The Party

Drew is five today, and so very proud of it. For some reason, five must be a particularly exciting and enviable age to be, because Drew has made a very big deal of it for quite some time. When his cousin turned five just eight weeks ago, there was much emphasis, uncontested at that, placed on the difference in their status. I heard them conversing about it at the beach - "I'm five, you know, and you're only four," Tiernan informed him matter-of-factly. Ordinarily this would have been the kind of statement that would have inspired an argument - or a punch- but Drew calmly and almost submissively replied, "Yes, I know. But I'll be five in September!" He has asked about it almost daily, and has not been impressed by the idea that he's been getting closer to five every day. No, he is still convinced that something almost magical happens on one's birthday, so last night he was still only four, and today he is five. He did consent to having his birthday party yesterday, however, and almost all the family from both sides came. It was loud and hectic, and my sisters and I made a pact, or renewed it anyway, that we will help each other grow old with grace. I won't say much more than that on that point... Anyway, after everyone left and we were getting the kids ready for bed, there was a huge blow-up over some obscure (but new) Star Wars figure, and Drew was at the center of it. Of course we knew he was overstimulated and tired, so we were trying to make allowances for that, but he was really being difficult, and at one point I did something that wasn't harsh or rough, but was out of frustration nonetheless and made him feel unneccesarily cornered. I backed off almost immediately, but still after it was all over and he was in bed, I peeked in the door and whispered to him, "I love you Drew, and I'm sorry I didn't respect your space a little while ago," at which he quietly replied, "It's okay, Mommy. I'm the one who should be sorry - I never should have said those ugly things." I'm not making a word of that up, and if it hadn't been dark, you might have seen me melt all over the floor!