Isabel's birthday party

William and I hopped in the car on Saturday morning and made a trip to Jackson, TN to visit my dear friend Phuong. Phuong's elder daughter Isabel was celebrating her third birthday, and we were invited to the party. I was also delighted to see Phuong and Jessica, and Phuong and Eric's new baby Amelia.

William, of course, was delighted by any event that gave him the chance to drink juice boxes like the big kids and run around in the yard and make noises to his heart's content.






































And he got to play with Jessica.






































Then there was the bounce house. I confidentally said that I doubted William would want to get anywhere near the bounce house--that he'd be afraid of it.



















I mean, he's just now about to turn 17 months old. He's only been walking for a few months now. And those bounce houses are big! But while I was off chatting merrily away with some other adults, one of the older children gently coaxed William into the bounce house. And then Kate shooed some of the other kids away so he could give it a chance without being stepped on. And he wasn't scared at all!



















In fact, later one, he was willing to go back in the bounce house, while a couple of the other kids gently bounced the floor with their hands so he could feel the bouncing without having to stand up and do it himself.


















Amazing. A lady at church said to me on Sunday, "You know why children exist, don't you? To make liars out of their parents!" Sure enough. William was more than happy enough to try out the bounce house when I thought he'd be scared of it, and he also cried when I dropped him off at the church nursery when I had just bragged that he never even looked back at me when we arrived there each week.



















Anyway, the party was terrific. I was amazed that Phuong managed to pull off such a terrific party only a few weeks after giving birth. She managed to juggle countless friends, family members, her active three year old and her new baby. And still serve dinner. Now, I will tell you that she had a little help from Jessica and me: the three of us put up a tent in the yard. In case anyone ever asks, it takes three Rhodes graduates to put up a tent. Just so you know. And uh, it also takes a lot of trial and error and maybe a bit of mild swearing. But I'll have you know that that tent stayed up the entire party, with nary a shudder. See what you can do when you put together about 20 years of collective higher education?