Birthday Parties Are Awesome For Mommy Socialization!

My friend, Jamie, held her daughter's birthday party today. Eliza has the lucky fortune of being a Christmas baby. Jamie and I joked before Grayson was born that we'd switch of birthday holiday's if Grayson happened to be born on Halloween. We'd go out and get the kids free candy in celebration of Grayson's birthday, and stockpile gifts for Eliza's birthday on Christmas. Grayson came on Halloween, but hey, Halloween is all about the candy. Jamie tries to seperate Christmas and birthday for Eliza because she doesn't want her to feel cheated. She usually does a party a week before or a week after her actual birthday. It's always great.

Today, we headed on out. Let me say, it was not a fun day to be roaming outdoors here in Wisconsin. When I got up today, Yahoo had the temp listed at a warm -23. Oh yeah...When we left the house, it had heated up to a sweltering -17. On our way home, it had warmed up even more to a tropical -7. Fabulous weather. I hated having to take the kids out in it at all. I'm glad the party was indoors. I started the car, and then 20 minutes later, I put Grayson in his carseat and set it by the door, then I loaded Claire into the car, Ran back and grabbed Grayson and loaded him into the car and then I ran back and had Ethan get in the car. Good thing he's 7. He can buckle himself. Good thing about Grayson's carseat, all I have to do it pop it into the base. Claire, however, I have to fight with her coat to get her buckled in. It's super. We met up with Jamie and followed her out to her place. When we got there, her boyfriend and his friend were setting up an inflatable jumper in the living room, so I sat with Jamie and another girl whom I used to work with and Jamie still does, Lori. I got to share my super embarrasing Wal-Mart moment. Want to hear it? Awesome.

So, I'm at Wal-Mart, and I'm in the check out lane trying to soothe Grayson, watch the price on the scanner go up, keep Claire's fingers out from under the rotating grocery bag thingamajig and tell Ethan not to poke the eggs. I grab my wallet out of my purse, and unthinking, set my purse down next to the rotating grocery bag thingamajig. Claire puts her hands in and, unbeknownst to me, pulls out a pad. Yeah..So, I'm watching the price, and apparently, she's waving the pad around behind me. I hear someone laugh when they pass by. All of a sudden, Ethan grabs the pad, holds it above his head, and screams, "Mommy, do you want me to open this gift for Claire!?" I look down and say, "What gift?" and notice he's trying to pull the little open tab back. I grab it and say, "That's not a gift!" And shove it into my purse. Too late though. The damage is done. The clerk and line are laughing. Sweet. Embarrasing mommy moment number one million in the books. Whatever..I laugh at me for that too.

That party was awesome though. The kids jumped and then turned the jumper into a wrestling ring. There was body slamming. Choking. A few tears. Parents crowded around the outside going, "Hey (insert child's name) don't (insert injury inflicting incident) to (insert other child's name)!" Good times. There was a pinata, which Ethan cracked open and everyone scrambled under. There was cake with hot pink frosting that stained Claire's shirt..(any suggestions on how to get that out would be gladly taken)..There was a pretty hysertical game of pin the tail on the donkey where two kids tried to pin the tail to their own masks. There were gifts. I got her a Polly Pocket, which is now more like, Polly I Used To Fit In Your Pocket But Now I Fit In Your Mother's Hobo Bag. Seriously..This lady now has a freakin' mansion. Polly Pocket has moved up in the world. Sorry little girls, she too good for your pockets.

All in all, it was a super fun day. Claire and Grayson are passed out, and Ethan just headed into bed. Now, I'm spending some quiet time with me since David went to see Sherlock Holmes with his dad. I think I'll make some popcorn and watch some Friends.