Jet's B-Day Party and Checkup

[liralen]

The Party went well. We Had A Cunning Plan, with knowledge about how our five-year-old worked, and it worked quite well indeed.

The plan was and went as follows:

1. The kids start to trickle in, and as they come in, we set before them a HUGE PILE of construction paper, safety scissors, and crayons and pens. We tell them we want them to make things that are in the sea.
2. The kids make fish, mostly. Then jellies. Then octopi, and then an Old Boot, a tire, plenty of shells and rocks...
3. We start to put paper clips on all the fish.
4. Some of the kids start to get bored, so John brings out the two fishing poles. And then everyone rumbles upstairs to the well-railed balcony and they take turns, two at a time, fishing from the second floor to the "sea floor" on the first floor.
5. We discover that it is very, very good only having two poles. Two are much easier to untangle than any larger number
6. For a good half hour, all the kids are very intent on Their Place In Line
7. After more than half decide it's not worth waiting any more, we get out the Cake and Ice Cream.
8. Much fun is had by all and especially Jet as we sing the traditional songs, serve the traditional sugars, and eat and drink until everyone buzzes.
9. I hand the biggest kid a balloon and all the kids come by to see as I tell him to pop it. BANG! A picture flies out of the broken balloon. All the kids crowd around as I explain that they need to go to the spot in the picture and find a balloon, which will link to another and another and...
10. The house rumbles with the racing of many feet. It's a herd of children!! It's really cool seeing them all run like mad and after looking in five different places, with a few reminders of "Look at the picture!!" there's finally another BANG!
11. And the race is repeated and repeated and by the seventh balloon, no one is buzzing any more.
12. They find a pile of balsa airplanes (Jetgliders. Jet loves that his name is on every plane.) and are steady enough to put them gently together, and we all go down to the basement and start flying them.
13. The first of the parents come to pick up their child.
14. It is a successful party.

Hoorah!!

So it was a very good day, and Jet nearly fell asleep in my arms at dinner, but managed to stay up until 8. He went to bed without any fuss and then wasn't up until nearly 7:30 the next morning. We're starting to think that an 8 pm bedtime would be good for him.

His annual check up was on Monday. He is still right on track for his birth percentiles, so the doctor was pleased. She expected that he was still picky, but told us that this is the age when it's likely to loosen up, and given that he's taking some pride in trying new things, I can see what she meant.

He had three immunizations. The nurse had me hold him and keep some control of his arms, but when she stuck him with the needles, he shook a little, but didn't move at all. Later he told me that my putting my hands on his really helped him a lot. Which made me ache a little inside, as the nurse had wanted me to do that to make sure he had no choice about moving; but I'm glad he had the take on it that he had. As it was, he did great, and didn't protest at all, and did mention that it hurt. We said, yes, it hurts, but it should go away soon and you tell us if it doesn't get better. He promised. I think it also helped that the nurse told him that it was going to pinch, feel weird, and when it stopped. He knew what was happening.

I remember when I used to get allergy shots as a kid, and I hated people telling me "oh... it doesn't hurt!" when, damnit, it does. It was especially ironic after a really bad reaction once when I had to do the adrenaline thing. At least my regular nurse, then didn't patronize me.

The doc says we don't have to get another checkup for another two years, the immunization sheet will get him into kindergarten, and we're pretty much set for a while. Makes me mildly thoughtful about the fact that in two years we may well not be here anymore.

Comments

[incandescens]

Brilliant! That sounds as if it went absolutely excellently. Congratulations.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It took a bit of planning, but less prep than otherwise, as the fishing really didn't need anything but the fishing poles. But it was a lot of fun to see what the kids made as "Fish". Hee. Yay!!

Jet, when asked what he liked best about his birthday said, "I liked everything."

That's success... :-)

[archangelbeth]

Definitely.

We're going to be heading to the Chuck E Cheese's. It keeps us from having to clean house. >_>

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Excellent plan!

[ross-teneyck.livejournal.com]

It reminds me of a conversation I had with a fellow seminary student -- she was in charge of the youth ministry at a pretty large Catholic church; and she told me that she had perfected the formula for a successful all-night church sleepover event with a bunch of young teens.

I don't remember all the details exactly, but my recollection is that the steps were something like this:

• Kids show up late afternoon/early evening. Get any actual content you want done -- anything that requires they pay attention -- now.


• Next, feed them -- lots. Pizza, giant pots of spaghetti, that kind of thing.


• Play some kind of table/board/parlor game


• Feed them dessert -- again, lots. Ice cream, cookies, anything with a ton of sugar.


• Play something very active that involves a lot of running around -- tag, or something along those lines.


• Flop them all down onto the floor, turn out the lights, start a movie.


• Poof, they all fall asleep.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

A woman who is wise in the ways of children. :-)

[marith.livejournal.com]

What an excellently fun party! Congratulations. And many happy returns to Jet!

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!

[palinade.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a good time was had by all! N and I did a little paperclip/construction paper fishing this week, too!

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Hee! How very cool.

[tagryn]

Yay! Happy birthday Jet!

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thanks!