Chapter 4



February 1, 1997,



My baby brother Prince is due any ngày now and the anticipation is driving dad crazy! He’s still shopping for some thêm supplies because he’s been so busy performing shows; he has not had time to. I don’t think he means to forget about me but, lately he does. Sometimes it’s good for me though, because I’m becoming thêm independent! Plus Grace gives me a lot of attention when dad is busy working hoặc preparing for the baby to come.



It was a half an giờ before my bedtime and dad was just getting back to our hotel room after his concert. He came into my bedroom and sat on the edge of my bed. He đã đưa ý kiến “I brought bạn a cup instead of a bottle because bạn don’t need baby bottles anymore! I asked “why?” He đã đưa ý kiến “because tiếp theo tháng you’ll be three and you’ll have a baby brother to give your bottles to! I đã đưa ý kiến “I already let bạn throw away my pacifiers; I don’t want to give up my bottles too! He sounded sympathetic and đã đưa ý kiến “listen; I know bạn don’t want to but, drinking from a regular cup is not as bad as bạn think it is!” I asked “can I just use my bottle for one thêm night daddy?” He sighed and đã đưa ý kiến “no, let’s just get this over with!”



When I realized I wasn’t going to get my way, I reluctantly took a drink from the cup. Grace walked in the room and đã đưa ý kiến “I’m glad to see that daddy threw away those baby bottles, it’s about time!” I đã đưa ý kiến something that pulled on dad’s heartstrings. I đã đưa ý kiến “you took away my pacifiers and my bottles; I hope there’s nothing else bạn can take away from me!” He asked “aren’t bạn glad bạn don’t have to be three years old and still look like a baby because bạn still used all that stuff?” I đã đưa ý kiến “yeah; I guess you’re right!” He kissed my forehead and đã đưa ý kiến “I can’t believe how big bạn are getting!”



February 13, 1997,



When I woke up from my nap this afternoon, I was in a hospital room. I looked around and Debbie was laying in a hospital giường with dad sitting tiếp theo to her with something in his arms. I climbed off the chair that I was sitting in and once he saw me he smiled. I got onto his lap and he đã đưa ý kiến “this is your new baby brother Prince!” He moved the blanket away from the em bé face and that was the first time I saw Prince! I leaned over and gave him a Kiss on the cheek. He didn’t look anything like what I expected him to; he was a lot cuter! Dad looked at the both of us and đã đưa ý kiến “now I have two beautiful angels!”



Debbie looked exhausted as she fought to keep her eyes open, dad đã đưa ý kiến “well; I think I’m going to take Alanna and Prince to the house so bạn can get some much-needed rest!” She waved goodbye as we walked out of the room. Even though dad tried his best to keep Prince’s birth hidden; somehow it got out and the paparazzi had surrounded the hospital! The bodyguards had to carry me to the SUV because if I walked I would have gotten trampled. The flashes from their cameras were so bright that dad could not see where he was going. They even tried to ask me các câu hỏi but, I had been taught from a very young age never to respond to them.



Once we had safely made it home, I unbuckled my car ghế, chỗ ngồi and hopped out. I walked inside and dad shut the door behind us as he carried Prince in his car seat. I went into the living room and sat on the couch. Dad asked “do bạn want to hold Prince?” I shook my head yes and he passed him to me. Dad đã đưa ý kiến “let me help bạn hold his head up because if I don’t he will get hurt.” He helped me support his head and I đã đưa ý kiến “he is so cute daddy!” Dad smiled and đã đưa ý kiến “you’re so cute too!” I đã đưa ý kiến “okay; daddy I want to go in my playroom now and watch a movie! Will bạn help me put a tape in the VCR?” He đã đưa ý kiến “I can’t sweetie; I have to feed Prince his bottle but, I’m sure if bạn ask Grace she will help you!” He took Prince from me and Grace and I went into the playroom.



Grace sat down on the floor and asked “you know that bạn have a whole bunch of new Disney phim chiếu rạp that bạn got for giáng sinh right?” I đã đưa ý kiến “oh yeah; I forgot about those. What ones are new movies?” She grabbed a stack of five phim chiếu rạp off the hàng đầu, đầu trang of the big TV that was in the room and put them down in front of me. She đã đưa ý kiến “you have Toy story, the lion King two, the sword in the stone, the jungle book, and 101 Dalmatians.” I asked “have I seen any of these before?” She đã đưa ý kiến “no, I picked them out for bạn because bạn haven’t seen them yet!” I picked up the toy story case and asked “will bạn watch this with me; since daddy’s busy with Prince?” She đã đưa ý kiến “yeah, it looks like daddy has things covered with Prince!”



