Hostess with the Leastest

When you only get "the works" birthday party every other year, it gives you a long time to plan. Holt had been looking forward to his "Bounce and Beans" party for close to two years.

We invited his entire Scout troop and Sam's sisters (and Holt's too!). For me, this might have been the Greatest Birthday Party Ever. Here's why: Other than Sam's family and my brother and Lora, I didn't know any of these people at all. Nary a one.

Let me point out that Scouts is the One Thing I don't have to keep up with (other than the shirts and patches and belts I tend to lose). I do want to know his friends and be involved in his life, I just haven't yet had opportunity to enmesh with the Scout pack. It's a fairly new phenomenon in our lives.

Here are the details of my involvement:

I ordered a cake.
I picked up said cake.
I called my brother and told him to show up.
I bought candles and ice cream.
I wrote out invitations.
I took pictures.
I bought Holt thank you notes.

Here are all the things I didn't do:

I didn't clean my house.
I didn't hostess. (Really. I didn't even try to meet and greet at the party. It was all 8 year old boys and dads.)
I didn't write down a gift list.
I didn't ensure the good time of all. (Again, don't know 'em.).
I didn't assemble goody bags. (Party foul! I know!)

Holt and a bunch of boys I couldn't name with a cheat sheet had a bouncing good time. There were pileups a plenty, eight year old boy style. I really thought there would be a broken bone involved before the goody bags were distri- Oh, wait. Never mind.




I went. I watched my boy turn eight. I enjoyed him, just him. I got to just soak in his pleasure without worrying about all the social niceties that parties usually entail. For once, I just stood back and watched Birch work his magic. There's something to be said for parties you throw for people you don't know.

I think this party will serve as a precedent for future celebrations. This was one birthday I didn't miss because I wasn't chatting up the room. Enjoy more. Stress less.

Happy Birthday, Holt. It was the least I could do.