Chapter 6,

March 15, 1999,

I woke up this morning and was so excited because today's my fifth birthday. I raced downstairs and ব্যক্ত "wow; পোকেমন everywhere!" There were balloons with the characters faces on them from the TV প্রদর্শনী 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 পোকেমন stuff off because I wasn't into পোকেমন until about a মাস পূর্বে when I had come across an episode of the প্রদর্শনী on TV. For the past three years now all that I had been interested in was superheroes and the তারকা 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 পোকেমন with me and I tried to explain the whole concept of the প্রদর্শনী to him but; he never understood why I liked it so much.

Finally; dad came downstairs and ব্যক্ত "happy birthday AJ!" I hugged him and ব্যক্ত "thanks for the পোকেমন party decorations daddy!" He ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত "it's my birthday!" Dad ব্যক্ত "no silly; it was your birthday last month!" Dad ব্যক্ত "come on AJ; I want আপনি to see what gifts I got you!" I ব্যক্ত "I hope আপনি got something that I will like because I know আপনি always get the পোকেমন characters names wrong!" He laughed and ব্যক্ত "I have a real strong feeling that you're going to like what I got you!"

We went into the রান্নাঘর and sat at the টেবিল with my gifts on it. He grabbed the one off the শীর্ষ and passed it to me. I ripped it open and ব্যক্ত "oh my gosh; আপনি 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 পোকেমন games. I ব্যক্ত "thank আপনি so much daddy; I প্রণয় you!" He ব্যক্ত "I প্রণয় আপনি more! Now there are some rules that go along with that Game Boy! First of all, I don't want আপনি playing that all দিন long. সেকেন্ড of all, if আপনি 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 আপনি better not lose any of them because they're really expensive!" I ব্যক্ত "I'll try my best not to lose them!"

March 21, 1999,

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

He walked over and took it out of my hands. I shot him a dirty look and ব্যক্ত "give it back!" He ব্যক্ত "don't talk to me like that; go play with your action figures অথবা 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 ব্যক্ত "as soon as আপনি walk away I'm going to get a chair and grab it!" He sighed and ব্যক্ত "you better not because if আপনি do I'm going to send আপনি to your room and আপনি won't be allowed to watch TV অথবা do anything fun!" I laughed at him and ব্যক্ত "yeah right!" He ব্যক্ত 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 ব্যক্ত "you have three সেকেন্ড to put that back up there before I put আপনি 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 ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত as he looked at me "I told আপনি I was serious!" I ব্যক্ত "I promise I won't do it again!" He ব্যক্ত "it's too late for that now!"

He shut the door behind him and Grace ব্যক্ত "for a five-year-old AJ is pretty strong! I'm glad that আপনি can still carry her while she's trying to kick আপনি because I know I can't do that anymore!" He ব্যক্ত "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 পূর্বে 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 ব্যক্ত 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 আপনি been having fun up here দ্বারা yourself?" I ব্যক্ত "NO! I'm so bored!" He ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত "come here; sit পরবর্তি to me!" I walked over and ended up sitting on his lap instead. I ব্যক্ত "I promise আপনি that I really am sorry for not listening to!" He kissed the শীর্ষ of my head and ব্যক্ত "I told আপনি from the very beginning that I didn't want আপনি playing পোকেমন all day! আপনি are getting to be very disrespectful to me and it's really starting to bother me!" I ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত "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 দ্বারা 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 রান্নাঘর putting some things away when I came in to the room and sat at the table. Prince came running in and ব্যক্ত "juice please daddy!" Dad reached for a bottle and Prince ব্যক্ত "no; I want Spiderman cup!" I ব্যক্ত "that's my cup; he's too little to use it." Dad poured the রস into the cup and passed it to Prince. Dad ব্যক্ত "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 আপনি would've প্রদত্ত up using bottles that easily! I remember that I had to argue with আপনি about giving them up and আপনি were screaming at the শীর্ষ of your lungs!"

I looked at dad and ব্যক্ত "I'm sorry that I can't be as perfect as Prince is!" I ran upstairs and he ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত as he knelt down পরবর্তি 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 ব্যক্ত "I am a bad kid!" Dad scooped me up and sat down on my bed. He ব্যক্ত "you're not a bad kid! I don't want to hear আপনি ever say that again! Don't let anyone tell আপনি that আপনি are because you're not!" I ব্যক্ত "I never listen to আপনি and I know I don't! I wish I would listen to আপনি but; I just can't!"

