Sensational Birthday

My son turned 4!  It is with both happiness and sadness that I celebrated.  For my only child I have only this one chance to make every moment count!  He had a party a few days before hand and he had a great time!  The park is a fantastic place to spend a couple hours.  Keep it simple... we had cupcakes and gifts and he PLAYED.. as long as he wanted.  When he tired we left!  Perfect! 

Our child is mildly obsessive about random things.  One of which is that IF he knows a celebration or holiday is coming up, he will virtually ruin it by his constant questions, unwrapping of gifts and needless stress.  So after 4 years we just don't tell him WHEN things are!  For example, we put up tree at Christmas and we look festive!  He has an advent calendar and we can count days.  But we never tell him when.  Christmas eve we put out every single gift and make the place a wonderland of magic.  And BAM he starts his celebrations!  Otherwise each time I put a gift out it would be a battle to keep it unopened... and the stress would drive him (and me) nuts! 

So his birthday... he wakes quietly!  He had no notion of the day it was!  Found some nail polish I left out and took it to living room!  Painted his nails on my carpet (did make some drops) and saw as he was sitting there the gifts!  OH MAN .. he was so excited to wake us at 6:30am!!   And not only did he have a gift to open as he jumped into the bed, but he had the pretty red toes!!  So as soon as his 2 little gifts were unopened and parts everywhere they had to be put together and tried out!!  OF COURSE!  His mind would be completely out sorts if we didn't do it this way.  And by 7:30am we were trying to clean the carpet and getting outside to test these things!  He was happy and at peace with his world. 

So we had a grand day of fun and celebrating... the spots of nail polish are still on my carpet.  The fireman's water hose is drained and in the garage and the sand scoop has been used to dig a giant hole!  We lost $20 at the pizza place playing video games and riding the rides but we collected enough tickets to bring home yet another gun to shoot balls at mommy with!  And as he went to sleep he said THANK YOU FOR THE BIRTHDAY MOMMY... IT WAS AWESOME.  And so it was all worth it. 

As you think to yourself that I should try to say NO more and make him wait or go back to bed ... my child is told no plenty.  I am not soft or weak.  Life becomes a different pace and way when you live with a tiny boy with some quirky behaviors.  We all adjust.  Be thankful for your children who can wait and keep calm in the face of new things.  Our little boy has terrible time with new situations (even small ones like gifts under a tree) and transitions between things.  We adjust.  It is what life with a sensory kid!  Life is an adventure of sorts and we do the best we can.... to find the happy moments and hold onto them as long as we can!