Random Llama-ette Birthday Observations

On Sunday, we held my just-turned six year old's birthday party at Build-A-Bear.

- For those of you unfamiliar with the way Build-A-Bear works, the kiddies choose from one of a variety of stuffed animal carcasses. These are then filled with fluff from a large machine via a metal tube stuck up the teddy's backside. If this blog weren't so tasteful, I'd invite you to insert your own Axis Suly joke here.

- Before the teddy is sewn up after stuffing, a little red cloth heart is placed inside. When there's a birthday party, all the guests are made to put hearts in the birthday girl's bear. Even now, I can see some archeologist far in the future staring at one of these sixteen-hearted teddies and muttering, "Why?.......Why?")

- The staffers assigned to our party worked like heroes to keep the kiddies occupied while each of them took turns getting their teddy stuffed. There was only one pipe available and sixteen kids. Do the math. Yet there were no fits, tantrums or escape attempts.

- Once the teddy is stuffed and sewn, the kiddy proceeds to pick out a custom outfit. If she likes, she can also add all sorts of accessories - glasses, purses, doctor's kits and the like. An investment guru friend who was at the party told me Build-A-Bear went public not all that long ago. Wish I'd been in on that IPO. Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Ka-ching!

- One disadvantage of the place is that it is not rigged for parties, even though it hosts them. There's no separate room for cake and ice cream, for example. So instead of trying to lead the entire herd to the food court half way across the mall, a group of us parents went to the Haagen-Daas next door and commandeered four of the five tables in the place, much to the annoyance of some other patrons. I've never done anything so New Yorky in my life. And given how much I rant about people saving seats in movie theatres and Christmas church services, I confess I'm rather ashamed of myself.

- While at the mall, I saw a little boy of no more than three or so with pierced ears. And he wasn't just wearing studs, but had a pair of dangling, beaded ear-rings. What in God's name possessed anybody to do that?

- SOOPER-SEKRET MESSAGE to the parent who gave the Llama-ette the Barbie "Jam With Me" Karaoke Pretend Guitar with Vocal Tracks Cartridge, Whammy Bar and Headset Microphone: Thank you. Thank you so bloody much.