It’s Party Time! Again

“Mom, we need to go to the grocery store.”

“Why?”

“Because it is my stuffed animal’s birthday, and I want to throw him a party.”

I looked at Catelyn, who was looking back at me with a wry smile on her face.

“It’s a big one – he’s turning five! So, I would like to get a cake, ice cream, some candy, chips, and soda.”

I sighed.

“Well played, Catelyn. Well played.”

She had a point.  A few weeks earlier, Declan had informed us all that it was Sonic the Hedgehog’s birthday, and we were going to have a party for him. 

I dutifully put Declan in the car, took him to the store, and purchased cinnamon buns, which were apparently necessary to make Sonic feel special on his special day.

And whether we wanted to or not – we ALL sang Happy Birthday to Sonic and celebrated.

Catelyn found my weakness.  When Declan creates an idea in his head, I help him follow through with it.

In my defense, the second a teenager finds out I am going to the grocery store, I am inundated with texts requesting nothing remotely substantial.  Soda, cookies, chips, fruit snacks.  All the stuff a parent tries to avoid buying their kids.

Or worse, the second the teenagers find out I am going to the store, I walk to the car to find them already sitting there.  There are no bounds to their hunger and food requests. Their presence at the grocery store is practically a guarantee they will get the snacks they want.

Recently, I found myself in the weirdest predicament.

Standing in the middle of a party store contemplating a balloon purchase.

Why?

Earlier that morning, I was on my phone, coordinating rides for Bobby and his friends, when another call came in.  Unable to answer at the time, I later received a text from an extremely excited boy.

Getting 100 followers on his social media site has been a goal for Declan for – what feels like – forever.

So, of course, he wanted to celebrate.

• 

• 

So that you know, Declan is not on social media alone.  If you have ever received an email from me, you will most likely be getting an email from something like “videogameman” or “gameboi,” as he has taken over my Google account. Declan feels “Robyn Coupe” is embarrassing.  And he fails to see how the reverse would be true for me.

He has also taken over a social media account.  It’s mine – I never use it but can watch the videos, messages, comments, and followers that land on the account. The account that now has 100 followers of now, mostly other puppet lovers.

Catelyn also has an account and has a lot more followers.  Let us just say our latest celebration struck the “teen angst” chord pretty heavily.

Catelyn’s angst at Declan’s parties, celebrations, and events made me more aware of all the things I go along with for him.  A few weeks ago, Declan had me at the craft store, picking up supplies needed to make a paper mache Sonic so he could “make” a new Sonic movie.

A week later, we were back at the fabric store searching through the fabric scraps on clearance as he wanted to make a SpongeBob puppet.

Honestly, every day I never know what idea he has created in his head of a project or celebration he wants to complete.

Yet, I always comply. If not that day, then shortly after that.

I like his creativity.  I like his projects. His excitement around his activities is really adorable.

But ultimately, I know that we will never be able to move on if an idea cannot come to fruition.  So, we make it happen the best we can.

I will do my best to make the middle child, and only girl feel a little more special.  If I don’t, I think she will be pulling out all her old stuffed animals and having a party for each of them. She’s found a way to my weak spot!