Life of Wry

I couldn’t let the moment go without a celebration. For us, parents of one-and-only’s, every event, every milestone is a one-time deal. It’s all one-and-done. So we have to mark these occasions as notably as we can. They only come around once.

We’re a funny mix. Me, who loves ceremony and ritual and is a serious occasion marker, married to Jim who does not stand on formality (to say the least), raising Peter who’d just as soon disappear into the shadows with nary a whisper. Both Jim and Peter are the opposite of people who draw attention to themselves. I know this. I contend, however, that Jim appreciates it on some level, especially if I do most of the planning, and Peter will like it one day, as his story is told in pictures and remembered in random memories of events he claimed he didn’t want to be a part of.

I do this for Peter, even though he could seriously take it or leave it and would really, honestly, rather leave it. However, as an only kid with not a lot of family around, not even a kitten, (though once he had a fish named Ladybug Sandy Goldie), I feel like we have to create a community around him whose support he feels. I want him to know he’s a part of something bigger, even if he’s siblingless, even if we’re a small unit of three, and I want him to always know he’s loved and known in his community. That’s me projecting a whole lot of my own values and needs on him, god knows, but what the hell. It’s a good excuse for a party.

The party in photos:

I loved the invitation (boy, did I love it). Here’s the cover (an oldie but goodie, you’ve seen it before), Peter on his first day of kindergarten:

And here’s the inside:

And then the usual decorations, food and drink.

Michael helped me decorate the house.  He’s got flare. First, we blew up a buncha balloons.

And put them all over with selected other congratulations paraphernalia:

I loved the piano detail:

Michael chose ancient photos of Peter to put in this garlandy thing:

I particularly liked the inscription on the cake. I told Peter I think he possesses characteristics that will carry him well into the world–curiosity, kindness, decency, loyalty to his friends, intelligence, humor, good sense, resourcefulness, playfulness… things like that there… but if I could send him off with a parting word of advice, it would be:  don’t procrastinate. (I guess that’s two words.) Procrastination is his M.O., his calling card, and will be one of his biggest challenges to overcome. It earned a spot on his cake. That big a deal.

The food was from Nugget, and colorful…

I forgot to put out all the cheese and crackers I’d gotten.

Here are Solly and Peter, before folks started arriving:

Here are guys in conversation… baseball guys: James, Daniel, Walter, Solly, Peter:

And guys in formation…. Jordon, Reed, James, Daniel, Solly, Peter. (There but not pictured: Sebastian, Ray, Kiara, Jacob. Unable to come: Jack, Eli and Daniel B.):

Mostly it was family, some close family friends, Peter’s immediate circle of friends and their parents.

Jim recovered from a two-day bout with either a bug or food poisoning, and I think he–we all–had a great time.

So there!