Bowling

Last weekend, Katie had her first birthday party to attend (from a school friend). Here is what I have discovered: BOYS + Birthday Parties = Indifference but GIRLS + Birthday Parties = The Social Event Of The Season. In the two weeks leading up to the event, I heard things like 'Mom, have you called Sierra's mom yet?' and 'Mom, Jamie said that today was the last day to call Sierra's mom and you didn't call!!!' and 'Mom, did you call Sierra's mom today? Can I go??' I RSVP'ed despite the fact that spending 2 hours in a sketchy bowling alley with Kindergarteners didn't sound all that appealing. Fortunately it ended up being entertaining, and I think Katie had fun too. First of all, I got to meet her friend Jamie's mom and apologize for Katie telling her kid that Santa was fake. We both got a laugh out of that, and she said that when Jamie had come home and told her what Katie said, she told her that some kids are so naughty that Santa doesn't come to their house, and their parents have to buy their presents. That apparently solved the problem and Katie's revelation did not stop their Christmas mojo. In regard to the bowling, they have made great strides since I went bowling in the days of yore. They had a plastic dinosaur slide (as opposed to the actual dinosaurs that were roaming the earth when I was in Kindergarten) which kids could use to slide the bowling ball into the lane. It was a genius invention, and no fingers were lost during the event. After a while, the kids got more confident and wanted to roll the ball themselves. By roll, I mean throw it awkwardly at the lane as it lands with a thunk so loud you look for a dent in the floor. Watching Katie was the best part. The apple has not fallen very far from the tree on that one, and she has inherited my disinterest and inability in activities requiring athleticism and coordination. She would take her turn then grab her friend's hand and they would dance and slid all over the floor with their slippery bowling shoes. The birthday girl's day would gently remind them that they were in the way, and they would move, only to dance back into the way a few moments later oblivious to the fact that some kids were actually interested in bowling. When it was her turn, I would have to remind her to get back to the lane and go. When she decided she was done using the slide, she would roll the ball at such a speed that I could have made a sandwich and a cup of coffee before it reached the pins. A few times, she hit the pins dead center, but apparently when your bowling ball is going approximately 3 seconds per foot it lacks the power to actually knock over more than 2 pins. In fact, one time she rolled it so slowly that it never reached the pins. It stopped a few feet short. I didn't even know that was possible.