Julia Roberts is more tolerable as a spider

With Mommy away this weekend, it's all about Daddy and Kaitlyn and the trouble we can get into. So last night we made our way down to Greensboro's Center City Park for Center City Cinema.

It's a regular summertime occurrence in Greensboro, but its moved to the fancy, new park across the street from the old grungier park, which was a much better location. But because the city spent a couple million dollars to build a park right next to another park, they figured it might as well be used. Don't get me wrong -- it's a very nice one-city-block park, but there's something about the old place that was cozier.

Here are some other notes from the night:
Dear Center City Cinema organizers: When you say the movie starts at 8 p.m., to people with children that means 8 p.m.; not 8:15 p.m. or 8:30 p.m., but 8 p.m. Little kids -- especially two-and-a-half-year-olds who have no concept of time -- are tough to sit still for long periods of time. And when you need to arrive an hour early to have room for a blanket and a seat near your 10'x10' screen (side note: get a bigger screen), you value promptness in movie start times.

Dear patrons of Center City Park: the place is smoke-free. With the number of little children running around, all I ask is that you move to the sidewalk -- that is 12 steps away and behind a group of trees -- from the park bench you're sitting on to have the cigarette. No problem with you smoking; just be kind to the kids and don't blow smoke in their faces, capeche?

Dear City of Greensboro: technically you maintain the park and all, so this is directed at you. The WiFi in the park is horrible. Absolutely horrible. Had better juice with my regular 3G connection. And I'm on AT&T.

Dear Julia Roberts: You should do more voice-over roles. They suit you, since I don't have to see that annoying Julia Roberts laugh that inevitably appears in every movie. She did it in this one, this one, this one, of course this one ... we could do this all day. But in last night's movie, the live-action Charlotte's Web, Julia Roberts (playing Charlotte herself) wasn't so ... annoying. Because the fact is, every Julia Roberts movie role seems to get this message across:



I mean, really. I'm not the only one who thinks it. Just sayin'.

Dear Kaitlyn: I just wanted to add a little blurb down here to say you were awesome last night. Granted, Daddy's back is hurting him and all you wanted to do was sit on his chest and drive his back into the ground. I'm definitely paying the price this morning. But it was a small price to pay, since you had such a good time last night and were such a good girl.

Now please excuse me while I go pop six or so ibuprofen. Chased with some Mother's Cure.

In Pictures: Kaitlyn's first boat trip

So it was a long three week stretch here. Daddy's been busting his tail for work, just wrapping up Market America 2010 International Convention. Lots of hours, lots of work, little time to recover. Eighteen out of 19 days at work, mostly extended hours.

For a four-day stretch, I didn't see Kaitlyn awake. Barely saw Mommy awake during those days, too. Yikes.

So what was a family to do? A little R&R, thanks to some friends. Growing Up Kaitlyn was invited out to Belews Lake, which is a pretty sweet place not too far from home base here in the BFE. So Saturday afternoon, we trekked out to the lake, met our friends and enjoyed some swimming and tubing in 90-degree lake water (thanks in some part to the Duke Energy Plant right on its banks. Don't worry -- the green glow only last a couple hours).

Promises, promises.

So it's been more than a month since my last post. Yeah, yeah, yeah: I know I said work would affect Growing Up Kaitlyn. I know I dropped the ball on that (twice).

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Right?

Well, I'm here to tell you that I'm going to try and not fall into this pit for a third time. I promise to do better. I promise to post more frequently. I promise to use work time to get the job done. I promise to keep you all abreast of everything Kaitlyn because, well, it's Kaitlyn. She's friggin' adorable and smart and playful and hilarious and adorable and everything else.

So here's the deal: I promise to do all I can to keep Growing Up Kaitlyn going strong. All you have to do is keep me on my toes. Leave comments asking where the heck I am if you haven't seen something new in, oh, four or so days. Shoot me a comment on Facebook. Reply via Twitter.

Let me know what you're missing. Because sometimes, when you're Growing Up Kaitlyn, there's so much to share that we forget.