Not that we were technically competing. There wasn't any particular game or challenge at stake. The kids simply took over every resource available: attention, space, and sound being the main ones. I had forgotten how it becomes impossible to carry on any kind of coherent conversation around children.
"So, how has your summer LOOK OUT SHE'S GOING TO KNOCK OVER THE JUICE!"
Aside from feeling extremely overstimulated by all the shrieking, banging, and having my nose grabbed repeatedly by a curious 8-month-old (No, it does not come off my face. Nope, not now either. And still, not coming off.) it was an enjoyable evening. This was the first time I'd seen most of my church friends since last year; since I stopped attending church. I thought it might be a little awkward, but it wasn't really. There wasn't any more social tension than there ever had been when we were all in the church band together.
The party was hosted by a couple who have not yet jumped on the baby bandwagon. (I'm sure it's only a matter of time.) The wife, C, is a foodie, so of course there was an enormous quantity of yummy things to eat. There was pulled pork which had been roasting for two days. I went back for seconds. She had also prepared a beautiful fruit punch, served from a large bowl with a ladle, blueberries and raspberries floating on top.
The fruit punch proved to be very popular until an unfortunate incident in which someone (Hi, Ken!) dropped a serving-spoonful of pulled pork into the punchbowl.
C also made special treats just for the kids. She kept several pieces of chicken aside on the grill, completely unseasoned, because she knows that most kids don't like fancy herbs and spices. Do you think that any of those kids would even try a single bite of that chicken? Of course not. In fact, the only thing any of them seemed to want to eat was bread. Nothing else would pass their lips. Spiral pasta with a light olive oil dressing on it? Nope. Cucumber slices? Nuh-uh.
When dessert time came around the kids were willing to eat the watermelon, strawberries, cherries, and chocolate cake. They all turned their noses up at the home-made strawberry mousse ice cream that C had spent two days preparing. Little did they know that the "cake" they were wolfing down so enthusiastically was actually a chocolate zucchini bread. Zucchini! Ha! Take that, you finicky whiners!
Don't get me wrong. They're all great kids. Smart, and fairly well-behaved considering the oldest of the bunch is only 5. Predictably, I was smitten with the baby and took any opportunity to scoop her up and bounce her on my knee.
That didn't stop the remaining adults from breathing a huge sigh of relief once the last kid left. A rich silence settled over the room. Then of course we had to make fun of one couple who is expecting their first child a week from today. Enjoy the peace for one more week! we told them.
They're good people. I wish them all the best.
9 comments:
Sounds like a nice visit and some tasty food too.
Oh yeah kids change your life forever! We are away on holiday with 5 at the moment, and the noise is non stop and they are aged from 11 to 19! It doesn't get any easier as they get older either!
Sounds like a good group of people! It is always nice to get a baby fix with someone else's baby...no diaper changes and it quiets down when they are gone. :-)
11 adults, 5 kids and the kids won. Gee, you adults suck. With adults double teaming the kids, there's still a spare adult to play rover. It should not be that hard.
Kids certainly do have a way of taking over every place they are! Glad you had fun.
I remember those nose-tugging days with the little ones (and they weren't MY little ones!). Fun for five min. but then it gets old, right?
I'm happy at the stage I am now w/ my kids...I still feed them and they still kiss me hello/goobye and goodnight but they can put their own spoons to their mouths, play with their friends and wipe their own behinds! Life is good.
Sounds like someone got more than
just your nose. ;)
I'm glad you such a nice time reconnecting with folks you haven't seen in a while. :)
Oh birth control...
I remember my grandma saying kids have to be seen, not heard. Seems like today its just the other way around, hahaha.
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