Party Season

18 February 2007, 17:25

Scout’s social calendar has officially reached fever pitch.

Not sold on the Hat

Q: What do you get when you put eight two year old monkeys in a backyard with one 1 year old chimpanzee?
A: One poor little beaten-up Scout.

Last Wednesday was Milly’s second birthday. Milly’s mum, “D” heavily pregnant with #2 is one of my dearest friends. We met during our recruiting days, and bonded, as you do in a (somewhat unhealthy) culture of afternoon-long boozy lunches, Friday night debauchery and stressful deadlines. Oh, how those days have been well and truly sucked down the pre-baby plug-hole.

Two-year old children are a rather special breed (sweet jesus, I am savouring Scout’s guileless charm before it’s too late) – too old to have much patience for anything or anyone smaller but too young to understand that kicking someone in the head is not cool.

Poor Scout got kicked/hustled/jostled/bulldozed by the toddler tribe, all innocent of course, and she took it seamlessly in her stride, and was totally enraptured with all these big little people, even the ones who tried to whack her on the head. She did try to run one little dude down in Milly’s plastic tractor, though, so she can obviously give as good as she gets.

The mums were apologetic about their kids behaviour (as if they needed to be!) especially the one who explained that her little boy was “going through a phase of hitting, biting and wreaking havoc on society at large”. This same little boy, though, wouldn’t leave the party until he’d given Scout a sizeable hug and kiss. Then proceeded to try and pick her up. Bless…

Scout considers payback

I was careful of being too overprotective, as the kids weren’t being deliberately rambunctious (I don’t think?) and in any case, I do believe that she has to learn to stand up for herself, but when one little three-year old told Scout about 12 times (complete with wagging nana-finger), “NO MORE CAKE!” “NO MORE CAKE!” I did explain gently that once was probably enough.

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This weekend (impossibly sweltering days – 38 degrees with not a spit in sight) we had two more birthdays – both “firsts”. It was all McG and I could do during either parties, to lethargically raise our glasses of beer/wine/bev of choice to our lips and occasionally splash Scout in the wading pool. Oh deviant guests are we…

Saturday was Lily’s birthday and, today Mali’s birthday.

That Duck is so mine…

Mali is her special little buddy across the road. Mali and Scout have always looked rather alike (so, you can probably tell that her pool buddy in the above photo is not Mali, but rather Lily), but no clearer was that today, when one of the guests leaving Mali’s birthday party said to Scout; “Goodbye Mali!” This person was Mali’s auntie. Hmmmmm. Too much sun and passion pop methinks.

Then, not ten minutes later, Mali’s nana was watching the kids in the wading pool and said about Scout “Oh, he’s such a beautiful little boy – is this Mali’s special little boyfriend?” I thought she was joking at first, but no, she really did think Scout was a boy. When I let her in on the secret, she was suitably embarassed. Did I mention the sun and passion pop?

All terrific parties, thrown by terrific parents who should raise a glass (or ten) of champagne to congratulate themselves on such brilliant milestones. I know Scout’s first birthday was definitely of the “Fuck, we actually made it to One Year” variety.

And Scout thrived on all the pah-tay activity, which at the end of the day, means she’s gonna pass out like a drunk sailor at bedtime.

And Amen to that.

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