Well, here is tonight's agenda6 screaming 9 year olds, eating Chinese food, watching movies, and not sleepingall of which successfully defines a girls birthday party at this age and my daughter, Isabel, is the ring leader and honoree. Oh, yes, we also have a piata to beat open. We made the piata with papier-mch. That was a fun Sunday activity, which we undertook a few weekends ago. It's been sitting, patiently awaiting the day when it would take center circle and come up smelling like, what else?, candy!
Boy, how time has flown. Where a baby once laid, a young girl emerges fully dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, bangs neatly trimmed with the rest of her locks pulled thoughtfully behind her ears. No doubt, before long, she will be wearing heels and gathering with her girlfriends for a midnight excursion to the nearest dance club or trounce into the city. But if we could play God! I guess it's normal for every mother to wish a few more minutes into every passing age.
Understandably, Isabel's anticipation of tonight's events began bubbling over yesterday. She barely could contain herself this morning as she leapt from bed to dress to breakfast to early morning chores like a gazelle racing towards the herd. Eyeing the prestigious vanilla frosted cupcake that her sister baked especially for her amongst the rest of the chocolate frosted imposters, Isabel began chattering away, providing me with a succession of detailed monologues of what to expect come 6pm.
It is no wonder that I am fully prepared for the event as she views it in her head. The bell of the ball will be ringing the bell and assembling her court, with little expectation of the clock tolling at 12 or 2 or 3am. And as her mother, I will agree to this realizing full well that the clock will eventually toll, if not today then tomorrow, despite her insistence that she will remain "just fine!"
All I can say in her defense is that special times deserve special rules and special leniencies, which is my overall rationale when giving my blessing to her gumption. Besides, my bedroom is located on the first floor. Isabel's is on the second and brother and sister won't mind as they were also granted a license to stay up.
Happy Birthday, Isabel! With every year that comes and goes, you make your mom more proud! I LOVE YOU!
Laura J. Wellington is the CEO of The Giddy Gander Company and the creator of THE WUMBLERS children's television series. www.wumblers.com
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