I guess I am going to have to get used to not having my dad’s full attention when he is home! Ever since I’ve been born he has done his best to teach me everything in life that I learned this far. He’s realized that he can’t be there for every sneeze, crazy dance move, and to run around the hotel room and playing hide and seek bạn with me. I don’t know how this week is going to go because dad is taking some time off to spend with the baby before he has to do some thêm concerts. He is happy though because he is bringing in so much cash so he won’t have to tour for a very long time.







February 25, 1997,



Grace left for a few days yesterday, so she could check on her sister. It’s been just dad, Prince, and I since she has been gone. Dad is starting to feel overwhelmed, but he’s trying his best to keep his cool. I don’t think I’m making it any easier on him though!



I had just gotten up from my nap and went into the living room in our hotel room. That’s when things started to get on dad’s nerves! He had just put Prince down for a nap in his cái nôi, núm vú, bassinet and went to go get me a snack. The một giây he thought he was clear to leave the room; Prince started crying! He rushed to put some cheese doodles in a bowl and quickly passed it to me. He picked up Prince and tried to comfort him. Luckily he fell right back asleep but, I wasn’t going to let him relax bởi any means.



I đã đưa ý kiến “daddy, I want to play light sabers with you!” He đã đưa ý kiến “okay; go get them and we will!” I ran to my bedroom and grabbed them. As we were play fighting with the light sabers I decided it would be funny if I poked in the eye… So I did! He jumped back and asked “why would bạn do that? That hurt really bad! I chuckled as he washed his eyes with a washcloth and he đã đưa ý kiến sternly “it’s not funny Alanna, bạn could have really hurt my eye!” I didn’t respond and he started to get irritated. He đã đưa ý kiến “you need to at least say sorry to me!” I đã đưa ý kiến “okay, okay, I’m sorry daddy!” He hugged me and đã đưa ý kiến “it’s all right; just don’t do it again!”



March 18, 1997,



Dad was just arriving back to our hotel room after his buổi hòa nhạc and he was clearly exhausted. When he walked in the door Grace đã đưa ý kiến “it has been a long ngày Michael!” He asked “let me guess, Alanna isn’t behaving for you?” She đã đưa ý kiến “Yep” and picked up Prince. He đã đưa ý kiến “I’ll go talk to her in her room!”



He walked down to my room and sat tiếp theo to me on the edge of my bed. I đã đưa ý kiến “hi daddy!” He asked “hi; how was your day?” He đã đưa ý kiến “Grace told me bạn weren’t listening to her at all!” I đã đưa ý kiến “you đã đưa ý kiến bạn are the boss, not her… So I don’t have to listen to her!” He đã đưa ý kiến “hey, you’ve got it all wrong! I am the boss but, when I’m not here she is in charge!” I đã đưa ý kiến “she can’t make me listen to her!” He đã đưa ý kiến “if I hear that bạn are not listening to her and behaving, you’re going to be in trouble bởi me! He asked “why are bạn not being good when I’m working!” I đã đưa ý kiến “I just wish bạn were here more, I miss the times when you’re at trang chủ with us all day!” bạn could hear the sadness in his voice when he đã đưa ý kiến “I wish I could be here all the time but, I have to work!” I rested my head on his shoulder and asked “how much longer till we can go back trang chủ and stay there?” He đã đưa ý kiến “about a tháng and a half but, I promise bạn after that I’m not touring for while!” I đã đưa ý kiến “okay, I just want to go back home!” He đã đưa ý kiến “I know; me too sweetheart!” He kissed me and đã đưa ý kiến “I want bạn to go apologize to Grace for not behaving today!” I walked up to her and gave her a hug. She asked “what was that for?” I đã đưa ý kiến “I’m sorry for not being good and not listening to bạn today!” She đã đưa ý kiến shocked “well, thank bạn for saying you’re sorry!”





