Party Time

Theo has never had a birthday party, mainly because I'm not a big party person. Don't get me wrong--we make his birthday very special every year! We just haven't done a formal party. This year, however, we may have to change that. Because Theo has ideas...big ideas....

Theo: Mom, who's going to come to my party?
Me: What party?
Theo: My birthday party.
Me: Your birthday isn't for six more months. I don't know what we're doing. Something fun.
Theo: We're having a party, Mom.
Me: We are? I thought maybe we might go somewhere fun and stay overnight at a hotel, since you love doing that. Doesn't that sound fun?
Theo: Okay, Mom. All of my friends can come to the hotel.
Me: Uh...no. That would be instead of a party with your friends.
Theo: I want a party with my friends. I want 100 friends to come over.
Me (laughing): You don't even know 100 people, and that's way too many for a party. Think smaller.
Theo: Okay, how about 10?
Me: Maybe...
Theo: It's going to be a dance party, Mom. With rock music. We can play my CDs, and my friends can dance.
Me: Is that so?
Theo: Yes. Could you put lights up, Mom?
Me: Lights?
Theo: Yes. You can just drill holes in the wall, Mom, and then you put the lights up in there. We need lights for my dance party, Mom....

So apparently, we're going to deck out his playroom like some disco, and all of his friends are going to come over and dance. Which actually sounds like fun, really. One of my big beefs with parties is greed—I don't like people feeling obligated to buy gifts, and I don't like it when kids get greedy about the gifts. But Theo hasn't mentioned a thing about gifts...or even cake. For him, it's apparently all about the dancing and music. I'm kinda charmed by that, so I might just give in and say yes. Maybe. But definitely not to 100 kids!