Make the kid happy

Since the significant one and I were heading off for our first weekend sans kid in over five and a half years, I naturally suffered acutely from parental guilt.

Rather than popping Valium, I took the lazy mom’s out: I bought the wee one gifts. I figured since we’d be gone three nights, three wrapped up gifts would fill her greedy little soul with joy, if only temporarily.

I found a stash of goodies at the Ever After shop on Pacific Avenue, ranging from cheap sunglasses and a nifty shower curtain with black and white surfer snapshots (for me) to finger puppets, a tiara laced with marabou, and a Webkinz plush toy — her first.

The last of these items, a Chihuahua we named Skippy Jane Jo after a character in a book she loves. (Skippy Jon Jones is a Siamese cat who believes himself a Chihuahua. I recommended the name, and suggested perhaps the pup believes herself a cat?)

Though the cat idea was nixed, the toy was the hit of the weekend, since it came with entry into a web world. Basically, the thing is a Tamagotchi toy with fur and a Web community to back it up.

And while the kid has already forgotten about Skippy Jane Jo, I’m afraid I’ve become sucked into her world.

Pardon me, I have a dog’s room to furnish.



[Ever After, 821 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.627.0202]

Invitation to be messy

More parental guild has set in, knowing that my child’s first year of school looms without her ever having a 5-year-old birthday party (sometimes these things happen when a birthday occurs the day after Christmas.)

After promising a Happy Half-Birthday Party to the kid — and having that day come and go — and then promising a Happy Almost Half Birthday Party — and having that day come and go — I’ve decided to host the kid a Happy End of Summer Not Birthday Party.

To alleviate the mommy guilt I feel thus far, I naturally turned to shopping.

This time, I went to the Paper Zone in search of the things necessary to make the perfect invitations: fairy princess stamp, ink in bright blues ranging to purples with clear embossing powder, and kumquat orange paper.

The invitations will be way cool.

I just hope to have them ready for at least her next real birthday.



[The Paper Zone, 3304 S. 23rd St., Tacoma, 253.572.5157]