About a month ago, we hosted E’s fourth birthday at our local Romp n’ Roll. I hemmed and hawed (mostly because it sounds funny) over not having it at our home. We’ve had EVERY BIRTHDAY PARTY at our house. And I spend the night before and the day of stressing about cleaning my home and entertaining everyone and cleaning my home and feeding everyone and cleaning my home. Oh yea, and cleaning my home. So the the twenty-four hours before each birthday party my husband gets to spend managing my stress (read: obnoxiousness). And we had a lot going on in August. So I asked the expert.
Me: E, where do you want your birthday party?
E: I don’t know
Me {weakly}: Romp n’ Roll?
E: YES!
So I make the call and set up the party. I worry about the expense and would it be worth it. I worry about who we would invite and if parents would think I was over-the-top. I feel like the laziest mom ever.
Also, I’m the think-i-est mom ever.
Within ten minutes of arrival, my son’s face has a HUGE smile on it. And it never fades. Through the free play, the songs, the art project, the moon bounce and the bubble dance, he is smiling and running and full of four-year-old joy.
E: I’m at Romp n’ Roll with ALL MY FRIENDS! YAY!
And at the end, when we singing Happy Birthday to him again, all he can do to express his utter joy is to yell. Like a true WHOOP!
And I tear up (seriously). Because as a mom, I don’t have many days where I lay down in bed and think I GOT THIS PARENTING THING TODAY.
But on hot night in August, I laid down and grinned ear-to-ear.
Because for one day, I was the best mom ever.
And I high five. Myself. (Mostly because my husband is already sleeping and Romp n’ Roll isn’t a person.)
Alex Iwashyna blogs at Late Enough mostly about life, parenting, marriage, politics, zombies, culture, religion, and her inability to wake up in the morning and not hate everyone. She also facilitates a local parenting class called Nobody Told Me! (because OBVIOUSLY) and runs the web content for the Blogger Body Calendar. Feel free to find her on Facebook or the Twitter @L8enough. But don’t call. She’s NOT a phone person.
E’s like a whoosh and a blur in the pic with all the fun he was having there!! Sounds like everyone had a blast (adults included). Low stress=happy family times!
Pingback: My Son Has Road Rage And He Can’t Even Drive | Late Enough
I agree. My three year old son gave it a super thumbs up. He said, “Mom, that was a great party.” He has NEVER commented on a birthday party before…including his own. Well done Alex and Romp ‘N Roll!
I’m with you ladies! We had my daughters 2nd birthday party there and now I am spoiled. I can’t imagine having to pull off such a party on my own in our house. I am in no way confident enough in my cake baking or event organizing skills to have done this successfully on my own. Not only did she have the time of her life, but all of our friends and their kids did too. One (of the many) thing I particuarly liked about it was that our friends with kids a bit older still had fun. The 4 – 8 year olds got to really enjoy the party as well! Thank you again for a perfect party and perfectly wonderful memories Romp N Roll Midlothian!
Romp N Roll??? What is this place – I when can I go?
It is the place my son asks me to go daily. I’m wondering if I could just send him there an hire a tutor with lots of energy to teach him on the move.
Oh, man. The adrenaline created by a romp at that place would keep my little H up for days. He would love it!