Chapter 6,

March 15, 1999,

I woke up this morning and was so excited because today's my fifth birthday. I raced downstairs and 発言しました "wow; ポケモン everywhere!" There were balloons with the characters faces on them from the TV 表示する 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 ポケモン stuff off because I wasn't into ポケモン until about a 月 前 when I had come across an episode of the 表示する on TV. For the past three years now all that I had been interested in was superheroes and the 星, つ星 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 ポケモン with me and I tried to explain the whole concept of the 表示する to him but; he never understood why I liked it so much.

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

We went into the キッチン and sat at the 表, テーブル with my gifts on it. He grabbed the one off the 上, ページのトップへ and passed it to me. I ripped it open and 発言しました "oh my gosh; あなた 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 ポケモン games. I 発言しました "thank あなた so much daddy; I 愛 you!" He 発言しました "I 愛 あなた more! Now there are some rules that go along with that Game Boy! First of all, I don't want あなた playing that all 日 long. 秒 of all, if あなた 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 あなた better not lose any of them because they're really expensive!" I 発言しました "I'll try my best not to lose them!"

March 21, 1999,

I was sitting at the 表, テーブル in the キッチン playing my game boy and dad was clearing the table. He 発言しました "I want あなた to do something else, あなた can playing with it some もっと見る tomorrow before あなた have to do your school work!" I ignored him and he 発言しました "I know あなた can hear me.” I continued to play the game with my eyes pretty much glued to the screen and he 発言しました "you better put that down!"

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

He shut the door behind him and Grace 発言しました "for a five-year-old AJ is pretty strong! I'm glad that あなた can still carry her while she's trying to kick あなた because I know I can't do that anymore!" He 発言しました "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 前 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 発言しました 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 あなた been having fun up here によって yourself?" I 発言しました "NO! I'm so bored!" He 発言しました "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 発言しました "come here; sit 次 to me!" I walked over and ended up sitting on his lap instead. I 発言しました "I promise あなた that I really am sorry for not listening to!" He kissed the 上, ページのトップへ of my head and 発言しました "I told あなた from the very beginning that I didn't want あなた playing ポケモン all day! あなた are getting to be very disrespectful to me and it's really starting to bother me!" I 発言しました "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 発言しました "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 によって 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 キッチン putting some things away when I came in to the room and sat at the table. Prince came running in and 発言しました "juice please daddy!" Dad reached for a bottle and Prince 発言しました "no; I want Spiderman cup!" I 発言しました "that's my cup; he's too little to use it." Dad poured the ジュース into the cup and passed it to Prince. Dad 発言しました "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 あなた would've 与えられた up using bottles that easily! I remember that I had to argue with あなた about giving them up and あなた were screaming at the 上, ページのトップへ of your lungs!"

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

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

April 28, 1999,

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

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

When we got to my bedroom, Kyle 発言しました "wow; あなた have so many boys’ toys in here!" I 発言しました "I don't like girly toys, my お気に入り thing is Pokémon!" He asked "do あなた like watching the Power Rangers on TV?" I 発言しました "sometimes if it's on I will watch it! I like the blue Ranger the best!" He 発言しました "I like the red one the most!" I asked "do あなた like Pokémon?" He 発言しました "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 発言しました "you have so many of the ポケモン cards!"

Almost an 時 later dad and Mark laughed as the two of us came running down the stairs. Mark 発言しました "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 発言しました "thank あなた so much daddy for letting my friend come visit me!" He 発言しました "oh how sweet; you're welcome!" I 発言しました "I want to have a sleepover downstairs with Kyle tonight; can we?" Dad 発言しました "yeah that's fine; あなた guys can watch ディズニー 映画 in the living room on the flatscreen!" Kyle 発言しました "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 星, つ星 Wars episode one. Dad 発言しました "all right; don't stay up really late あなた 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 発言しました "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 フォワード, 前進, 楽しみにして 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 または 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 あなた to go outside! Wait for your dad to get back and あなた can go out with him!

