Alex's First Official Party

So - two weeks ago Alex and I had a conversation. I'm going to try to reconstruct it here for you verbatim. He opened.

Alex - Mommy, we're gonna miss our friends when we move to Pittsburgh, right?

Me - Yes, but we can write them, and come visit them. And we'll make more friends in Pittsburgh.

Alex - Mommy, our friends are going to miss us when we move to Pittsburgh, right?

Me - Yes Alex. Your friends will miss you just as much as you'll miss them.

Alex - That's what I thought. We need to have a party.

Me - What?

Alex - We need to have a party for our friends so they'll remember how much we like them.

Me - Honey, they know you like them.

Alex - We need a party. One more party.

Me - Well, Mommy IS going out to eat with some of my friends tomorrow night. That's kind of like a party.

Alex - MY friends need a party.

Me - What do you suggest?

Alex - I need paper and a pencil.

(Me scrounging around on the desk to find them for him. He sat down at the table and sighed.)

Alex - Mommy, I don't know how to write. Here, YOU do it.

Me - What I you want me to write?

Alex - "Friends. Please come over to Alex's party. I hope you will come soon to Alex's party. Your Pal, Alex and Baby Harrison."

Me - What will we do at Alex's party?

Alex - Eat hot dogs with buns. We need ketchup AND mustard. Some of my friends like mustard. I don't. I like ketchup. But if it's a party we need to have what my friends like.

Me - What else?

Alex - Apples, clementines, string cheese ... and chocolate milk.

Me - You REALLY want a party?

Alex - (sigh) That's what I've been trying to tell you! You and the other Mommies can talk boring talk, and we can run all around the house and play with my toys. Please, Mommy, PLEASE CAN I HAVE A PARTY? My friends want a party!

Me - Really?

Alex - I'll plan it. Not you. I want to plan the party.

And so he did! He even listed off all the friends he wanted invited, and his party was yesterday! From the time the first person arrived till the last person left, it lasted more than seven hours! It was an ABSOLUTE success!!! And except for one pregnant mamma (I had a cold and she didn't want to catch it), everyone who was invited came (except of course the older siblings who were at school)! There were 14 kids and 7 moms!

Alex's menu for the kids: Hot dogs, string cheese, oranges, milk and juice.

The moms had: Chicken Salad sandwiches (instead of hot dogs), pastries and lots of coffee!

One mom brought oranges. One brought string cheese. One brought all sorts of yummy pastries!

Basically all I had to do to get ready for the party was pull paper plates out of the cupboard! Now that's the type of party I should have more frequently! Alex has already started talking about the party he wants to throw in Pittsburgh for all of his new friends - yeah, the ones he hasn't even met yet! 'Guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, eh?