S07.E09: Will's Birthday Party

[leighroda]

It's probably mean because I'm not sure if it's because she was scared... But I thought Zoeys expressions for a majority of the episode, the "what the actual f$&@ is going on" look was hilarious. I also noticed how really tiny Zoey is when Jenns dad picked her up, she always looks small, but in comparison with Bill and Jenn it's not as small as when a average sized person is holding her.

I agree with marigny, the best quote of the episode was when Bill said he had to choose between diabetes and fate.

[mojito]

With those big eyes, she's rocking that bewildered look, isn't she?

[Absolom]

Zoey really is tiny. Will was about the same height as a quite short two year old in the recent episodes. He looks so big compared to Zoey.

[4leafclover]

I didn't realize how tiny Zoey is either, until I saw her standing in front of Jen's dad.  You're right, seeing her with Bill, Jen and Will makes me think of her as average height (in her immediate family, anyway!)

[EmmeRose]

I loved the party for Will.  Jen planned it well down to the adorable cake!  I just wonder if anyone else has noticed that Will screams a lot and Jen nor Bill ever seem to tell him to stop.  If they are preparing him for pre-school, the screaming and grunting will have to cease as no teacher will put up with that behavior!  Believe me, I love the little guy, but sometimes I feel he is regressing into babyhood.  I wonder if the arrival of Zoey has something to do with this.

[Lillybee]

I am sure that Zoey's arrival did set Will back a bit. For a short amount of time, he didn't have to share his parents. But this is something that happens with bio families as well.

[all4mom]

Will was never a screamer before Zoey; her influence, no doubt (or maybe he just has to work harder to get everyone's attention).  I wish Jen had gone with the "bee-bee" car cake to which she seemed to have a positive reaction; if any cake was "Will all over," it was the cartoon car-shaped one; he'd have loved that!  But she just had to stick with the theme; she's all about the theme, as we saw in Bill's former media/now play room.  Her manta: "must keep everyone occupied every minute" is getting old (and is extremely controlling)...  Let kids be kids and interact naturally rather than micromanaging everything...  It would make more enjoyable viewing than watching Jen shout orders and mandate everyone's every move every minute.  The "little dictator" thing may work well in the NICU; not so much in the real world or home.  As for showing us only the sunny side of things, that's just lovely, but it's not reality.  Nor is it very educational or honest, in my opinion.  I feel, er, defrauded at times by the kids' dubbed voices and obvious plot "tricks"...  As for Zoey's dwarfism, Bill seemed to be hinting at the "medical" (as Jen kept calling it) in India that he suspected Zoey may have another type of dwarfism, as do I: primordial, specifically.  Have they ever had her genetically tested for that?  All it takes is a simple blood test.  It seems incredible to think that they have or would not!  Very curious why that's not being addressed as all of Will's myriad health issues were on TV.  They do seem determined to portray Jen as The Little Superhero; did she insert that in the contract, lol?  As much as they try to show Jen doing all the mothering, trust me, she is not (nor is she physically capable).  Again, what they show is not a factual or representative slice of life or genuine human behavior, warts and all.  Personally, I tune in to reality TV to see a documentary; not some romantic fantasy about a heroine who smiles ALL THE TIME.  Sorry, but it's just not normal for anyone to smile as much as Jen smiles...  As always: love the kids...

Edited May 2, 2014 by all4mom

[jodo]

 

I just wonder if anyone else has noticed that Will screams a lot and Jen nor Bill ever seem to tell him to stop.  If they are preparing him for pre-school, the screaming and grunting will have to cease as no teacher will put up with that behavior!  Believe me, I love the little guy, but sometimes I feel he is regressing into babyhood.  I wonder if the arrival of Zoey has something to do with this.

 

I sure have noticed!  I think I have commented before about Will going back not forward in his development in his speech and his behavior.  I can understand a setback for a brief time but to me that brief time occurred when they brought Zoey home and allowed no filming/cameras/visitors other than family and had family bonding time alone.  We have seen a few shows now and Will hasn't picked up where he left off to me, he still seems very baby-like and don't get me wrong I NEVER WANT WILL TO GROW UP!  I want him to stay just like he is!  Zoey speaks better than he does.  Next week's show might give us more insight as part of it is about his speech development.  However it is way past discipline time on the development clock for the betterment of the children who will have others to deal with other than Bill and Jen who look the other way and Judy and Dave who bow to the parents wishes on how they raise the kids and rightly so.  

Edited May 2, 2014 by jodo

[walnutqueen]

The  party times on the Houston Zoo website indicate that they only had the pavilion for two hours.  I can see why organization was required.  They had to get in, set up quickly, welcome the guests, see the animals, have cake, and clear out.

 

 

Thanks for that info, Absolom; it puts things into perspective.

