School Girl got a ton of presents at lunchtime; a couple of big craft-type presents, some Hannah Montana things (hey, she’s 8), some books and a couple of other things besides. She got to spend some time alone with M for the first time – once in the arcade, and once doing something else which escapes my memory at the moment. Like I said, School Girl had a blast.

I’m glad, honestly, that M feels able to spend time with School Girl, just the two of them. I have to admit I was a bit nervous – and in other exciting news, water is wet – but everything was fine. It was a big deal for School Girl. I’m not sure how it was for M. There are still some things I’m afraid to bring up. We did talk a little bit about how things were for her on School Girl’s birthday. She was better, at least good enough to talk to School Girl on the phone this time, but not great. Understandably.

It was pretty quiet on the way home; K and I were beat, and School Girl fell asleep once or twice on the trip back, but I think everybody had a good time.

School Girl came up with a couple of the games herself, and those went over very well indeed. One of the most successful games happened by accident last year – the Balloon Battle. This year I moved the sharpest pieces of furniture well out of the way, so nobody got hurt. The “pin-the-mic-on-Hannah” game was a good one too.

Our cake was disappointingly small, but very tasty (I hear). There was plenty of pizza and lemonade to take up the slack, so nobody went home starving. It never fails to surprise me how a group of 7-and-8-year-old girls can eat…

In short, all the kids seemed to have a great time, School Girl got a bunch of really nice presents, and it was easily the fastest 2 hours I’ve experienced in ages. And School Girl gets to do this all again next week, for a friend’s birthday/sleepover.

The next day, School Girl woke up with a hacking deep cough that made me run for the inhaler and K run for the phone. Our visit won’t be happening until next week.

School Girl’s having a birthday party with just a few friends, like she did for the past 2 years. This time I think there will be more kids; of the five that we invited, four actually called and/or emailed and said that, barring illness or 3′ of snow, they would be there. I ordered the cake last week, and we’re having pizza for dinner as well. School Girl actually came up with a couple of themed games herself, which was pretty great. She even offered to help me put them together tomorrow after school. (Tonight she needs to get moving on her presentation – you don’t want to know.) I think we’re watching a concert video somewhere in there, which should all easily fit in two hours or so.

I’m getting a little freaked out about our visit this weekend. We usually have a visit around School Girl’s birthday, but never this close to the actual date. (At one point I had thought about canceling the party all together and just going down to visit for a couple of days, but that was voted down.) There is some question as to whether everybody who has said they’ll be there will show up. I’m hoping they will, for School Girl’s sake, but I don’t count on other people anymore. I have no control over anyone but myself (and an increasingly limited control over School Girl). The only thing I can hope for is that School Girl has a fun time with her family.

By the way, Heather at Production, Not Reproduction has put up another OAB Roundtable question that might fit in with this. I can’t bring myself to write about that this round. There are a lot of other, better writers over there that will be writing; go over and have a look.

We talked a little about what she likes now. She’s discovered reading in a big way. She reads chapter books at night, after K or I read to her at bedtime. She loves girly things. Right now we’re having a battle over makeup. She gets to wear nail polish, but she’s been asking for other makeup things. But anyway.

C has been having a tough time; understandably, considering what she’s gone through these past 6 months. We talked a little about how hard this time of year is for them. I’m hoping that M will be okay with even seeing School Girl the day after, but I won’t be surprised if she can’t do it. Disappointed, certainly. Not surprised.

I will be pissed off if there’s heavy snow next weekend, but that’s the only thing I’m stressing over.

Birthday Season usually starts about 4-5 weeks before School Girl’s birthday, and ends sometime around our “family day” 6 weeks later. I love it because we normally make a big deal about School Girl’s birthday. In the past it’s usually involved a party for her friends, a dinner of her choice and cake if her party’s not on her actual birthday, a ton of birthday phone calls, and presents. Oh, and a trip to the Most Expensive Teddy Bear Store in the Whole Damn World.

See the first thing on that list? That’s why I get queasy. For the past 2 years we’ve had birthday parties, here at home for a limited number of guests, with varying degrees of success. Last year was the toughest, as School Girl’s BFF couldn’t be there. She still had fun, as did the kids that were here. Of course, the first year had the Pinata From Hell. The one that should have come with a machete for easy opening. None of us, including the two adults at the party, could open the damn thing; I had to get out a kitchen knife and cut it open, making for some good times.

Most of School Girl’s family calls her for her birthday, either on the day or the day after. My parents and my sister (well, last year her daughters and School Girl did most of the talking), K’s brother’s wife, and C. M has called…I want to say twice, possibly? I don’t think it’s been any more times than that. Not on her birthday. I know it’s a difficult time for M. I do. But I think School Girl misses her on that day. Just to talk to her for a few minutes on any day is a big deal, and we try to encourage that. She’s never said that she’s upset when M doesn’t call, but sometimes I wonder.

This year C has said that she’d like to do something with School Girl. I’ve brought it up once or twice, and it’s not gotten a good reception. Part of it has to do with her party – she wants to have it on the Saturday after her birthday, so that she can have a longer party. I thought it would be good to visit C on that Saturday, and she’s fighting that. There is one other solution, but I need to talk to School Girl before I bring it up with everyone else involved.