Austin360 blogs > Bottlecaps & Wingnuts > Archives > 2008 > March > 28 > Entry
We’re just sick people
The child-raising tomes I have consulted said to expect about eight illnesses in the first year.
I have lost count. But I think we’ve just wrapped up No. 4 or No. 5. So, with a week to go, I sure as hell hope we don’t come close to eight.
We’ve all been sick this week, and nothing’s quite so fun as a house full of coughing, sniffling, hacking folks. Who gets to nap now? Who gets the couch? Who’s gonna watch the boy? Who’s going to fetch food? (Actually, that one was never much in question.)
Recent first: We’ve had the first diaper where I had to call Shannon over and ask her to take care of it. How bad was it? Beyond my powers of description.
We’re on the mend. If it doesn’t rain, we’re gonna look for bluebonnets in Mary Moore Searight Park this afternoon. Hopefully, the fresh air will agree with us.
The first birthday is coming up. We’ve agreed to make it a small affair: Just the grandparents and my sister.
I was surprised Shannon agreed to this. But we’ve got our reasons, I guess. Me, I’m thinking the house and yard is too wrecked to display to friends (we’ve given up trying to impress family) and, God forbid, we don’t need any more gifts than can be prevented. Shannon, I’m guessing, is just too tired to think about feeding and entertaining a crowd.
Did anybody else hold a small-scale first birthday? Or is it a necessary tradition to have everyone over for a fest that extends way past the honoree?
Finally got around to tending to my DVR list. “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” is a fine Western, I think. A little slow in some spots, but you gotta love any movie where the bad guys include Lee Marvin and Lee Van Cleef.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment Categories: By Dave Thomas
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By Scott
March 31, 2008 9:58 PM | Link to this
Definately do the small 1st Birthday. We did with both ours. Sacrifical cake a must as well. Sophie ate hers head first (no hands). Not much left for everyone else. Thanks for the Cousteau shout out.
By Jason
March 29, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
We had small gatherings for each of our kids first birthday. The "fun" apparently is watching them tear in to a cake and make a huge mess. (Hint: Have two cakes. 1 sacrificial and one for guests)
By beth
March 29, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this
My kids' first birthdays were family-only. Of course, we live near all of our family, so there were aunts, uncles, cousins, great-aunts, great-uncles, and great-grandparents. We served lunch and cake and that was that. They didn't start having friend birthday parties until they were in school.
By stevear
March 28, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this
Big kiddie b-days are 3 and 6. Keep 'em quiet between. And always have plastic bags around baby-change station for baby detonations; wipe and drop, wipe and drop, then out to the garbage. Shannon might not be around next time.
***Tom mentioned v-ball soon...hope to see you and Jr. then.