18th Bday Party Chase. Survived and Alive

We did it !

He did it !

I did it !

(this was written more than a week ago and just posted now)

We survived our first teen big party .And not just survived but all enjoyed it very much and  overall was a good experience for all.

(I truly can't believe I am daring to write this before even having gone downstairs to see the house and the state it's in as that is how much trust I have in all of this)

I did stay at my mom’s as planned. Texted and phoned hubby hourly to get news and make sure hubby stayed awake. I came home at 2:30am and tried very hard to sneak on door and just go to bed as was only the 5 sleeping over who were left.

All 5 boys came to door and greeted me and said “thanks for evening!” heavy beer on breath and red watery eyes. Voices a little slurred but still warm, friendly, respectful and kind. Assuring me that house was fine and that party was a blast and telling me how happy they were that things went well. One of them was Chase’s math tutor! (Almost a graduate from university to be a math teacher) guess they are great friends now!

 I had stars in my eyes speaking to those boys (young men). How lucky Chase is to be surrounded by such good people. 

Hubby was amazing too and not even close to falling asleep. Was still in his work clothes at 2:30 am! Stayed in our room but went down often and said hi and talked to kids a lot. Said all great and all girls totally beautiful! Of course we did not serve alcohol but there was lots flowing anyways but all maturely and respectfully.

He heard 40 sing happy b-day to Chase :)

Hubby ordered two big pizzas (umm two??... See why need a mom??? ) and of course had to order more (two more??) ummm maybe 8 more!! He was surprised that it was gone in a second. He was the perfect party supervisor. Calm cool and collected.

I had the perfect evening too at my mom’s. Went to Gigi pizzeria-my old childhood dig and ate and then back to her house and chatted a lot and then fell asleep a bit on her couch. Maybe pizza was not the best idea after severe gastro two days before?

 Ya on my way home 2:15am I had to stop and throw up two times in the snow! I was so paranoid a police would see me and think I was drinking! Or that I would get home and throw up in driveway and teens would think I was drunk!!

Just overall a great evening that wrapped up a very important milestone for our son. His childhood.. His younger adolescence ... This was something different. It was us trusting him.. And he trusting is. It was us acknowledging that he is in a brand new stage of life as more of a partner than a kid to boss around and make decisions for (ok well yes some bossing around still needed!!!!)

This kid makes us so proud 

I think we make him proud too 

I am proud of this party as was a bit of a finale of what we had always wanted for our teen and expected. Last night  was the package of the labor and result of parenting over 18 yrs. all tied up in one big large messy bow. 

And I am proud of myself that I am a parent who knows my own limits and was able to remove myself from a party that I knew would be better off without me there 

And enjoy my own precious moments with my own mama 

And ok now that it is a week later and just have not had time to post I have noticed a few unusual things around my house.

Let's just say my grocery list is a little obscene? Between Broccoli and Spinch there are a few questionable items which definitely woke me up in the grocery store!

Then there is my labelling machine. Let's just say the first label I printed this week was not something I would want a client to see!

And then of course all school calendars on fridge are written all over if “school is gay "!

And now Chase has been away 6 days in a condo with 10 teens at Mont-Ste Anne and clubbing alot and partying and this all makes me nervous of course as his mom. He is now into the more wild college life and it is harder to watch and get used too (no wonder parents like sending their kids away to college!) This is hard.

Anyways all this stuff just left me to overall accept. If this is the worst of it I will take it! Bring it on 

I actually saved the grocery list for Chase to look at one day and show hime that this kind of stuff is what made his friends tick at 18 yrs. old !

The friends who slept over in the morning saw the grocery list and the scribbled on calendar and said “sorry there are a few inappropriate things Tarina that our friends did " I quickly forgave them.

I actually would have been worried of all was perfect. They are teens after all and not robots!!

But of course hard to find that balance between understanding and worrying. Hard to know how open to leave the communication and how closed we should keep it. Certainly feels better to keep it closed and be ignorant but knowing what is going on I believe is better over all for the teens. Nobody said teen years were easy did they???