March 20, 1997,



The phone rang and dad picked it up. He was getting ready to perform a buổi hòa nhạc in New Zealand and was wondering who could be calling him at this time. He đã đưa ý kiến “hello!” Grace đã đưa ý kiến “your daughter won’t go to sleep, I don’t know what else to do!” He đã đưa ý kiến “you’ve got to be kidding me; it’s almost 10 o’clock at night! Have one of the bodyguards bring her down here and bạn stay with Prince.” She đã đưa ý kiến “okay; I’ll get her ready!” She had no idea what dad was up to but, she was so exhausted she was willing to try anything!



Grace đã đưa ý kiến “get your jacket; bạn are going to see daddy!” Dad’s bodyguard Joe picked me up and đã đưa ý kiến “we will be back after the concert.” He took me out to the SUV and drove me to the buổi hòa nhạc arena. When we walked inside he took me back stage and đã đưa ý kiến “wait here; I’m going to get your dad!” There was a mattress set up on the floor and a small TV with a remote. There was also a stack of VCR tapes near the TV. I was definitely wondering what was going on and wanted to know what was taking dad so long!



Dad opened the door to the room and he looked upset. He asked “why are bạn not listening to Grace?” I didn’t have an answer for him and he made me feel guilty. He đã đưa ý kiến “you’re going to sleep here and I’m going to take bạn back to the hotel after the hiển thị is done! bạn can watch the movie until bạn fall asleep but, I expect bạn to be asleep when I come back here for the intermission!” He put a ngôi sao Wars movie in the VCR and đã đưa ý kiến “go to sleep… I mean it!” When he shut the door I could hear the screams of the những người hâm mộ and was still amazed bởi what he does! I want to do exactly what he does for a living when I grow up!



March 29, 1997,



Dad had Grace, Prince, and I go back trang chủ to Neverland while he finishes his last week of concerts. Grace told me he would be back trang chủ one week from today, so I’m just waiting for him to get here. It’s not the same not having him here. I’m not used to him not being around. There have been times when I call out dad’s name and then realize he’s not here!



I was up in my room playing and watching TV when I heard the front door shut. I didn’t pay much attention to it and continued to put my action figures into fighting poses. Grace yelled my name and đã đưa ý kiến “come down here, I have a surprise for you!” I walked downstairs and đã đưa ý kiến “yeah?” She stepped out of the way and dad was standing behind her. I ran to him and đã đưa ý kiến “my daddy!” He smiled as he bent down to pick me up and I asked “are we going to stay here for a long time now?” He kissed the hàng đầu, đầu trang of my head and đã đưa ý kiến “yes, for a long time!”



After dad had gotten settled in at home, he went upstairs to check on me. He stood bởi my doorway staring at me trying to moonwalk. I didn’t notice he was watching me and he đã đưa ý kiến “you’ll learn how to do that; it’s really hard trust me!” I đã đưa ý kiến “daddy; I want to be a singer and dancer when I grow up!” He thought about it for 5 min. and đã đưa ý kiến “you can do anything bạn want to do when bạn grow up but, promise me you’ll stay my little tomboy for as long as bạn can!” I kissed him and đã đưa ý kiến “I tình yêu bạn daddy, besides; I like being a kid right now!” He đã đưa ý kiến “good” and smiled.



April 4, 1997,



I was playing outside and dad was watching me on the patio while he drank his iced tea. He got up from his chair and looked at something in the garage. He pulled a tarp off my bicycle and asked “do bạn want me to take the training wheels off your bike for bạn Alanna?” I đã đưa ý kiến “I don’t know how to ride my bike without them on though!” He đã đưa ý kiến “I’ll teach bạn how after I take them off!” I was hesitant to say “okay” but I really wanted to have them taken off my bike. I was scared thêm than bạn could imagine but, I tried not to let that hiển thị because normally I’m very Công chúa tóc xù and fearless!



I watched him take the training wheels off and hoped that something would go wrong so I wouldn’t have to ride my bike. After he had taken them off he đã đưa ý kiến “alright; get on your bike!” I reluctantly got on to it and he pushed it to the middle of our long driveway. He đã đưa ý kiến “the gates closed and I’m not going to let bạn get hurt so, you’re safe!” As soon as I started pedaling I đã đưa ý kiến “daddy I’m scared; don’t let go!” He đã đưa ý kiến “don’t worry I won’t let anything happen to you!” He saw my hands shaking as they held on the handlebars!