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

April 28, 1999,

I'm so happy because one of dad's best বন্ধু Mark Lester is coming for a visit all the way from the UK with his oldest son! His oldest son is from his পূর্ববর্তি 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 ব্যক্ত "in a couple আরো hours. Are আপনি excited to see Kyle?" I ব্যক্ত "I can't wait to প্রদর্শনী him my room; we haven't seen them since we traveled all the way to see them last year!" He ব্যক্ত "speaking of your room; আপনি need to go clean it before they get here." I ব্যক্ত "why? It's not a mess!" He ব্যক্ত "if আপনি don't think that room is a mess then আপনি must be blind because it looks like a tornado destroyed it!" I ব্যক্ত "I hate cleaning my room! Do I really have to?" He ব্যক্ত "yes আপনি 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 দ্বারা the TV. Dad walked down the hallway and into my room. He stood there in shock then ব্যক্ত "wow; I don't think your room has been this clean since আপনি are learning how to walk! I'm impressed! He hugged me and ব্যক্ত "Mark was just on the phone; they'll be here in about five minutes!" I ব্যক্ত "I'll get dressed for the দিন so I'm ready when Kyle gets here!"

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

When we got to my bedroom, Kyle ব্যক্ত "wow; আপনি have so many boys’ toys in here!" I ব্যক্ত "I don't like girly toys, my পছন্দ thing is Pokémon!" He asked "do আপনি like watching the Power Rangers on TV?" I ব্যক্ত "sometimes if it's on I will watch it! I like the blue Ranger the best!" He ব্যক্ত "I like the red one the most!" I asked "do আপনি like Pokémon?" He ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত "you have so many of the পোকেমন cards!"

Almost an ঘন্টা later dad and Mark laughed as the two of us came running down the stairs. Mark ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত "thank আপনি so much daddy for letting my friend come visit me!" He ব্যক্ত "oh how sweet; you're welcome!" I ব্যক্ত "I want to have a sleepover downstairs with Kyle tonight; can we?" Dad ব্যক্ত "yeah that's fine; আপনি guys can watch ডিজনি চলচ্চিত্র in the living room on the flatscreen!" Kyle ব্যক্ত "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 তারকা Wars episode one. Dad ব্যক্ত "all right; don't stay up really late আপনি 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 ব্যক্ত "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 অগ্রবর্তী 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 অথবা 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 আপনি to go outside! Wait for your dad to get back and আপনি can go out with him!

I was in the play room most of the দিন playing video games অথবা 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. দ্বারা the time dad gets প্রথমপাতা 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 বিছানা and put on my Spiderman slippers and walked down to the living room. I looked at dad and asked "did আপনি hear that?" He ব্যক্ত "I didn't hear anything!" I heard the noise again and dad ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত "wait; আপনি don't know whether he is mean অথবা 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 ব্যক্ত "I think he likes you!" Dad ব্যক্ত "he looks like he's only about a বছর 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 ব্যক্ত "if we keep him you're going to have to help me take care of him." I ব্যক্ত "I will; he can be my dog!" Dad smiled and ব্যক্ত "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 ব্যক্ত "so what do আপনি want to name him?" I ব্যক্ত "Drake!" He ব্যক্ত "that's a cool name!" After পাতিহাঁস was all clean he jumped out of the tub and shook himself dry. I ব্যক্ত "thanks for letting me keep him daddy!" He ব্যক্ত "you're welcome!" I still have পাতিহাঁস today plus the other two সারমেয় Jackson and Kenya. We used to have a dog named shadow when I was a newborn baby but, he passed away the দিন after my third birthday.


September 3, 1999,

I think পাতিহাঁস is getting used to living here with us. He usually lays পরবর্তি to me in বিছানা every night but this morning I was woken up দ্বারা the sound of dad saying "gross; I can't believe আপনি would lick my face!" I jumped out of বিছানা and ran into dad's bedroom. পাতিহাঁস was casually laying on the বিছানা and dad was wiping his mouth with a washcloth. I started laughing and ব্যক্ত "what… He just loves you!" Dad chuckled and ব্যক্ত "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!"

