The dreaded birthday parties...

It's birthday time. Andy's turning 7. Already.

I dread birthday time. I never know quite how Andy's going to do with the whole party thing.

There was that one year when he screamed and cried when we sang happy birthday to him.

Then there was the year that we decided to have the party at the bounce place. Andy got so overstimulated that he had a full on tantrum that seemed to last forever. I had to carry him out kicking and screaming.

Usually by the time it's time for cake and presents he is D.O.N.E. Like, ready to run out the door and hide done. By that point he generally has no patience, doesn't want to wait for the cake to be cut, doesn't want to sit through us singing happy birthday, doesn't want people to look at him, etc.

Every year I secretly dread it. I wish somehow I could get away with not having a party. Everything about it is yucky. I know he'll get overstimulated and then be mean and sassy and terrible the whole rest of the day.

Then there's the whole nightmare about trying to find a place to make a dye free cake. And then what will we serve for lunch/dinner? The kid only has a few things he actually likes to eat.

Present time is no fun, either. He is so out of whack by that time that he doesn't want to read the cards, he doesn't want to "pretend" to like the clothes that he opens, and just plain doesn't understand why we can't just be done and go home.

Besides, I never know what to tell people to get him. He doesn't "play" with toys. Seriously. He hasn't played with a toy in years. When I ask him what he wants, he says video games. However, I won't let people buy him video games because a) he has too many already and b) he only gets to play video games for 30 minutes a day and how many can you really play in that amount of time? So, that being said, he isn't really going to like anything that he gets for his birthday anyway because it isn't going to be what he really wants.

Yep...sounds like a barrel of fun, doesn't it?

However, the dye free cake is ordered. The lunch is planned. Lunch is something he won't eat, though, so I have to bring him something different.

And just to really cause controversy, we're thinking about waiting to open presents until after the party. You heard me correctly. We may SKIP opening the presents. I know...the horror!

It just really sucks, again, that something like a simple birthday party can be so painful for a child with SPD. Why, oh why, can't he just enjoy his day?

Maybe this year will be different. Maybe he'll breeze on through without any difficulty. Maybe the noise and attention won't set him on edge. Maybe he won't have any meltdowns. Maybe everything will be great.

I'll keep you posted...