I started to get the hang of steering the bike and dad had to run to keep a hold of me. I started to laugh because when I looked back at him his pants had fallen down because he wasn’t wearing a belt! He let go of me and I was able to keep control of the bike bởi myself. He blushed as he quickly hurried to pull up his pants because the Neverland staff was staring at his polka dotted boxers! I rode past him and đã đưa ý kiến “nice underwear daddy!” He shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

April 8, 1997,



I was just arriving at Neverland after spending the weekend at my grandma and grandpa’s house. I walked in the doorway and grandma followed behind me. She looked at dad and đã đưa ý kiến “she had fun!” They both laughed and grandma shut the door as she left.



At bữa tối, bữa ăn tối dad sat down tiếp theo to me and đã đưa ý kiến “did bạn have fun when bạn were with grandma this weekend?” I đã đưa ý kiến “yeah but; I missed bạn a lot daddy!” He kissed my cheek and đã đưa ý kiến “I missed bạn too AJ!” He took a bite of his thực phẩm and I asked “daddy what does damn it mean?” I thought he was going to start choking when he heard me say that because his eyes widened like I had never seen before! He struggled to say while forcing down his thực phẩm “where did bạn hear that word?” I đã đưa ý kiến “grandpa was really mad and he was screaming it at grandma.” The look on his face was something I’ll never forget. He turned bright red and whispered “I can’t believe he was yelling at her in front of you!”



He got up from the bàn and grabbed the phone off the counter. He đã đưa ý kiến “Alanna, go to your room; okay!” He dialed grandma’s phone number and they talked:



Grandma: hello

Dad: hi mother; I need to talk to you!

Grandma: what’s wrong Michael?

Dad: why in the world was Joseph swearing and yelling in front of Alanna?

Grandma: I didn’t even know she was listening!

Dad: I’ll make it very clear to bạn that I don’t want him screaming profanity at bạn while my daughter is around, because of what he đã đưa ý kiến she just asked me what damn it means! It’s nothing against bạn mother but I don’t want AJ around that stuff!



He hung up the phone and went upstairs. He walked in to my room and sat tiếp theo to me on the floor. I looked at him and he đã đưa ý kiến “let’s talk about that word bạn heard.” I asked “what does it mean?” He đã đưa ý kiến “well; that is a bad word… Only some grown-ups can use those words. Kids aren’t supposed to say those words!” I đã đưa ý kiến “okay; I won’t say that word anymore!” He đã đưa ý kiến “it’s okay that bạn đã đưa ý kiến that word this time because bạn didn’t know it was a bad word!”







May 21, 1997,



Dad was outside with me playing in the pool when he asked “do bạn want me to teach bạn how to swim without your life jacket?” I đã đưa ý kiến “no, I’ll drown!” He đã đưa ý kiến “you know I won’t let that happen AJ!” He took my life áo khoác off and đã đưa ý kiến “don’t be scared!” He picked me up and placed me in the pool. I đã đưa ý kiến “I’m going to drown!!!” He laughed and đã đưa ý kiến “I am not going to let bạn drown!!!” I walked up the steps and đã đưa ý kiến “please don’t make me daddy!” He đã đưa ý kiến “alright, but I hired a swim instructor to come tomorrow and teach you, so you’re not off the hook!!!”



July 17, 1997,



Dad was just walking in the door after finishing some last một phút work to get all the money he earned on the history tour. He looked around the room and asked “what’s going on here?” Grace đã đưa ý kiến “Alanna is driving me nuts!” He asked “what do bạn mean? What is she doing?” She đã đưa ý kiến “well; to start off with she was so loud I couldn’t get Prince to sleep!” He said: “I’ll go talk to her!” She rolled her eyes as he walked up the stairs.



He walked into my room and đã đưa ý kiến “hi AJ.” I hugged him and đã đưa ý kiến “I missed you!” He đã đưa ý kiến “I’ve told bạn so many times that bạn need to be good when I’m not here and bạn won’t listen!” I tried to say something and he cut me off. He đã đưa ý kiến “since I’m now working for a while Grace is going to go on vacation and I’m going to stay here with bạn and your brother. I’m not going to let bạn get away with this stuff, bạn will be in trouble… No not just standing in the corner!” I asked confused “what do bạn mean? He đã đưa ý kiến “I’m going to start taking your toys away and go to you’ll have to earn them back!” He sat down tiếp theo to me on the floor and đã đưa ý kiến “no matter what I’ll always tình yêu bạn though… You’re my first baby and I don’t want bạn to grow up too fast!”