পাতিহাঁস jumped off the বিছানা and I chased him down the stairs. Dad was about to come down with us when Prince yelled "daddy" from his bedroom. Dad ব্যক্ত “hang on AJ; stay up here until I get Prince out of his room. Then I'll make আপনি something to eat." I walked back upstairs and followed dad into Prince's room. Dad had just gotten rid of Prince's ডাবা 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 দিন with him since the beginning of the week and I'm so excited! I ব্যক্ত "I'm so happy your প্রথমপাতা all দিন today daddy!" He sat down on the floor পরবর্তি to Prince and I. He ব্যক্ত "I can't wait spend time with আপনি guys… I actually have a surprise to tell you!" I asked "what?" He ব্যক্ত "I sent Grace on a vacation to see her family so; it's just going to be the 4 of us for the পরবর্তি two weeks!" I asked "but don't আপনি need to work?" He ব্যক্ত "I really needed to take a break and I really miss আপনি guys when I'm working on the new CD!" I ব্যক্ত 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 পরবর্তি 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 বিছানা 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 ব্যক্ত "anything আপনি want; within reason of course, nothing too crazy!" I got up and dad ব্যক্ত "guess what I'm going to make for breakfast!" I asked "what?" He asked "what's your পছন্দ thing that I cook every once in a while?" I ব্যক্ত "chocolate chip pancakes!!!" He ব্যক্ত "Yes!!! After I change Prince and Paris's diapers আপনি can help me make the pancakes!"

I was about to walk out of the room and go downstairs when dad ব্যক্ত "hang on; I don't want আপনি to go down there yet because I have the stove heating up! I don't want আপনি to fall দ্বারা 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 ব্যক্ত "you know what Prince? I think you're getting too old for diapers." Prince playfully ব্যক্ত "no, no, no!" Dad chuckled and ব্যক্ত 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 ব্যক্ত "I'll do the stuff with the চমস just because I don't want আপনি to get hurt but; আপনি can put the চকোলেট chips in and help me figure out how big to make the প্যানকেকস okay?" I ব্যক্ত "okay! I'm going to put a lot of চকোলেট chips in them!" He ব্যক্ত "okay then!" When it was my turn to put them in I dumped the whole entire bag into the one batch of pancakes. Dad ব্যক্ত "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 আপনি want to go crazy আপনি can!" I ব্যক্ত "I thought that Grace goes দ্বারা your rules when আপনি aren't here?" He ব্যক্ত "she does but; I know she can be really strict specifically with আপনি when I'm not here!" I ব্যক্ত "yeah she can be; I know she is trying to keep me from getting into trouble অথবা getting hurt but, she can take it a little too far sometimes!" Dad ব্যক্ত "well she loves আপনি and she know আপনি can be better behaved than আপনি are most of the time; am I right?" I ব্যক্ত "I guess I can try a little bit আরো to listen to her!" He ব্যক্ত "maybe if আপনি showed her that আপনি can listen to her she would let আপনি do some of the stuff that I let আপনি do when I'm here!"

Dad brought our plates to the টেবিল and put Prince and Paris in their highchairs. He cut their খাবার and when he got to me I asked "can I cut it myself?" দ্বারা 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 ছুরি and ব্যক্ত "be careful!!!" I struggled for the first few মিনিট and he ব্যক্ত "here; let me প্রদর্শনী আপনি how to cut it! You're freaking me out; আপনি come so close to cutting your finger!" He took the plate and started to cut the প্যানকেকস and if I didn't tell him to stop I think আপনি 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 ব্যক্ত "daddy; I'm bored! Can we do something?" He asked "what did আপনি have in mind?" I ব্যক্ত "slip and slide!" He ব্যক্ত "I’ll tell আপনি 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 আপনি won't be able to hear them!" He ব্যক্ত "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 পাতিহাঁস 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 ব্যক্ত "this thing isn't slippery enough!" He ran inside and came back out with something in his hand. He ব্যক্ত "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 আপনি okay Alanna?" I lifted my head off the ground and started laughing because there were ঘাস 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 পাতিহাঁস coming right towards us because he was sniffing the slide. Dad, the dog, and I ended up piled on শীর্ষ 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 আরো 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 দ্বারা 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 আপনি 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 ব্যক্ত "that wasn't very nice at all! Say you're sorry to AJ! We don't hit in this house!" I ব্যক্ত "it's okay; he doesn't have to apologize!" Dad ব্যক্ত "yes he does!" Prince ব্যক্ত "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!