. Kyle was behind him and I کہا "hi!" He ran up to me and کہا "hi; I was so excited when I found out we were coming here for a whole week to see آپ guys!" I کہا "I know; come on I want to دکھائیں آپ my room!" Dad smiled as I grab Kyle's hand and took him upstairs. Dad کہا "that's the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Mark looked over at dad and jokingly asked "how much آپ want to bet the two of them will be married someday?" Dad chuckled and کہا "that would be so funny if that actually played out that way!"

When we got to my bedroom, Kyle کہا "wow; آپ have so many boys’ toys in here!" I کہا "I don't like girly toys, my پسندیدہ thing is Pokémon!" He asked "do آپ like watching the Power Rangers on TV?" I کہا "sometimes if it's on I will watch it! I like the blue Ranger the best!" He کہا "I like the red one the most!" I asked "do آپ like Pokémon?" He کہا "yeah; I like it when there is a gym battle on the show!" I pulled a big binder out of a drawer in my room and put it on the floor in front of Kyle. He opened it up and کہا "you have so many of the Pokémon cards!"

Almost an گھنٹہ later dad and Mark laughed as the two of us came running down the stairs. Mark کہا "here comes the stampede!" We were having so much fun running around that our light up sneakers started having problems! I walked up to dad and کہا "thank آپ so much daddy for letting my friend come visit me!" He کہا "oh how sweet; you're welcome!" I کہا "I want to have a sleepover downstairs with Kyle tonight; can we?" Dad کہا "yeah that's fine; آپ guys can watch Disney فلمیں in the living room on the flatscreen!" Kyle کہا "wow; thanks Michael!"

Later on after we had dinner; Kyle and I got dressed in our pajamas. We went into the living room and there was a huge blanket spread out across the floor. Mark brought over a stack of DVDs and put them in front of the two of us. We went through them and picked out سٹار, ستارہ Wars episode one. Dad کہا "all right; don't stay up really late آپ guys!" Dad and Mark laughed out on the porch while they were talking to each other because they could hear the goofy conversations Kyle and I were having with each other! The funny thing was that we didn't think they could hear us!


May 8, 1999,

I came running downstairs and noticed that dad wasn't there. Grace کہا "your dad's working on his new album so; he won't be back till dinnertime." It had been a long time since dad had left us with the nanny and I was really not looking آگے to it. Grace and I are always butting heads because she doesn't let me do most of the things that dad lets me do. She doesn't want me to break anything یا she doesn't want to have to punish me. That's why she doesn't let me do anything and it drives me nuts. Every time I go to go outside she's like "oh AJ; I don't want آپ to go outside! Wait for your dad to get back and آپ can go out with him!

I was in the play room most of the دن playing video games یا watching TV because there was nothing better to do. I was bored out of my mind! I think the worst thing about being the oldest child is that I don't have any interest in doing the things that Prince and Paris do because they're younger than I am. سے طرف کی the time dad gets ہوم I'm usually a ball of energy.

August 17, 1999,

I woke up this morning and could hear barking coming from downstairs. I hopped out of بستر and put on my Spiderman slippers and walked down to the living room. I looked at dad and asked "did آپ hear that?" He کہا "I didn't hear anything!" I heard the noise again and dad کہا "I heard something that time!" The two us walked to the back door and there was a dog laying on the porch. The dog was a reddish colored golden retriever from what I could tell because he was so dirty and matted.

I ran out the door and dad کہا "wait; آپ don't know whether he is mean یا not. I don't want him to bite you!" The dog got up and dad slowly walked backwards with his hand on my shoulder. I asked "how did he get in here anyway?" The dog walked up to dad and started licking his hand and I کہا "I think he likes you!" Dad کہا "he looks like he's only about a سال old! I got down on my knees and he started to lick my face. I looked at dad and I think he knew what was about to ask him. He کہا "if we keep him you're going to have to help me take care of him." I کہا "I will; he can be my dog!" Dad smiled and کہا "all right let's get him inside and clean him up because he's a mess!"

