PARTY ON !

In typical Lawlor fashion the birthday celebrations have spilled over into the weekend. When we celebrate a birthday we party for days. Only trouble is Abby being 6 has lots of friends that are also 6 and so today was filled with a house full of rambunctious six year olds. Bottom line is the kids really were great and all had a wonderful time but there were moments when grandma had second thoughts about being a grandma. As the kids started to pour into the house I found  myself going into withdrawal, edging further and further into the kitchen with hopes of  disappearing into the closet under the stairs, assuming the fetal position and remaining that way for the next 3 hours. My teaching skills have totally left me and I have become an OLD LADY who wants nothing more than to be left alone. Spending time with my grand kids is one thing, trying to get 16 six year olds to sit down to watch a movie is something else.
The party went off without a hitch, no thanks to me and the pizza, popcorn, cake and activities were enjoyed by all. At one point Kyle and Bridget took the rug rats off to the play ground at the corner and as they all tumbled down the street looking much like midget marching band Ger and I sat in the quiet kitchen considering locking the front door till three o'clock and the arrival of the parents. K&B were great working together keeping the party rolling and I do think Abby had a great time. I nearly lost it though at 3:00 when the parents started to arrive to TAKE THEIR CHILDREN HOME. Or at least that was what I thought they were arriving to do. Typical of the British they all came in the front door and stood there doing NOTHING. Not one of them suggested that their child get their shoes and coats on and LEAVE. They just stood there! By now the kids have finished eating their cake and the sugar is kicking in. As every mom knows, you serve the cake last so you can put the kids out before the sugar causes them to stampede and demolish your house. Obviously these British parents have different ideas, or no idea at all. As "mum" and "da" stood at the front door the kids started slipping away from the table and back into the "play room", which in fact is a huge parlor. As the noise level of the parents, who were quite enjoying the social gathering, rose so did the noise of the now sugar crazed kids in the parlor. All the adults were totally oblivious to the din coming from the next room and the kids were just getting wilder and wilder. At this point I couldn't take it any more and went into the parlor and swept all the kids out with a loud roar and a slam of the door on the now empty room. And still the parents stood chatting away. I really wanted to scream at the parents to grab a child, ANY CHILD, and get the hell out of the house.Knowing this is not proper I stood there having an anxiety attack with my heart racing and a headache the size of Windsor Palace.
Everyone finally did leave and Ger and I returned to only having to deal with Abby and Roman.
Abby is EXHAUSTED and the poor little thing could barely remain standing after dinner. It was an early night for her and is going to be an early night for grandpa and me.