16th Birthday Party

On Friday night I co-chaperoned a co-ed 16th birthday party. What was I thinking? It’s not like I haven’t done it before, I have, a few years ago. I think I forgot what it was like.

My friend and I have a tradition of sorts. She asked me to co-chaperon her oldest son’s all night co-ed 16th birthday party about five years ago. It sounded like a good idea. My two oldest kids were attending so I figured why not? I would have to take them and pick them up anyway. And besides, it would be fun hanging out with my friend. I was right on all accounts.

Three years ago we did it again only this time both of our sons were turning 16 so we co-hosted a joint party…same concept. Again, I enjoyed watching the kids have fun…all night, and spending time with my friend.

This year she asked me to once again co-chaperon her youngest son’s co-ed 16th birthday party. And once again I would have a son or two attending and my friend and I could catch-up into the wee hours of the night.

It all went according to plan, pretty much as I’ve come to expect, except for the fact that my dear friend had worked from 5ish am to 3ish pm and then came home and worked on things for the party.

At around 3:45 I watched my dear, sweet, tired friend struggle to stay awake and her best attempts at doing so were failing miserably. “Sleep”, I told her, as if she had a choice. And so she did, sitting up in a not-so-comfy looking position. I really wasn’t sleepy so I was glad to be able to assist her in this way. What I was, however, was extremely bored after about oh, five minutes of watching the clock slowly switch from one number to the next and the two sleeping dogs contentedly snoring on the couch.

Occasionally a still-awake stray kid or two would innocently wander up from the basement where a movie was playing, looking for a morsel to eat, in what would best be described as an aide to help stay awake in the battle of sleep versus kid who was determined to win the war. I would then, not so innocently, engage them in conversation in my attempt to help pass the time, with purely selfish motives I can assure you. Bless their dear hearts for indulging me with a moment or two of polite chit-chat until they could gracefully make their way back downstairs.

I lasted until 6:30, when I finally decided enough was enough and informed my friend when she aroused once again, that I was calling it a night and heading home. It wasn’t that I was that incredibly sleepy, I wasn’t, just oh so tired of sitting there for the past three hours.

The kids had a good time and my friend was able to give her son this special memory. It was worth the effort. My friend has also promised to return the favor next year, when my youngest son turns 16. We’ll do it again, one more time for the sake of tradition…or maybe we’ll make a new one.

life…just saying

To my friend who I’m sure will read this…you knew I would write about this, right?