GOTCHA!

April 1, 2008, a day Kelsey will not soon forget. An April Fool's joke that was meticulously planned and perfectly executed and on her 13th birthday too! About time. She got away prank free for the first 12 years of her life. No longer.

The Plan: Make Kelsey believe she was late for school, putting her in panic mode only to be taken out to breakfast.

It all started late last night after the kids were in bed. Jason and I started by changing the clocks in the house and car back an hour. We left Kelsey's and ours alone until the morning. When my alarm went off at 5:45 am I crawled into Kelsey's room and unplugged her clock and then plugged it back in so it would read a blinking 12:00. Fifteen minutes later I called, "Kelsey, its 7:00, your going to be late for school! Hurry, get in the shower!" Confusion. She looks at the clock and asks, "Is this a joke?" Uh Oh. Was the prank over before it even got started? She checks all the clocks in the house and decides it's not. (I had to keep turning away from her so she wouldn't see the grin on my face. I would not make a good poker player! In fact the whole time I had to keep reminding myself "Act normal, act normal." She then realizes that she's late and the panic starts. Perfect.

She spends the next 15 minutes running around getting ready. At one point she looks out the window and comments how dark it is outside. Uh oh. Jason and I tell her its because of an approaching storm. "And wasn't there a tornado is Missouri last night too?" I keep after Kelsey, "Hurry, you're going to miss your bus. What about breakfast? Do you want me to make you a bagel?" I then decide to be nice and offer to help her out and take her to the bus stop. We drive to the bus stop and no one is there. Kelsey starts to get worried but then says, "The bus is probably just making the loop, go to the next stop." Again not a soul in sight. Now what? She starts to get even more panicky. Even better! I tell her that I'll take her to school but we have to get all the kids (remember I have 4 more) up and dressed because dad has to go to work. I can see her calculating how long that would take. We go home, hurriedly get everyone dressed and in the car. Of course I am going as slow as I can.

In the meantime, Jason pretends to leave for work. Instead he heads to St. Louis Bread Company to prepare for Kelsey's arrival. On the way to taking her to school I look at the clock and tell her that she is in fact going to be late. Tears start to form out of frustration. She does NOT want to be late for school. Then I make it even worse. "Since your already going to be late, let me run this one errand. It will be easier for me to run in and pick it up now so I don't have to take all the kids in the store with me." She looks at me to see if I am serious. Of course I am. Now she's crying. My poor Kelsey. Of course I'm loving this. Does this make me a cold-hearted parent? We drive to St. Louis Bread Company and tell Kelsey to just run in and get me a $10 gift card. "Oh and by the way, get yourself something since it is your birthday." She looks at me incredulously. I can see her thinking, "I can't believe my mom. Why is she doing this to me?" Before going in she tries to wipe the mascara that is now smeared because of her tears. Then she starts to get mad and she begins to protest going into the store. I hold my ground. She eventually gives in but tells me that shes not getting anything for herself. Take that mom! She walks in and then see the registrar holding up a sign that reads, "April Fools! Happy Birthday Kelsey!" She laughs.

Oh yeah, we got her good!