My Boy Likes to Party All the Time

The calendar is full this time of year with get-togethers, BBQ’s, and potlucks. This has been a great opportunity for Parker to show us his “party style.” We are quickly discovering that Parker is a bit of a party animal. It is entertaining, kind of funny, but mostly scary.

I found myself telling my husband with worry in my voice, “Oh dear Lord, he is a SENSATION SEEKER. God help us.”

My husband said, “Yup.”

Then we watched in horror as Parker ran around people in circles, screamed at the top of his lungs, did a little shimmy dance to the music, and ran outside to pump the keg for a while.

There were many other children at this afternoon get together. Most of them were SITTING with their parents, eating dinner, or playing video games. After my son pumped the keg for about half an hour, he came inside to work the ab machine like an expert.

I saw him climb up on the couch and took my moment to go sit with him and chat with people who were on the couch. Well, this really only lasted about 2.5 seconds before he’d had enough of that, jumped down, bumped into a baby on the floor, and took off running again. Of course, the baby started crying, and the parents looked horrified. I looked at them apologetically, said “Sorry,” and went off to find my maniac spawn (all the while thinking, “Listen, you just wait until your baby turns two.”).

I smelled him before I found him. He had let go of a giant load of stinky diarrhea. I took him in a bathroom to change him, found my husband, and I said, “It’s time to go.”

My husband said, “Yup.”

The next party we went to a week later was just as much fun as you can imagine. I think the most frustrating thing about it is that you just don’t get to connect with others, chat, talk, “catch up,” what have you. So, even though you get to get out of the house and SEE other people, there really is not much opportunity for adult relaxation.

Ah, well. In a few hours we will yet again go to another BBQ. Like the naïve people we are, we hope that this one will have a smaller yard with clearly defined fences and boundaries, and maybe a little more opportunity to say, “Hey, how are you?” before darting across the room to stop my child from throwing a ball in the house, pulling a cat’s tail, or running around with a sharp letter opener he’s found. Here’s to hoping!