Birthday "Season"

I'm having a tough time writing right now.  I'm feeling very...well, to coin an old phrase..."Down in the dumps". Is it too melodramatic to say that I feel like we've had our share of challenges the last couple of years?  I step up to the plate, do my best, work my hardest (which is damn hard, I must say) and still come up feeling like we're sinking.  The efforts it's requiring to try to make up for a couple of thousand dollars that needed to go into fixing my car aren't helping anything.  Anyway...just needed to say that I feel a little "blah".  I'm extremely grateful for my family, my friends, the wonderful opportunities I get, and yet I'm feeling weighed down by life and what's required to live modestly in L.A. Okay. It's been said...moving on...

It's birthday "Season". It turns out that when you have a baby, and you meet a bunch of other moms who had a baby at the same time, then having a birthday turns into an entire season.  From the time Christian turned one year old, we were booked from the last weekend in April to the first weekend in June with birthday parties of his little baby "friends". (Of course I put that friends in quotes, because we all know that at one year and less the other babies aren't so much friends, as I am friends with their parents...) Now, we have baby #2, and all of HIS "friends" are having birthdays now too...our season just expanded.  This weekend, we celebrated birthdays of two of Elijah's "friends". (I giggle just a little now, because Christian calls them "Elijah's friends" too.) Yesterday was Benjamin's birthday party.  I have an extra, extra special place in my heart for Benjamin, because I met his Mom while we were both pregnant. We were introduced because we were both expecting around the same time, both expecting boys, and both with a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome for our babies.  I've called her Kindred since day one, and her name is even more cemented now- not only do we have baby boys with designer genes in common- but the girl likes to plan a party like I like to plan a party!!  I give MAJOR props to her party planning skills, as she threw an adorable, super-creative Dr. Seuss themed One year birthday party for her little Benjamin.  He is adorable. She is adorable. The party was adorable.







I really can't believe that Elijah will be one year old in less than two weeks now.  Where has the time gone??
A couple of days ago, I took the boys to the Mexican market on the corner.  We picked up a few items for dinner and stood in line at the checkout counter.  Two women were in front of us- one was very pregnant and the other a Mom, with (I'm guessing) a 2 year old with her.  For the first time, I had strapped Elijah into the stroller without the car seat and car seat adapter.  He looked like a big boy...well, almost.  And my thought was confirmed when the pregnant woman looked over at him, gave a big smile and said, "One year old?"  I nearly fainted.  I think I too-enthusiastically said, "Yes!  11 months!!"  Elijah hasn't really looked anywhere near his age since about 4 months old.  Now he's gaining weight, working on sitting up and checking out many of his surroundings, and though he may not look like all one year olds, he's getting a little closer.  So, I'm working hard...so hard, to prep for a really nice first birthday for him.  The timing is awful for throwing a party with the recent car repair, but I know in 10 years I'll never remember the unexpected car repair bill, but I will remember Elijah's first birthday, and so I'm passionate about making it special.  I'm throwing a "Superhero" party, because I think that Elijah has a "Super-smile".  And in my eyes, he is a superhero- he overcomes obstacles everyday and does it with a smile. It won't be a typical Superhero party- no Batman, Superman, or Spiderman here, but it will be Super none the less.

The trip to the market the other day, had two unexpected aspects.  The first, was the woman who correctly guessed Elijah's age (Still very excited about that, because most people have a stricken look of shock when they ask how old he is...I can physically see their brains computing...wait? How old did she say??) The second unexpected aspect happened as I was finishing up purchasing my groceries. I had Elijah pushed out a little into the open aisle near the exit doors.  Two little boys, probably around 6 or 7 years old were standing in front of Elijah, looking at him. One made a motion to Elijah's glasses and then to himself, almost as if to say Four eyes, and they started laughing hysterically.  I mean they went on and on about it.  Repeatedly saying, Glasses?! Glasses?!  I wanted to say, "Yep, boys.  It's hilarious.  A baby who needs glasses well before most people do, is clearly something to laugh at.  Keep up the good work and you'll get to lead the brigade of insensitivity one day."  But, really, they are just little kids.  Elijah has no idea they are laughing about his glasses. I just sort of smiled, but made a mental note.  Started rehearsing my lines for the day when it will matter.  The day when someone makes fun of either of my little guys and has to deal with me. Me and my words of extreme poignancy, wit, and sting. Because I will have rehearsed them.   I didn't feel the need to strike back at these boys, because it was so silly.  Personally, I think Elijah's cute factor ups significantly in his little blue glasses.  I mean, come on...they are adorable. But then I remember the shame and humiliation I used to feel when I had to wear glasses as a kid.  I thought our world had moved past that.  That now with the variety of really great frames and styles, that having glasses was no more than a necessary accessory.  Or, maybe, I just grew up.  I was semi-prepared to go to battle, when necessary, with potentially ignorant adults, but what to do...what to say when it's little kids that are the cruel ones??  This one is going to require some thought...