I was in the play room most of the 日 playing video games または 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. によって the time dad gets ホーム 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 ベッド and put on my Spiderman slippers and walked down to the living room. I looked at dad and asked "did あなた hear that?" He 発言しました "I didn't hear anything!" I heard the noise again and dad 発言しました "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 発言しました "wait; あなた don't know whether he is mean または 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 発言しました "I think he likes you!" Dad 発言しました "he looks like he's only about a 年 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 発言しました "if we keep him you're going to have to help me take care of him." I 発言しました "I will; he can be my dog!" Dad smiled and 発言しました "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 発言しました "so what do あなた want to name him?" I 発言しました "Drake!" He 発言しました "that's a cool name!" After ドレイク, ドレーク was all clean he jumped out of the tub and shook himself dry. I 発言しました "thanks for letting me keep him daddy!" He 発言しました "you're welcome!" I still have ドレイク, ドレーク today plus the other two イヌ Jackson and Kenya. We used to have a dog named shadow when I was a newborn baby but, he passed away the 日 after my third birthday.


September 3, 1999,

I think ドレイク, ドレーク is getting used to living here with us. He usually lays 次 to me in ベッド every night but this morning I was woken up によって the sound of dad saying "gross; I can't believe あなた would lick my face!" I jumped out of ベッド and ran into dad's bedroom. ドレイク, ドレーク was casually laying on the ベッド and dad was wiping his mouth with a washcloth. I started laughing and 発言しました "what… He just loves you!" Dad chuckled and 発言しました "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!"

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

I was about to walk out of the room and go downstairs when dad 発言しました "hang on; I don't want あなた to go down there yet because I have the stove heating up! I don't want あなた to fall によって 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 発言しました "you know what Prince? I think you're getting too old for diapers." Prince playfully 発言しました "no, no, no!" Dad chuckled and 発言しました 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 発言しました "I'll do the stuff with the へら, スパチュラ, ヘラ just because I don't want あなた to get hurt but; あなた can put the チョコレート chips in and help me figure out how big to make the パンケーキ okay?" I 発言しました "okay! I'm going to put a lot of チョコレート chips in them!" He 発言しました "okay then!" When it was my turn to put them in I dumped the whole entire bag into the one batch of pancakes. Dad 発言しました "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 あなた want to go crazy あなた can!" I 発言しました "I thought that Grace goes によって your rules when あなた aren't here?" He 発言しました "she does but; I know she can be really strict specifically with あなた when I'm not here!" I 発言しました "yeah she can be; I know she is trying to keep me from getting into trouble または getting hurt but, she can take it a little too far sometimes!" Dad 発言しました "well she loves あなた and she know あなた can be better behaved than あなた are most of the time; am I right?" I 発言しました "I guess I can try a little bit もっと見る to listen to her!" He 発言しました "maybe if あなた showed her that あなた can listen to her she would let あなた do some of the stuff that I let あなた do when I'm here!"

Dad brought our plates to the 表, テーブル and put Prince and Paris in their highchairs. He cut their 食 and when he got to me I asked "can I cut it myself?" によって 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 ナイフ and 発言しました "be careful!!!" I struggled for the first few 分 and he 発言しました "here; let me 表示する あなた how to cut it! You're freaking me out; あなた come so close to cutting your finger!" He took the plate and started to cut the パンケーキ and if I didn't tell him to stop I think あなた 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 発言しました "daddy; I'm bored! Can we do something?" He asked "what did あなた have in mind?" I 発言しました "slip and slide!" He 発言しました "I’ll tell あなた 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 あなた won't be able to hear them!" He 発言しました "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 ドレイク, ドレーク 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 発言しました "this thing isn't slippery enough!" He ran inside and came back out with something in his hand. He 発言しました "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 あなた okay Alanna?" I lifted my head off the ground and started laughing because there were 草 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 ドレイク, ドレーク coming right towards us because he was sniffing the slide. Dad, the dog, and I ended up piled on 上, ページのトップへ 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 もっと見る 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 によって 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 あなた 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 発言しました "that wasn't very nice at all! Say you're sorry to AJ! We don't hit in this house!" I 発言しました "it's okay; he doesn't have to apologize!" Dad 発言しました "yes he does!" Prince 発言しました "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!