 

It is no surprise to me that Zoey and Jen's Dad have bonded so well.   He's had a lot of experience carrying a tiny little girl around (Jen), and I'm sure he loves it.  I'd also imagine that when you're as tiny as Zoey, or as Jen was as a child (not to mention now!), being held up high in a big man's arms must feel very secure.  The view from up there is certainly better than looking at a sea of knees.  :-)

[ButterQueen]

I loved Will's birthday party. It wasn't just a celebration of his 4th year of life, it was also a celebration of Jen being healthy and able to plan the perfect party. It looked like so much fun, and it appears they have a lot of friends.

I think Will and Zoey are both very well-behaved children, and I don't notice Will screaming. Jen and Bill became parents of two toddlers, within a short period, not to mention her cancer treatments, so I think they are doing great as new parents. Jen did a wonderful job of planning the party, and I never saw her barking orders at anyone.

I love this family.

Edited May 2, 2014 by ButterQueen

[EmmeRose]

In regard to Zoey's form of dwarfism, I too wonder if she has been tested yet.  The MD in India said they would have to wait and see.  I notice that she is more in proportion to her body than Will.  Her arms are longer, her legs are shorter but not as short as Will's at that age.  Also, her head is not large like Will's.  Sometimes, achondroplasia is mis-diagnosed.  There are milder forms of dwarfism called Hypochrondroplasia, where symtoms are milder, and also, Pseudoachrondroplasia, where the person can reach over 5 feet tall.  I guess we will have to wait and see as the doctor in India said.  Zoey is very tiny, but I wonder if that is because she was nutritionally deficient while in India.  Since her arrival in the US, under the care of Jen and Bill, she has gained weight and height, so she is on the way to a healthy life!  Thank God, she was adopted by such caring people!

[Bavct]

About that "lucky" first slice of cake - I come from a very big Italian family and that is a huge thing in my family and all of the Italian families we grew up with - no one but the birthday/christening/communion, etc. person gets that lucky first slice.   I'm not sure of Bill's background, I know he does the seven fishes for Christmas, but he seems to have some of the same traditions my family does. 

 

Since we moved to Houston, we have been to quite a few events at the Zoo (including a spectacular wedding) and I think Jen did an awesom job on the party. 

[all4mom]

"It wasn't just a celebration of his 4th year of life, it was also a celebration of Jen being healthy and able to plan the perfect party."  Yes, it was certainly all about Jen...  But isn't it always?

 

I was disturbed that they all seemed to find Zoey's hitting so cute and funny, yet poor Will was sent to time-out for the same behavior. Double-standard much?  True, Will did it with the Mad Will look on his face, while Zoey did it with a big, beautiful smile, so she gets away with murder.  Hmmm; she might be her mother's daughter after all! 

Edited May 2, 2014 by all4mom

[MrMattyMatt]

 

 

I was disturbed that they all seemed to find Zoey's hitting so cute and funny,

I was seriously laughed out loud when she was playing "Whack a Mole" with Bill!

Edited May 2, 2014 by MrMattyMatt

[all4mom]

I thought it was cute, too, but it's so obvious Jen is biased toward Zoey that it's NOT funny...  Will must be so confused!  It's funny when Zoey hits, my Bee-Beep is taken away if I hit?  It's funny to paint my hand with Baba at the pottery place, it's not okay to paint my hand with Mommy at the easels?  I just hope Bill is a "stand-up guy" for Will now (once he has his back surgery, that is).  Bill's family.  Vanished?

Edited May 2, 2014 by all4mom

[ButterQueen]

I don't believe for a minute that this party was all about Jen. As I said, this birthday came on the heels of her cancer remission, which interfered with her bonding time with Zoey and Will. She has a lot to be thankful for, and I am glad she took this opportunity to let loose and celebrate! I don't remember her mentioning her cancer at the party at all. She is probably walking on a cloud that it appears she beat cancer and will be around to raise her children. However, being a physician, she is well aware that cancer can sometimes rear it's ugly head again, and life can be taken away so quickly, so good for her for mustering the energy to plan such a wonderful party. I had a dear friend "ring the bell" as Jen did after treatments, only to pass away 6 months later as it had returned, worse than before. Jen's positive attitude during this whole season has been amazing, and Will and Zoey hit the jackpot with parents. I don't remember one friend of mine ( myself included), that didn't make a big deal out of birthday parties starting with age 1. It's one party for the child a year, and I myself, enjoyed the heck out of planning and carrying them out. It certainly wasn't about me, but it was about how my husband and I loved our children, their friends, and wanting to celebrate a very special day -- in any way we saw fit.