He stood up and grabbed one of my action figures out of my toy box. I asked “where are bạn going with that?” He đã đưa ý kiến “I told you, when bạn don’t listen a toy gets taken away!” I looked at him shocked and couldn’t believe that he was actually following through with it!



July 20, 1997,
Dad walked through the front door and looked around for Grace, Prince and I. He went upstairs and could hear Grace say “we’re in here Michael!!!” He opened the door to the bathroom and Grace đã đưa ý kiến “I know bạn need to go AJ!!!” He asked “let me guess; potty training isn’t getting any better?” She đã đưa ý kiến “listen; I need to go feed Prince….will bạn stay here with her?” He sat down on the floor and đã đưa ý kiến “of course!!!” She took Prince downstairs shutting the bathroom door behind her.

Dad asked “what’s up?” I đã đưa ý kiến “I’m not going to go potty!!!” He đã đưa ý kiến “we aren’t going anywhere until bạn go….I’m getting tired of changing those diapers.” I đã đưa ý kiến “I’m still not going to go!!!” He đã đưa ý kiến “that’s too bad because I bought bạn something at the toy store.” I got excited and asked “is it the Spiderman web shooter daddy?” He took it out of the bag he was holding and đã đưa ý kiến “as a matter of fact it is!” I tried to grab it from him and he đã đưa ý kiến “if bạn use the potty bạn can have this!!!” I đã đưa ý kiến “but if I do I won’t be your baby anymore daddy.” He đã đưa ý kiến “I don’t know where bạn came up with that!!! It doesn’t matter if you’re 3 years old hoặc 300 years old you’ll always be my baby!!!” I đã đưa ý kiến “pinky promise?” He stuck out his pinky finger and đã đưa ý kiến “pinky promise!” I looked at the toy and then looked at dad. He đã đưa ý kiến “all bạn have to do is…….” He heard the noise of something tricking and he gasped. I smiled and he đã đưa ý kiến “GOOD JOB!!!”
A few phút later we walked downstairs and Grace was still feeding Prince. I was carrying the web shooter and she asked “where did that come from?” Dad đã đưa ý kiến “let’s just say I don’t think she’ll be giving bạn a hard time when it comes to the bathroom!” She đã đưa ý kiến “wait….she went? No way!!! But how in the world?” He laughed and đã đưa ý kiến “don’t câu hỏi the king; just accept it!!!

July 28, 1997,



Yesterday dad took me shopping because he was able to have the manager closed the store for the day. When we were in the store I saw a toy that I really wanted but; dad told me that I couldn’t have it because he had just bought me a toy last week. I threw myself on the ground and had the worst temper tantrum that dad had ever seen. He had never seen me this mad in my life. He was really embarrassed bởi the way I was diễn xuất and we ended up having to leave because I kept trying to hit him.



Today dad had a behavioral specialist/therapist come over to the ranch to see if there was thêm to the way I am acting. He knows that it can’t be me just being the typical three-year-old and wants to get to the bottom of whatever is going on. She told him that after evaluating me that she had diagnosed me with oppositional defiance disorder. That means that I don’t think about something before I do it and that most of the time I get so caught up in my attitude that I don’t remember what I had done wrong. She also told him that there is not much she can do to help the situation and that dad is going to have to be patient but also very strict; especially as I get older because it’ll probably only get worse! All I remember dad saying is that he is committed to helping me deal with this and keeping me out of trouble.



August 12, 1997,



One of the bodyguards let Debbie into the house and she heard me trying to argue my way out of doing something. She walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Dad đã đưa ý kiến “you know it’s not okay to call people names!” He knelt down in front of me and đã đưa ý kiến “all I’m asking bạn to do is put your crayons back in their box so nobody steps on them.” I đã đưa ý kiến “I don’t care about the crayons bạn stupid head!” He picked me up and đã đưa ý kiến “I told bạn not to say that word anymore!” He put me in the corner of the living room and đã đưa ý kiến “you stay here until I come get bạn because bạn weren’t being nice!”



