Not Slumbering Yet Party
Birdie turns ten on Tuesday. Years and years ago when the earth was still young I decided to do birthday parties (outside of family) for the kids every other year. Christopher had one when he was five and hasn’t had one since. Lydia has had three or four. So it sort of worked out.
This year I decided that Christopher WOULD have a party and that Lydia could take it off, but then I thought about it being her tenth birthday, which seemed so auspicious. We decided to let her invite two of her friends from church for a sleepover. I love these girls and knew they would have fun just being together.
We ordered pizza, rented a couple of movies and let them make brownies after dinner. After presents they made rootbeer floats and settled down to watch High School Musical. Both guests had seen it but were happy to be with Lydia during her inaugural viewing. They were so cute together. Lydia asking questions and being put off or guessing something and her friends being amazed at her insight.
One of the girls would say or do something hilarious and I would slyly tap Paul to make sure he noted it. “WHAT?” he practically shouted several times until I gave up. We haven’t been sleeping well, OK, I haven’t been sleeping well, and we’ve been getting up early to walk Jack every morning. We’re both tired. I’m hoping that whoever replaced my normally hep husband with a doddering 80 year old will do another switch a roo while we’re both getting a good night’s sleep tonight.
Raucous laughter is being shrieked from across the house. Paul is passing out on the couch. Jack is already passed out on the floor. I need to go check on the only people who are wide awake in this house: the members of the slumber party and make sure teeth are brushed and that all needs are met before I join the actual slumbering parties.
School’s out for the day and we are heading to a toy store to look around (the kids) and to make some surrepetitious purchases (me). Christopher and Lydia both have September birthdays. It finally occurred to me this year that I could buy the presents ahead of time.
I know. I know. I’ve only been doing this thing for (almost) twelve years. Still learning. For those of you who always have presents bought months ahead, alphabetize your pantry and do your laundry go ahead and puff up with pride, sneer, pat yourselves on the back, whatever! I’m glad to help you feel better about yourselves.
So I hope to make some purchases on the sly, get them wrapped up this weekend and then gloat, gloat, gloat for two weeks in Lydia’s case and a month in Christopher’s.
Guest List
Eden, at my bedside, snuffling her blanket and sucking her thumb is often the first thing I see when I open my eyes in the morning. Today I was fully awake by the time she was at her post and I was glad for that small degree of composure.
“Would you mind,” she began casually, “if I didn’t invite you to my birthday party this year?”
I just stared at her for a moment and then asked, “If I don’t come to your birthday party who is going to DO your party for you?”
“Aunt Torey could make my cake.” She said without pause. Since Aunt Torey has made her cake the last two years we both knew she was solid on this point. She continued, “You’ve been to all my other ones: one, two, three, four.” counting on her fingers, before popping her thumb back into her mouth.
We looked at each other for several seconds until I said, “Yes, I would mind not being invited to your party.”
She pulled her thumb out, “OK, OK, you can come,” she said much more cheerfully than I had expected.