Happy Birthday
So, Toddlerkins turned two yesterday. And this morning, it took 20 minutes for her and her father to pry me out of bed.
"Good morning, mommy!"
(No response.)
"Good morning, sweetheart."
"Mommy, wake up! I wake up da mommy. Mommy, wake up!"
Hug. Shake. Bounce. No response.
Toddler attempts to pry Mommy up off bed. Attempt unsuccessful.
"Shira, can you at least make some kind of response so I know you're okay?"
(Groan.)
"Mommy, i's time to wake up."
(Mommy shakes head.)
Toddler attempts to peel back blankets. Attempt meets with resistance. Toddler appeals to father for help.
"Leave those be, it's freezing in here!"
Husband goes around the house closing windows.
"Time to wake up, Mommy."
(Mommy shakes head.)
After about 6 minutes, the kid stopped trying and figured if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and snuggled down next to me. And from under the blankets I hear a very quiet, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear D'ita, happy birtdhay to you." And yes, I eventually got up.
Okay, okay, her party was actually VERY VERY tame for a 2-year-old's birthday shindig. She had one little friend over to celebrate (sum of children in attendance should equal birthday kid's age). They made party hats, they opened her present and played with it, they ate dinner, they played with more toys, danced wildly to three songs, and then WENT HOME to bath and bed. (Arts & crafts and dinner were actually partaken of only by Toddler, since the friend was too antsy to sit. That's okay. Toddler basically decorated her hat for her, and she went for the rocking horse while Toddler ate her chicken and rice.)
All requests by the birthday girl were honored. She requested balloons, stickers, a birthday cake, and music at her party. All were present. She didn't say anything about hordes, ruckus, pizza, mountains of junk food, a frickin' carnival, or massive teary sticky-fingered toddler pandemonium. They were all noticeably absent. If it weren't for the fact that the only guest was 40 minutes late, I'd say it was a perfect evening. And I was the only one who noticed/cared, so that's all right. I'm over it alerady, and it gave Toddlerkins more time to work on her party hat.
I hope Toddlerkins grows up enjoying having low-key birthday parties. I also hope that she and her dad will divert my intentions when she realizes that I'm giving her the kind of parties that I'd like to have whereas she'd prefer the kind of parties that SHE'D like to have. My own mom was like that. That's why my bat-mitzvah dress was a 50's holdover.
In the other half of my life, the AP kids are learning calculus, and they're really enjoying it! Also, went through one whole period wihout yelling at or threatening any of the freshmen. And they were behaving regardless. So, progress on that front.
"Good morning, mommy!"
(No response.)
"Good morning, sweetheart."
"Mommy, wake up! I wake up da mommy. Mommy, wake up!"
Hug. Shake. Bounce. No response.
Toddler attempts to pry Mommy up off bed. Attempt unsuccessful.
"Shira, can you at least make some kind of response so I know you're okay?"
(Groan.)
"Mommy, i's time to wake up."
(Mommy shakes head.)
Toddler attempts to peel back blankets. Attempt meets with resistance. Toddler appeals to father for help.
"Leave those be, it's freezing in here!"
Husband goes around the house closing windows.
"Time to wake up, Mommy."
(Mommy shakes head.)
After about 6 minutes, the kid stopped trying and figured if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and snuggled down next to me. And from under the blankets I hear a very quiet, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear D'ita, happy birtdhay to you." And yes, I eventually got up.
Okay, okay, her party was actually VERY VERY tame for a 2-year-old's birthday shindig. She had one little friend over to celebrate (sum of children in attendance should equal birthday kid's age). They made party hats, they opened her present and played with it, they ate dinner, they played with more toys, danced wildly to three songs, and then WENT HOME to bath and bed. (Arts & crafts and dinner were actually partaken of only by Toddler, since the friend was too antsy to sit. That's okay. Toddler basically decorated her hat for her, and she went for the rocking horse while Toddler ate her chicken and rice.)
All requests by the birthday girl were honored. She requested balloons, stickers, a birthday cake, and music at her party. All were present. She didn't say anything about hordes, ruckus, pizza, mountains of junk food, a frickin' carnival, or massive teary sticky-fingered toddler pandemonium. They were all noticeably absent. If it weren't for the fact that the only guest was 40 minutes late, I'd say it was a perfect evening. And I was the only one who noticed/cared, so that's all right. I'm over it alerady, and it gave Toddlerkins more time to work on her party hat.
I hope Toddlerkins grows up enjoying having low-key birthday parties. I also hope that she and her dad will divert my intentions when she realizes that I'm giving her the kind of parties that I'd like to have whereas she'd prefer the kind of parties that SHE'D like to have. My own mom was like that. That's why my bat-mitzvah dress was a 50's holdover.
In the other half of my life, the AP kids are learning calculus, and they're really enjoying it! Also, went through one whole period wihout yelling at or threatening any of the freshmen. And they were behaving regardless. So, progress on that front.