If you haven't already heard, your next chance to party hard with your kids is this Saturday, Feb. 23.
I'd been hearing about Baby Loves Disco, the family-oriented daytime dance party, for months before I finally checked it out in November. My friend and her son, who is three weeks older than Gub, were here from out of town, and we thought it would be a good urban activity for the kiddos.
We went on a dreary Sunday, and we showed up a couple hours after the fun had begun. Nonetheless, the staff seemed enthusiastic as we made our way down into Club Heaven. Gub's dad and I had been to that very club for a burlesque show just weeks before, so it was funny to enter the space and see it jumping with shorties. While the club maintained its dark, moody vibe, the place was surprisingly clean and comfortable, and as well lit as I wanted it to be (no one wants bright spotlights in a disco).
The price of our admission ($12 each) included a pair of super cute BabyLegs and a baby cake from Cupcake Royale, which was enough to make the visit worthwhile. The folks from the Lila Guide were giving away copies of their tome, and the bathrooms were stocked with some great non-toxic hand sanitizing wipes. Healthy snacks were piled on tables to counter the sugar buzz inherent in dozens of children on cupcakes, but I saw more moms and dads partaking of the carrot sticks than their offspring.
The dance floor was more vacant than I had hoped, and Gub wasn't yet at an age where she would just dance on her own. Baskets of egg-shaped shakers and scarfs entertained the kids more than the music, and Gub and her buddy were perpetually frustrated by the fast-moving disco lights that disappeared before they could catch them. The parents all seemed game, but the crowd skewed heavily toward the too-young that day: lots of tiny tots wandered around, hoping to follow the handful of "big" kids there.
A separate room was stocked with tons of books, pillows and toys for kids to chill out. There was enough comfortable seating for some nursing mothers to relax. Gub and her pal thoroughly enjoyed the tents and stuffed animals, and they probably had more fun there than on the dance floor.
In another six months, I think Gub will love the atmosphere and activities of Baby Loves Disco, and I think I will enjoy it more when I don't feel so foolish trying to make her understand how to have fun. If I had a three-year-old, however, I would probably make the event a habit, especially if I could gather some other friends who are mamas and dadas for company.
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
post a reply