We started out the day with some breakfast, hugs, and present opening, colored by excitement for this afternoon's party. The kid's been talking about this thing for months. ("My birthday party... is going to be SO. CRAZY.")
We finally had a party where we invited all of Finn's school friends, instead of his parents' friends, and we had it at a Place That Does Parties. A gymnastics place where Finn had been before, so he shouldn't be too crazy-fied by the new environment, but should also be free to run around like the little turbo-charged guy that he is. We were prepared for yelling, and running, and not following directions, and maybe having to insist on some quiet time to keep him from knocking over other kids. We were completely unprepared for sudden inexplicable leg injuries and shyness, which led to him spending most of the party off in a separate room or out in the car with his mom. Crying. Complaining that he didn't want anyone to look at him.
I tried everything in my very large bag of Finn-managing tricks, and the best we managed was bribing him with some early cake and getting him to sit *near* the action while the other kids did their last activity of the afternoon, the zip line.
He had an absolute blast during cake time.
Then he was sad and pained and panicked again, and wanted only to go straight home.Where we opened presents, and he was mostly fine again. Until bath - again a mess. Apparently we have discovered "too much excitement for Finn" for the first time in at least 3 years. Or maybe this was one of the rare days he would have actually taken a nap. Who knows? Not me, I'm just his mom.
Oh, and this kid?
Had a blast. Was the star of the show. But wouldn't do the zip line.
Posts
