Party Etiquette for Girls Gone Child


Saturday night a friend of ours had a party. Being the only invitees with a child we asked if it was okay to bring Archer. Our friend said, "of course!" So we brought him. All dressed up with Archer hanging on my hip, bundled up in his starry-sling. No one seemed to mind and if they did I was too busy macking down on Sushi and Seaweed salad (and picking fallen bits off Archer's hat.)

I had a couple glasses of wine and enjoyed myself as one would at a party. When Archer woke up, he smiled at the people and we made our rounds, cheese and crackers for me, smooshed banana and a ba-ba for him.

After a while, my arm became tired. Twenty pounds of little boy is one heavy accessory. Sheesh! Plus, he had dozed off again and was sweating so I wanted to put him down. We laid him down in our friend's room on my coat with blankets and his nu-nu.

When he started to fuss, we said our goodbyes and exited stage left. Perfectly fine, right?

I guess I'm one of those Momzes who think its okay to bring their child everywhere. Museums, concerts, parties as long as baby isn't screaming his bloody head off/ making anyone's life miserable.

Last night we went with some friends to see King Kong at the Dome* and got a babysitter for the first time. It was the first time I had been in my husband's car in almost a year (the carseat is in mine so...) and I felt naked. Naked!!!

And what about you? Do you have your pie and eat it too? (I prefer pie to cake.) Do you take your kid/baby/ with you or do people like me annoy the hell out of you? It's okay. I can take it. Bring it on.


GGC

*the movie was ok. Quentin Tarantino was watching two rows in front of us w/ his entourage of DP's and AP's and PA's. A fight broke out between a drunk man/abusive father (throwing his kid around) and some angry Hollywood hipsters. It was kind of funny because people were literally throwing things and yelling over his head and QT's eyes never left the screen, even as security escorted the entire row behind him out of the theatre. I forgot how dramatic trips to the movies can be in this town. I also forgot how no one can leave the theatre until the credits are finished. It's a respect issue because everyone works in the "Industry," (my husband included) and every stunt-man, craft service worker, 3rd assistant to the gaffer must be recognized... Anyway, I could go on and on but this blog is about GGC not GGTTM.**

** Girls Gone to the Movies

12 comments:

jdg | 5:06 PM

yeah, we take ours to parties. at the last one though I fell alseep with her in the middle of the floor of the host's bedroom LONG before the night should have been over.

Pinterest Failures | 5:40 PM

On one of our trips back to Pittsburgh, we were invited to a party and our daughter was only about 4 months old at the time. We laid her on T's bed with the coats and she happily fell asleep and slept during the entire party. T's bedroom has two entrances and no doors so people filed in and out, tossing their coats all over the place. A bunch of us took turns checking on her and taking coats off of her. She was great and no one really knew a baby was at the party until we were leaving. Oh, how I miss those days...

Pete | 6:29 PM

WE like to take our little one to whereever we can.

There little people....so they should be able to go everywhere big people go......execpt of course to skirmish games and all night disco parties

Anonymous | 8:16 PM

I have to say that we do cherish our alone time - but that is probably because our son is in the midst of the terrible twos and not exactly sociable, you know? :-) You sound like a wonderful mommy and if your baby is a good one, then i say go for it!!

Anonymous | 11:24 PM

I think some of our friends would kill us if we showed up without the baby. They like to goo and gah at him. But there are other events where we do leave him with the babysitters, primarily fancy parties (if I'm wearing silk and makeup I just don't want to be wrestling a kid the whole night; plus the smeared lipstick is not a good look, as Chance can't keep his fingers out of my mouth). But in general I think as long as you have a kid not prone to tantrums it's cool to take them out with you. (Plus, I think a lot of people like to see babies out in public. They kind of get the same attention as puppies.)

musicmantra | 1:04 AM

they go where we go, and we go where they go. no family until you take a 22hr flight and we have never hired a baby sitter yet, not that the idea does not tempt me to have some me time or us time.

Anonymous | 11:01 AM

I am with you in spirit. We intended to be the "tote the babe everywhere" types but as it turns out, our son gets overwhelmed by too much social energy. Parties kind of freak him out--he's forever trying out the doors so he can leave. So we don't do the party thang with him that much.

Alisyn | 11:05 AM

If I can't take the little one, I don't go. She's been to movies, parties, lectures, musicals and two concerts in her short 7 months.

I've never been a big babysitter fan. I just can't bring myself to do it - unless it's one of the girls' grandmas, and since they don't live locally, it happens rarely. I feel like I can sacrifice a little *me* time for the first few years, when they really need/want me around. It's worth it, for me.

That being said, I'm REALLY looking forward to this summer, when we'll be sharing a cabin with friends in Wisconsin, and Violet will be old enough (read: weaned) to be left with a sitter!

Anonymous | 12:57 PM

I used to take the Peanut EVERYWHERE with me. But ever since I left the baby in that bar downtown, my wife won't let me anymore. Sheesh! One time! It wasn't like I did it on purpose or anything!

Anonymous | 7:42 PM

We're in the take-your-kids-to-parties category. It's fucking hard to get a sitter.

In fact, we took the chill-uns to a par-tay last weekend. Husband and I had two chocolate martinis (each), while the kids played with other children's toys -- those other children were the hosts kids but were no where to be seen. I think they were at the sitter's!

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 11:27 PM

oooooh, nice! yeah. sitters are impossible commodities. I remember babysitting at like, 10 years old... five kids and it was like "cool. whatever. just order me pizza." I think I was paid $2.50 an hour. These days? Not so much. P.S. I don't know what the hell the neighbors were thinking hiring me to babysit all of the neighborhood kids. Hell! I was a kid too. Oy.

Anonymous | 10:17 AM

we are strictly have baby, will travel. but we bail at the first twinkle of babydrama. if my baby aint welcome, you won't catch me there. but that's probably in part due to the fact that anywhere babies aren't welcome, jeans aren't welcome. cept movies. we just don't go. too spendo.