A Party for Alex, a Rope Course for Ella, and Grave Disappointment for Joey

One of Alex's favorite little friends, Nora, invited Alex to her 6th birthday party. Alex was torn: he really loves his friend (and, indeed, her mother told me Nora had declared she didn't want a party if Alex didn't come) but he can be a shy boy, and, when it comes down to it, he really likes being at home. He was also nervous because the party was witch-themed, and he was instructed to dress up as a wizard or a bat or a ghost or some other magical thing.  "But all I have is my dragon costume, and it's too small! I'll look silly!  And Nora won't want me at her party if I go as a king!"  I promised Alex I'd take care of the costume if he wanted to go to the party, so, in the end, he decided he'd like to go.

So the other night I ran out to the store for a new sweatshirt and pants, and I whipped up an oldie-but-goodie for Alex.  He was thrilled...and asked me if it would be possible to make a fly costume for Joey.  Or if he could wear his costume to the zoo, where they have the enormous spider-web playground.  Oh, he was excited.

A few days ago, we had a great time shopping for Nora's gift. He put a lot of thought into it, choosing just the right stickers and just the right game ("Magical ones. She likes magic."). This morning he wrapped those gifts himself and then, carefully, painstakingly, copied out a birthday message onto his card.

So Alex spent the morning and afternoon in party preparations and anticipation.  But Ella and Dennis and Kevin and Karen had a different treat in store: they today decided to go to Atzmännig (where we've gone a couple of times to hike and play and ride the Rodelbahn), this time to try out the high ropes course.  Today turned out to be the very last day of the season that Atzmännig will be open: they'll spend the next few weeks, now, getting their slopes ready for skiing.

The group got a bit of a late start, and, after the long ride to get to Atzmännig, followed by lunch (when they consumed the very last two schnitzel that Atzmännig had in their freezer...how could that not be delicious?), followed by a ropes training session, they finally got onto the ropes at about 2:00.  But from then on they played hard, wading through a course that was even more extensive than the one we enjoyed at Legoland.  Dennis reports that this course was slightly easier, which is probably a good thing, and it had considerably more zip lines, which is definitely a great thing.

He also reported, with great pride, that this time Ella carefully did every obstacle, not passing through a  single one. He said that she was strong and fearless and careful and very enthusiastic.  All four of them were enthusiastic, really: they stayed on the ropes until it was dark and no one was left but them. (They were asked to leave). Kevin took some wonderful pictures, which I'll have to steal from his camera before I can add them to this post.

Meanwhile, 2:00, party time, finally arrived for Alex. Joey watched jealously while Alex got dressed up, and then he brought me the dragon costume with a hopeful look in his eyes.  I explained to him, as gently as I could, that we wouldn't be going to the party, and I think he understood. But he stuck out his lower lip in a pout, but then pleaded "I just want to wear my costume."

I suspect Joey believed that, once they saw him in costume, no one would ever dream of turning him away.  When we rang the doorbell and Alex called out "Happy Birthday," Joey added a jubilant "RAWR!"  Alex was quickly engulfed in the group of his friends, and I closed the door behind them, leaving Joey, on my hip, looking surprised: "But...RAWR!"  His roars turned to tears as I took him down the stairs. He curled up in a little ball of disconsolate dragon, and fell asleep almost immediately.

Alex's party was supposed to last until 5:30, but at 4:00 I heard the doorbell ring, and there I found Alex, being delivered to the step by his friends.  "I missed you, Mom," he told me, "And I was tired of speaking German."  I looked across the street at his friends, a yard full of witches and beasties, going full-tilt, running potato sack races and egg races and every other sort of race and field competition, and back to my son, who was clearly exhausted.  He definitely tried.  And, I think, Nora and her mom understood.

So Alex and I had a quiet afternoon, coloring and reading stories until our little dragon woke up and joined us. The rest of our group didn't make it home until after 7:00, when we made a dinner out of using the BW3s wing sauce (how I love those tastes from home!) that Kevin brought from California and settled into the night.