He followed us upstairs and to our surprise just jumped in the bathtub with his tail wagging. I got a T-shirt and swim trunks on so I could help give him a bath. Dad کہا "so what do آپ want to name him?" I کہا "Drake!" He کہا "that's a cool name!" After ڈریک was all clean he jumped out of the tub and shook himself dry. I کہا "thanks for letting me keep him daddy!" He کہا "you're welcome!" I still have ڈریک today plus the other two dogs Jackson and Kenya. We used to have a dog named shadow when I was a newborn baby but, he passed away the دن after my third birthday.


September 3, 1999,

I think ڈریک is getting used to living here with us. He usually lays اگلے to me in بستر every night but this morning I was woken up سے طرف کی the sound of dad saying "gross; I can't believe آپ would lick my face!" I jumped out of بستر and ran into dad's bedroom. ڈریک was casually laying on the بستر and dad was wiping his mouth with a washcloth. I started laughing and کہا "what… He just loves you!" Dad chuckled and کہا "I just didn't expect for a dog's tongue to be the first thing I see when I opened my eyes in the morning!"

ڈریک jumped off the بستر and I chased him down the stairs. Dad was about to come down with us when Prince yelled "daddy" from his bedroom. Dad کہا “hang on AJ; stay up here until I get Prince out of his room. Then I'll make آپ something to eat." I walked back upstairs and followed dad into Prince's room. Dad had just gotten rid of Prince's پالنے, پالنا last week and I'm glad because since then Prince doesn't seem so perfect compared to me. He's definitely in his terrible twos now! They're nothing like they were with me but, it does make me look little bit better behaved now.

After breakfast all of us went into the living room to spend time together because dad has been working on his new album lately. This is the first time we will be able to spend the whole دن with him since the beginning of the week and I'm so excited! I کہا "I'm so happy your ہوم all دن today daddy!" He sat down on the floor اگلے to Prince and I. He کہا "I can't wait spend time with آپ guys… I actually have a surprise to tell you!" I asked "what?" He کہا "I sent Grace on a vacation to see her family so; it's just going to be the 4 of us for the اگلے two weeks!" I asked "but don't آپ need to work?" He کہا "I really needed to take a break and I really miss آپ guys when I'm working on the new CD!" I کہا as I climbed onto his back "yes; two weeks with just you!"

Most two-year-olds like Prince go through a biting phase; thankfully I missed out on that phase because I was too busy kicking people when I was his age! Prince is definitely now a biter but; I'm hoping now that dad is going to be the only adult here watching us for the اگلے two weeks that he will be able to break Prince of that habit!



September 4, 1999,

I woke up this morning to Paris jumping up and down on my بستر saying "AJ!" I opened my eyes and dad, Prince, and Paris were in my room. I asked "what are we going to do today daddy?" He کہا "anything آپ want; within reason of course, nothing too crazy!" I got up and dad کہا "guess what I'm going to make for breakfast!" I asked "what?" He asked "what's your پسندیدہ thing that I cook every once in a while?" I کہا "chocolate chip pancakes!!!" He کہا "Yes!!! After I change Prince and Paris's diapers آپ can help me make the pancakes!"

I was about to walk out of the room and go downstairs when dad کہا "hang on; I don't want آپ to go down there yet because I have the stove heating up! I don't want آپ to fall سے طرف کی accident and get burned! Come with me; it's only going to take a few minutes!" I followed him as he carried Prince and Paris into Prince's bedroom. Dad sat down on the floor and I passed him the wipes. He looked at Prince and کہا "you know what Prince? I think you're getting too old for diapers." Prince playfully کہا "no, no, no!" Dad chuckled and کہا as he tickled him "yes, yes, yes! Maybe we'll start working on getting rid of them this week!"