He sat down on the đi văng tiếp theo to Debbie and đã đưa ý kiến “that’s her third timeout today and it’s not even noon.” She đã đưa ý kiến “well; I have some good news to tell you!” He asked “what?” She đã đưa ý kiến “I’m pregnant again!” He đã đưa ý kiến “oh my gosh… I’m going to have three kids!” I walked up to dad and he asked “what are bạn doing out of the corner?” I đã đưa ý kiến “I have to go potty.” He đã đưa ý kiến “okay; but bạn have to promise me not to say stupid anymore because it’s not nice and it hurts my feelings!” I đã đưa ý kiến “I’m sorry; I won’t say that anymore!” He đã đưa ý kiến “that’s okay; I don’t want to hear bạn say that word again!”



While I was in the upstairs bathroom dad and Debbie talked. Debbie đã đưa ý kiến “I found out yesterday that I was pregnant!” Prince crawled up to dad and he picked him up. Dad looked at her and đã đưa ý kiến “it’s so unreal; my first baby is pretty much not a baby anymore and my một giây baby is already seven months old!” Debbie looked at him as tears filled his eyes and she đã đưa ý kiến “look at it positively… You’re going to get to have a newborn that is totally dependent on bạn again!” He đã đưa ý kiến as he rubbed his eyes “it’s not that!” She asked “what’s wrong then?” He đã đưa ý kiến “it hit me yesterday that Alanna isn’t a baby anymore! She hardly ever asks me for help; it’s been like that all week long! It went from her saying daddy I can’t do it bởi myself to daddy leave me alone!” He got up and đã đưa ý kiến “I know she’s only three but; it hard to let my baby go!”



Debbie hugged him and đã đưa ý kiến “she going to grow up to do bigger and better things than the little milestones she’s reaching now! I know it’s hard but bạn have to let it happen!” I came downstairs and walked up to dad. He knelt down and I hugged him. I whispered something in his ear and he đã đưa ý kiến “I’ll help you.” Debbie đã đưa ý kiến “I’ve got to head out now; I’ll call bạn when I have my first ultrasound in a couple weeks so bạn can come.” He kissed her on the cheek and đã đưa ý kiến “alright; I’ll see bạn then.”



September 9, 1997,



Dad was just getting back to the ranch because he had gone shopping to get some giáng sinh gifts. He walked into the living room and Grace đã đưa ý kiến “listen; I can’t watch AJ anymore!” He looked irritated and asked “what; why?” She đã đưa ý kiến “because she will not listen to me! She thinks it’s funny when she doesn’t do what I ask her to do!” Dad đã đưa ý kiến “I don’t know what else bạn want me to do; bạn know she has oppositional defiance disorder!” Grace đã đưa ý kiến “I know she doesn’t really mean to be so disobedient but; I just can’t deal with her and Prince with Debbie having another baby soon on hàng đầu, đầu trang of that!” He đã đưa ý kiến “I’ll make a deal with you; if I can get your to at least somewhat behave for bạn when I’m not here will bạn watch her again?” She đã đưa ý kiến “I don’t see how bạn going to do that but; if bạn can pull it off thêm power to you!” He đã đưa ý kiến “I don’t plan on going out on any big trips for it while so I won’t let her get away with being disrespectful to you!”



I came downstairs and dad gave me a look that I will probably never forget. I knew that in some way, shape hoặc form that I had done something wrong! He picked me up and put me on the couch. He sat down tiếp theo to me and đã đưa ý kiến “I know that bạn haven’t been behaving for Grace and I told bạn that I’m not going to let bạn act like this!” I đã đưa ý kiến “but daddy; I didn’t mean to!” He đã đưa ý kiến “I don’t want to hear it; just remember I’m here all ngày now so I hear and see everything that goes on in this house!”



He went upstairs and came back down carrying the pieces that go on hàng đầu, đầu trang of my train table. He opened up the closet door and put them on the hàng đầu, đầu trang shelf. I đã đưa ý kiến “no daddy; I tình yêu my Thomas the trains!” He knelt down in front of me and đã đưa ý kiến “you’ll think twice tiếp theo time before bạn decide not to listen to Grace; won’t you?” I stomped my feet and he calmly đã đưa ý kiến “that’s enough!” Grace đã đưa ý kiến “welcome to my world Michael; this is what I deal with every day.” I tossed a couple of video tapes across the room and he đã đưa ý kiến “I đã đưa ý kiến that’s enough!” I looked at him as I reach for another tape to see if he would do anything and he asked “do bạn want to watch TV in your room tonight?” I đã đưa ý kiến mad “yes!” He đã đưa ý kiến “you better not throw that because bạn won’t be allowed to watch phim chiếu rạp tonight!” I put the tape down and he đã đưa ý kiến “thank you; it’s time for bed!”



