On Friday evening, I noticed a birthday invitation in my 3 years old school bag. An invitation for the following day! After moaning for a while about inconsiderate parents who don't even give a week notice before a birthday party, I realised my son only goes to playschool 2 days a week, Monday and Friday, so maybe that's why he didn't get the invite earlier (although they really could have given it on Monday...)
Going to a 4 years old girl birthday party wasn't exactly in the plans I had for the week-end. Fabrice was out at the races for the day (a guys day out...Some people have it good, don't they?!) and left at 11am, so I had to bring my eldest along to the party.
Great. I had to find a birthday present, and go to a party where I didn't know anybody. Not exactly how I was hoping to spend my Saturday afternoon. I went shopping and time was against me to find a birthday present for a girl I had never met. Ethan tried to help and insisted on buying little hair bows. It was very cute to watch! Somehow, I found a pink, fluffy piggy bank that was also a bubble bath bottle, all at a very reasonable price. I am proud to say that I'm super efficient when it comes to present buying.
It was time for the party which was held in an indoor play area. Finding the mum was easier than I thought and Ethan gave the present to the little girl. She opened it straight away and I got a little bit scared. To be honest, I wasn't ready for rejection in case the present wasn't to her taste, but the look on her face said it all. She was delighted! And her mum as well: "Thank you so much, she absolutely LOVE pigs!"... At least I got one thing right.
All the kids started to run around, so it was time for me to stand awkwardly by the side, and look at my phone pretending I was busy. Every few minutes I took a glance at my kids to make sure they were OK.
I didn't know anybody. Not one face. You see, I don't drop Ethan at playschool, and the childminder picks him up so it doesn't help the social interaction. Everybody was sitting at the same table, all chatting away and I was completely left out. When I'm in a room full of stranger, I'm just the most uncomfortable and shy person so I had no clue on how to start a conversation.
I noticed a girl who was on her own, but I wasn't sure she was part of the party so I quietly observed her for a while. After 15 minutes of pure discomfort, I just decided to go for it and started a conversation. She was glad I did because she was in the same boat.
Then it was eating time. I can't say if it was lunch or dinner or snack. What do you call a 4:30pm chicken nuggets and chips meal? Anyway, both my kids were supposed to share their food as only Ethan had been formerly invited, but it didn't matter as they're not big eaters. In the end, he didn't even want to sitdown and Ciaran just ate all his food, even the cake. Ah well... At least there was no fight.
The hardest part of the day? Trying to leave the play centre (which is more like an attraction park). It took A LOT of bribing to exit the place, but we eventually made it out. I was exhausted.
And we had to do it all over again the following day as we were invited to another Birthday party. Except that time it was in a house, and I knew everybody. Phew!