We all went downstairs and into the kitchen. I grabbed a stepstool and dragged it over to the stove so I could help dad make pancakes. Prince and Paris were in dad's eyesight playing in the play room and watching a movie. He کہا "I'll do the stuff with the spatula کے, گوندھنے just because I don't want آپ to get hurt but; آپ can put the chocolate chips in and help me figure out how big to make the پینکیکس okay?" I کہا "okay! I'm going to put a lot of chocolate chips in them!" He کہا "okay then!" When it was my turn to put them in I dumped the whole entire bag into the one batch of pancakes. Dad کہا "oh my gosh! All of us are going to have a sugar rush… But that's okay! It's daddy's rules for the two weeks so; if آپ want to go crazy آپ can!" I کہا "I thought that Grace goes سے طرف کی your rules when آپ aren't here?" He کہا "she does but; I know she can be really strict specifically with آپ when I'm not here!" I کہا "yeah she can be; I know she is trying to keep me from getting into trouble یا getting hurt but, she can take it a little too far sometimes!" Dad کہا "well she loves آپ and she know آپ can be better behaved than آپ are most of the time; am I right?" I کہا "I guess I can try a little bit مزید to listen to her!" He کہا "maybe if آپ showed her that آپ can listen to her she would let آپ do some of the stuff that I let آپ do when I'm here!"

Dad brought our plates to the میز, جدول and put Prince and Paris in their highchairs. He cut their food and when he got to me I asked "can I cut it myself?" سے طرف کی the look on his face I don't think he wanted to let me but; I think he knew that I'm growing up and that there's nothing he can do to stop that from happening!" He passed me a چھری and کہا "be careful!!!" I struggled for the first few منٹ and he کہا "here; let me دکھائیں آپ how to cut it! You're freaking me out; آپ come so close to cutting your finger!" He took the plate and started to cut the پینکیکس and if I didn't tell him to stop I think آپ would of cut the entire thing without giving me the chance to try again. After watching him, I easily cut the last few pieces on my plate and he took a sigh of relief!

September 5, 1999,

We were watching TV in the living room when I کہا "daddy; I'm bored! Can we do something?" He asked "what did آپ have in mind?" I کہا "slip and slide!" He کہا "I’ll tell آپ what; after I put Prince and Paris down for their nap because they're too young to use that the two of us can!" I asked "but what if one of them wakes up and wants you! You'll be outside with me so آپ won't be able to hear them!" He کہا "every once in a while I'll go inside and check on them to see if they are awake."

After lunch, dad put Prince and Paris down for their nap. I was outside playing with ڈریک when he started dragging the slip and slide across the lawn. He hooked up the hose and water started to spray everywhere. I ran down the side but; was having some trouble with sticking to the plastic. I looked at dad and کہا "this thing isn't slippery enough!" He ran inside and came back out with something in his hand. He کہا "cooking oil should make it slippery enough AJ!" He poured a small amount onto the plastic part of the slide but, all the oil began to pour out really fast and before we knew it the slide was drenched.

Before he could stop me, I ran down the slide and when I went down on my stomach towards the end I shot halfway across the yard because it was so slippery. Dad was worried that my knees had gotten hurt and walked up to me. He asked "are آپ okay Alanna?" I lifted my head off the ground and started laughing because there were گھاس stains all over my face. Dad couldn't help but laugh to because of how hilarious I thought it was!" Then all of a sudden we both look over our shoulders and we see ڈریک coming right towards us because he was sniffing the slide. Dad, the dog, and I ended up piled on سب, سب سے اوپر of each other with the two of us laughing our butts off!


September 10, 1999,

Grace will be back from her vacation in a couple مزید days and dad will be back in the studio working on his new album. Dad is trying to spend as much time with us before he has to start working again! I don't know why he calls this a break because he's probably working twice as hard taking care of the three of us سے طرف کی himself than he ever would standing in a sound booth recording a song! Now that Prince is talking really well, he likes to try and get me in trouble; which آپ all know I don't need any help with that! I'm just waiting for dad to catch Prince in the act of doing something he doesn't approve of!

Prince, Paris, and I were playing in the play room when dad decided to come in and spend time with us. I climbed into his lap and Prince must've been jealous because he decided to hit me. Dad looked at him and کہا "that wasn't very nice at all! Say you're sorry to AJ! We don't hit in this house!" I کہا "it's okay; he doesn't have to apologize!" Dad کہا "yes he does!" Prince کہا "I'm sorry" and gave me a hug!

The thing that kind of bothered me is that Prince just apologized and moved on. When I do something wrong I don't just admit it, I drag it out as long as possible. I was kind of hoping that Prince would get into some serious trouble; just as payback for all the times that I've gotten in trouble for something that he did!