I walked up to dad and hugged him. He picked me up and asked “do bạn want to watch hoạt hình on Disney Junior hoặc watch a movie?” I đã đưa ý kiến “I want to watch Scooby Doo!” He đã đưa ý kiến “okay; go get your pajamas on and wait for me to get your toothbrush ready!” He put me down and for the first time in a long time I did what I was told.



December 25, 1997,





I woke up and walked down the hallway. I climbed onto dad’s giường and jumped on him. He opened his eyes and đã đưa ý kiến “merry Christmas!!!” I đã đưa ý kiến “merry Christmas” and jumped on him again. He đã đưa ý kiến “okay; I’m going to get up.” He picked me up and đã đưa ý kiến “we can’t go downstairs until Prince is awake.” He carried me into Prince’s room and put me down. Prince was standing up in his cũi, giường cũi with his hair sticking out in all directions. Dad picked him up and grabbed me with his other arm.


Dad carried Prince and I down the steps and I could see the giáng sinh tree. He took us into the living room and put of us down. There were presents stacked all over the room and something with a blanket over the hàng đầu, đầu trang of it. Dad asked “what’s under that blanket over there?” I walked up to it and there was a piece of paper taped to the blanket. I pulled it off and brought it over to dad. He đã đưa ý kiến “it looks like a letter from Santa Claus!” Now that I’m much older; I know that Santa Claus isn’t real, but dad tried to keep the magic alive for as long as possible while I was growing up.



He opened the letter and read it out loud. He đã đưa ý kiến “I hope bạn like your giáng sinh presents and I know bạn tried really hard to be good this year. You’ve grown so much since the last time I left presents under your cây and I’ve been watching bạn from the North Pole. I do think that bạn need to try harder at being a better listener. Every time bạn don’t listen to daddy bạn di chuyển closer to the naughty list. I’ll be back to see bạn and your brother tiếp theo year. I can’t wait to see if the new baby is going to be a boy hoặc a girl!”



Dad đã đưa ý kiến “see Santa knows everything; so bạn better be good!” I had a worried look on my face and đã đưa ý kiến “I will try harder!” I pulled the blanket off and underneath was the Jeep that I had been asking for all year! I got in and was about to put the key in when dad đã đưa ý kiến “yeah; that’s thêm of an outside toy!” I went over to a tall stack of presents and he đã đưa ý kiến “after we open all your gifts bạn can play with your Jeep.”



After about eight hours of slowly opening each gift, grandma showed up. I was upstairs changing out of my pajamas because I had been wearing them all day. I came back downstairs wearing a pair of jeans and my new red ngôi sao Wars long-sleeved áo len thun, áo len, sweatshirt with Anakin Skywalker and R2-D2 printed on the front. I walked into the phòng bếp, nhà bếp where dad was talking to grandma and I sat down at the table. She đã đưa ý kiến “you know Joseph really want to come here with me. I don’t understand why bạn don’t want him here!” He đã đưa ý kiến “now that Alanna is in the room I think we should stop this discussion!” She đã đưa ý kiến “you know I want to be here but; I’m going to go back to the house because I don’t him to have to be alone!”



Dad rolled his eyes as she shut the door and left without even getting to say hi to me. He came over with a few plates of thực phẩm and sat down tiếp theo to me. As he was cutting my thực phẩm for me I đã đưa ý kiến “thank bạn for all my presents!” He đã đưa ý kiến “you’re welcome sweetheart.” He looked around the room at all of my new toys sprawled out on the floor and đã đưa ý kiến “look at all these toys!!!” I đã đưa ý kiến “I got so much Spiderman, Thomas the train, and Scooby Doo stuff!!!” He đã đưa ý kiến “I think bạn got thêm ngôi sao Wars stuff than anything else. I can’t believe bạn got six different pairs of ngôi sao Wars pajamas!!!”