Slightly OT: My kid's first friend birthday party
Sunday, daughter was invited to a birthday party at Bounce Palace. The place was in an industrial park. Inside the building they had four of those air bouncy things: an obstacle course, two bounce castle things, and a 20-foot high slide.
The birthday girl was turning 4. But I think she invited all the kids from daycare (8) and 30 other kids who were relatives or from church (all different ages). 38 kids running around with their hands in the air, screaming at the top of their lungs -- a totally new experience for me. (The noise alone was enough to make me want to slug my husband when we got home. But I guess he did deal with the the psychological trauma involved in taking a three-year-old shopping for a toy for someone else.)
Anyway, we got there early. I had a nice little chat with the birthday girl's Nana. My child was overdressed (dress, tights) -- almost every other kid was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. (The last kid's birthday party I attended was in 1979, I think.)
They let the kids loose and I didn't know what to do, so I sat down with all the tired looking mothers at one end of the building. That got boring, so I went to look for my daughter.
I figured daughter was in the obstacle course. She had headed that direction when I saw her last. But no, she wasn't there.
The 20-foot slide was the most popular with the crowd. I looked up and saw daughter at the top of the 20-foot slide, looking very scared (the height, the crazed screaming tweens bodyslamming each other around her on the 3-foot ledge, I don't know what was more scary).
I didn't know what to do -- she'd never come down a slide this big by herself before. Then my heroine appeared on the scene: one of the other mothers -- who was under the 175-lb weight limit -- had climbed to the top. She made her way over to my kid and they slid down together. I thanked her and shuffled child over to one of the bounce castles that looked more about the speed of a 3-year-old. It had big mushrooms and a teeny slide.
It did get better. After our hour of bouncing/screaming, they herded the roaring crowd into a teeny little party room. The room would've held about 50 comfortably. Some how they shoehorned the 38 kids and their parents into this teeny space. But I was about number 70 entering the room. Not good if you take up more space than a normal person -- I'm sure you can relate.
There was one chair left -- in the middle of one of the tables. AND I FIT! I couldn't believe it.
No one had to scootch over so I'd fit.
Another thing -- I don't think I was the biggest parent there. There were four of us who were about the same size.
Next time we come here I will bring earplugs and I will be small enough to go on the big slide with my kid.
The birthday girl was turning 4. But I think she invited all the kids from daycare (8) and 30 other kids who were relatives or from church (all different ages). 38 kids running around with their hands in the air, screaming at the top of their lungs -- a totally new experience for me. (The noise alone was enough to make me want to slug my husband when we got home. But I guess he did deal with the the psychological trauma involved in taking a three-year-old shopping for a toy for someone else.)
Anyway, we got there early. I had a nice little chat with the birthday girl's Nana. My child was overdressed (dress, tights) -- almost every other kid was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. (The last kid's birthday party I attended was in 1979, I think.)
They let the kids loose and I didn't know what to do, so I sat down with all the tired looking mothers at one end of the building. That got boring, so I went to look for my daughter.
I figured daughter was in the obstacle course. She had headed that direction when I saw her last. But no, she wasn't there.
The 20-foot slide was the most popular with the crowd. I looked up and saw daughter at the top of the 20-foot slide, looking very scared (the height, the crazed screaming tweens bodyslamming each other around her on the 3-foot ledge, I don't know what was more scary).
I didn't know what to do -- she'd never come down a slide this big by herself before. Then my heroine appeared on the scene: one of the other mothers -- who was under the 175-lb weight limit -- had climbed to the top. She made her way over to my kid and they slid down together. I thanked her and shuffled child over to one of the bounce castles that looked more about the speed of a 3-year-old. It had big mushrooms and a teeny slide.
It did get better. After our hour of bouncing/screaming, they herded the roaring crowd into a teeny little party room. The room would've held about 50 comfortably. Some how they shoehorned the 38 kids and their parents into this teeny space. But I was about number 70 entering the room. Not good if you take up more space than a normal person -- I'm sure you can relate.
There was one chair left -- in the middle of one of the tables. AND I FIT! I couldn't believe it.
No one had to scootch over so I'd fit. Another thing -- I don't think I was the biggest parent there. There were four of us who were about the same size.
Next time we come here I will bring earplugs and I will be small enough to go on the big slide with my kid.
One food makes you larger, and one food makes you small...
Wow - you don't make the ordeal sound very appealing! Hope your daughter had fun anyway. You must have been proud not to stick out. One thing I've always detested is the way I would be looked at as people had to accommodate my size. I'll be glad when that's over!
You sound like a great Mom.
You sound like a great Mom.
Mary
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do." John Wooden
I'm down 120 pounds - thanks to RNY! Working on the next 25. Then I'll tackle more...
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do." John Wooden
I'm down 120 pounds - thanks to RNY! Working on the next 25. Then I'll tackle more...
With the earplugs you might also want to pack some Xanax and a fifth of whiskey. Sounds like you could have used both at the party. 
Did Katie have fun?
Did Katie have fun?
A wise woman once said "You have to remember its only a tool....You still have to do the work....The difference is that you have a big shovel instead of a spoon to do it with."
She had a great time. She was so tired she went to bed early and there were no nocturnal trips out about the house.
Although the other daycare moms were complimenting me on what a good kid she is, always saying hello to them.
They also said she always asks "Do you like my dress?" Gotta nip that one in the bud. The fashion diva stuff is scaring me.
Although the other daycare moms were complimenting me on what a good kid she is, always saying hello to them.
They also said she always asks "Do you like my dress?" Gotta nip that one in the bud. The fashion diva stuff is scaring me.
One food makes you larger, and one food makes you small...
Blame Obachan for the girly girl thing. You know she DIDN'T get that from our side of the family.
What's with "nocturnal trips ouf of the house"? Haven't heard anything about this.
Email me if you want to continue this conversation off of this line.
Love ya Sis!!
Lucy
A wise woman once said "You have to remember its only a tool....You still have to do the work....The difference is that you have a big shovel instead of a spoon to do it with."
Most Active
Recent Topics
