I think I'm actually starting to like the never-ending parade of birthday parties for the kids in Jared's class. I hope I can keep this attitude going, because although Audrey's class isn't quite old enough to do this, I'm sure it's not long off since they'll all be turning 3 in the next year.
I am also patting myself on the back for finally realizing I didn't need to get the birthday presents at brick 'n mortar stores (which I tend to do on the morning of the party, with one or two kids in tow)... just like everything else I buy, I could just buy it online.
Duh.
OK, so present bought days in advance (thank you, Amazon Prime!), we went to today's party at the omnipresent Little Gym, which is actually a pretty well-run operation[1]. The kids all sat in a circle while the teacher lead an exercise of "What is your favorite animal or NASCAR driver?"[2] Jared was fourth in line, and David and I smiled at each other, both assuming that he would be the only boy who chose an animal instead of a NASCAR driver.
The first two kids, girls, chose animals, as did the third kid, a boy.
Then my little un proudly proclaims that "My favorite NASCAR is Jimmy Johnson."
Holy cow. Jimmy Johnson actually exists. And he really is a NASCAR driver.[3]
He obviously learned this little fact from another kid at school, and I can't imagine he really is attached to Jay Jay[4] because he's never mentioned it at home and -- trust me on this one -- he's too obsessive over everything else in his life to just not mention something like this.
And then as they went around the rest of the circle, me who an hour beforehand had had no knowledge of NASCAR, managed to somehow feel a teeny twinge of pride that all of the other boys save one liked Jeff Gordon the best - that's my boy, the original.
[1] I remember clearly Jared's first experience at a Little Gym two years ago, where he clung to me for dear life as these crazy children ran around frantically with a parachute. Something tells me that my old hatred for the neverending stream of birthday parties was more about how Jared never participated or had any fun and my inability to stop going to them without sufferring a massive guilt trip. As it turns out, perhaps it was a good thing in the end, as I'm sure the repetitiveness of these things is probably what encouraged Jared to start to participate, eventually.
[2] Actually they just said "or NASCAR", but that was just driving me nuts so I edited it for telling the story.
[3] Plus he also makes great sandwiches.
[4] That's my pet nickname for Jimmy Johnson, when he comes over.
