Writing Wrongs

July 16, 2006

I always have the best intentions when it comes to birthday parties and presents. I think to myself, oh plenty of time. I can go to Target, find an appropriate gift, some nice wrapping paper, a bow, and so on.

So how is it, day of the party, we�re whipping through the toy aisle at Target, looking for the right-sized gift. You know, one that will fit in a gift bag. Add in navigating the party aisle for tissue paper, and some sort of card to fit the occasion (To the birthday boy who�s four!). And we�re doing this hours, nay, minutes before the party is scheduled to start.

Oh, and remembering to bring along scotch tape so I can attach the gift receipt to the bottom of the present? Like second nature. Pulling the whole thing together in the front seat of the car? Ditto.

If they ever decide to make this an Olympic event, I will be a contender.

Today was Kyra�s first time to go to a birthday party--and someone was a wee bit excited. But she knew how to get ready: a liberal dose of Hello Kitty lotion, her sweet pea and papaya �perfume� (it�s actually body splash and the scent dissipates quickly), and of course, gloss. Then she got mad when I went to wash her face: �Mommy, you ruining my makeup!� Yeah, she�s pretty much three going on thirteen.

At Target, we debated whether the dinosaur toy or the Superman toy would be better. We went with Superman. It makes noise! Plus, when Andrew was that age, he loved superheroes. I figured it was a good bet.

But when her little friend opened the gift, he had no clue. Even his mom was surprised he didn�t know who Superman was. And poor Kyra was so excited about giving him the present that she looked a little lost when he cast it to the side and went to play with something else. Maybe we should�ve gone with the dinosaur.

So while I have the whole Target-car-presto-instant-present thing down, I may need a touch more finesse when it comes to the actual gift.

Charity Tahmaseb wrote at 4:44 p.m.

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