Love is in the air...

Move over, Dora, there's a new girl in town. And this time, she's real.

Heath and Stella had a birthday party for their friends this afternoon at Monkey Joe's. I was a little anxious about going. New venue; we've never been there before. Heath has had more than a little difficulty these days with physical interactions. I'd decided to bring both kids, instead of leaving Stella at home with a sitter, so having both can be a little hairy at times. One going one way, and the other, well, another way. But I took many deep breaths, said multiple prayers throughout the day, and when they were up from naps, I threw a little caution to the wind, and headed off to the bouncing heaven.

Yesterday I explained to Heath that we would have to take our shoes off and have only our socks on to play. He was kicking off his fire fighter boots before I could even have us inside the place. It wasn't as crazed as I had anticipated. There were a lot of children, and multiple birthday parties happening, but it didn't have the frenzied, out of control feel I had anticipated. Heath could barely wait to get his wristband on (something to identify the children so that no one can take off with a child that isn't there own) before he was off and running into the first bouncy area available.

He loved it. He climbed. He slid. He flipped. He bounced. Stella, on the other hand, was more interested in running around on the carpet than stepping into the Toddler Zone (a bouncy area for the littlest of the littles). Everytime I stuck her in the puffed, jello-like square, she'd immediately lift up her arms and say, Up, Mama. She wanted to get out and around on more secure footing.

Time zoomed by and next thing I knew it was time for pizza and cake. Stella sat at the table with all the big kids. Heath barely touched his pizza, but that was fine since his bottomless pit sister was sitting beside him. She ate all of hers, and quite a bit of Heath's. Same story with the cake. Monkey Joe even paid the birthday boys a visit. Stella squealed with delight and Heath gave him a Hi.

When it was time to go, they both ran from me. Heath climbed the tallest of the slides and announced that he was stuck. He wasn't. He just didn't want to go. Neither did Stella. Everytime I'd rally one, the other would take off. Then I'd get shoes on that one, and the other would run away. I finally decided no one needed shoes or jackets or anything on, so I concentrated on just wrangling the bodies and getting them strapped down in my car.

Tonight while Heath was in the bathtub, I asked him if he had a good time. He was quiet, busy sucking the water out of his wash cloth.

I suggested going back to Monkey Joe's to play again. Would you like that?

He slurped a little more water out of his wash cloth, pulled it out of his mouth, and said, Maybe we will go tomorrow and my girlfriend will be there?

This girlfriend comment caught me by surprise. He'd been so busy bouncing, I never really saw him interact with anyone in particular. Your girlfriend? Who is your girlfriend?

She was at Monkey Joe's, at the birthday party.

What's her name?

Anything, he said, not making eye contact.

At this time, Mark comes in the bathroom with Stella. Apparently he'd overheard the conversation while he was putting her pajamas on. What's her name, Heath?

I don't know, Dad, I don't know, he answered, already sounding like a surly teenager.

After a few more questions and minutes of parental badgering, he finally told us it was a little girl sitting beside Stella while they were eating pizza and cake.

I never saw them speak. I never even saw him look at her. But apparently, during that Monkey Joe's birthday party experience, Heath got himself a new girlfriend.

I wonder if she, whatever her name is, knows?