Lolly’s birthday party was today! I think she had a lot of fun. There were a lot of girls from her gymnastics class, and other kids closer to her age. I was sort-of a sore-thumb, one of the oldest kids there, and especially the oldest boy by a long-shot.
I tried to be a little distant and let her spend time with friends, since I spend a lot of time with her already. I hopped up quite a bit to help out her mom, carrying cups, plates, and silverware; refilling the coolers with more drinks; manning the camera to take some pictures; little stuff like that.
My present for her to unwrap was a Disney-themed coloring book. I was going to get her a My Little Pony one, but I’m glad I didn’t, because two other kids got her that very same one. It was actually a little bit of a thorny situation, cuz when she announced it was from the one girl, and then the other girl saw what it was, she sorta got huffy and accused the girl it was really from of re-wrapping it during the party because she thought it was better than the gift she originally got.
Then Lolly opened up the other girl’s gift and showed it to be that they had both just gotten the same gift.
Kid-logic, am I right?
While the kids started getting picked up, I helped clean things. After the last kid left, Lolly’s mom let out a sigh, and asked me if I could watch things so she and Lolly’s dad could visit their neighbors. Of course, I agreed; I was sorta expecting it. It was what they usually did, on any other day, after all.
After they left, I helped Lolly carry all of her presents up to the play-room. She put away what she could, and directed me where to put the things she couldn’t reach. After we had all her new presents organized, I sat on the couch, and yawned with a stretch. When I opened my eyes, I met hers.
She was looking at me very expectantly.
“Hm?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
“You know,” she urged, leaning forward and twisting a little, impatiently. “My real present?” She asked.
“Ooooooooooh right,” I replied, pretending like I’d forgotten. “It’s in my backpack,” I reached over the arm-rest and swung it around to my feet, and patted the cushion on the couch next to me to tell her to sit. I made a show of rummaging through my backpack, checking all the pockets, like I was having trouble finding it, even though I knew right where it was.
“Whatisitwhatisitwhatisitwhatisit,” she asked over and over, bouncing on the couch next to me.
“Oh that’s right, I put it in the front pocket.” I pulled out two little bottles.
My sister had a ton of them, and most just sat in her vanity closet. So, I snuck away with a couple. I’m sure they wouldn’t be missed.
Lolly cocked her head. “...What is it?” She asked, this time genuinely.
I unscrewed one of the caps, and pulled it up to reveal the attached brush. “Is nail-polish,” I told her. “Now gimme your footsies, and I’ll make your toesies look purdy.”