If my granddaughter was bopping me with a balloon playfully, I would not give it a thought. That is not a precursor to hitting in the future. It was a new toy for her. Raising well balanced children takes patience, love, understanding, and the acceptance that you can only do your best. I found it better, as my children were growing, to pick my battles. I probably would have taken the balloon, rubbed it in Zoey's hair and show her how it sticks to a wall. It's a toy. Now, if she had been poking Bill in the face with the stick, intervention as to how exactly to play with the balloon would have been warranted, but she wasn't doing that.

Even if Jen never experienced cancer, she has every right, as a mom, to throw the best party she can for her child. She doesn't need a reason. And given the theme and activities, this party was clearly all about Will and he certainly seemed to have a great time. I applaud Jen for doing such a wonderful job when she is clearly not fully recovered from chemo.

In regards to favoritism, I see absolutely none. Will and Zoey are two very different children, at two different stages in life, and since Jen missed a chunk of time with Zoey while sick, they are still getting to know each other. They both have a lot of bonding left to do, especially since Zoey was not happy being left alone with Bill at first.

Edited May 5, 2014 by ButterQueen

[jodo]

I wish we could have seen more of the kids at Will's birthday party and heard and seen less of Bill and Jen planning it and I guess Bill gets no credit in helping with the plans or Judy with her years of experience planning kids parties.  Not sure if Jen didn't refer to cancer during voiceovers but Bill did I am pretty sure because I thought when will we have heard the last of cancer for a while!  Enough already!!  

 

I am not sure I would agree it is ok to "hit" someone no matter what the perceived intention behind it might be.  Jen's words to Will "it is not ok to hit."      

Edited May 2, 2014 by jodo

[MrMattyMatt]

Zoe's bobbing of Baba did make me laugh, but I thought it went on a bit long.  That kind of thing is more annoying than anything else and at that age when they find out that others find it funny, they keep on doing it.  I doubt it will cause her to become violent and lash out when she's angry.  Is hitting when you are mad instinctual or did Will learn that somewhere......hmmmmmm....

[jodo]

True kids tend to drag things along when they get an eager audience like the balloon bopping over and over and Jen and Zoey clanging their tea cups about a dozen times CHEERS!!  We get it....

 

I guess Will saw hitting on a tv show maybe?  

[minx]

IMO Bill has to be more of a disciplinarian with Will. It's not fair to cast Jen as the bad cop and have Bill be the easy going playful dad, even if that is his nature. My husband and I always tried to present a united front with our kids when they were young, backing each other up and not letting the kids go to the other parent to plead his/her case. You need BOTH parents to mete out discipline.

I say this with the usual caveats that we are, of course, not seeing their entire lives, just a fraction of a fraction. As adorable as Will is, he has the potential to be really spoiled; and I do feel bad for even saying that. But I think it's true.

[4leafclover]

I don't understand the obsession with Bill's family.  Bill doesn't seem worried about them.  We don't know if they speak frequently on the phone or have face time or whatever.  Who cares?

[Fostersmom]

Isn't Bill's family all out of state? Who knows what they have going on. And you know, don't work for Bill and have jobs and stuff. 

[4leafclover]

Yes, they're in Florida and Bill has never seemed overly close to them, although that could just be the way the editing is done.  

[LoLo]

Again, I'm puzzled at people constructing ginormous McMansions for entertaining (at least Bill mentioned this while they were building it), purchasing professional ovens for baking, etc., and then doing all of their entertaining in rented venues with purchased baked goods, but anyway.  I do hope we see at least some of Bill's family at this party, as Will and Zoey have TWO sets of grandparents and not just one...  Three, actually!

They wanted a zoo theme with animals, it was easier to do at the zoo. 

[LegalParrot81]

Bill's Mother and Step-father are in New York.  They were able to come down to Delaware when Will had his surgery and in the voice over Jen said they were in New York.  

 

We know they talk to them because Bill's mother told them she hoped the second child would be as easy as Will.

 

Also, they showed his younger brother and his wife asking them to be the Godparents to their baby.

Edited May 3, 2014 by LegalParrot81

[LoLo]

Will was never a screamer before Zoey; her influence, no doubt (or maybe he just has to work harder to get everyone's attention).  I wish Jen had gone with the "bee-bee" car cake to which she seemed to have a positive reaction; if any cake was "Will all over," it was the cartoon car-shaped one; he'd have loved that!  But she just had to stick with the theme; she's all about the theme, as we saw in Bill's former media/now play room.  Her manta: "must keep everyone occupied every minute" is getting old (and is extremely controlling)...  Let kids be kids and interact naturally rather than micromanaging everything...  It would make more enjoyable viewing than watching Jen shout orders and mandate everyone's every move every minute.  The "little dictator" thing may work well in the NICU; not so much in the real world or home.  As for showing us only the sunny side of things, that's just lovely, but it's not reality.  Nor is it very educational or honest, in my opinion.  I feel, er, defrauded at times by the kids' dubbed voices and obvious plot "tricks"...  As for Zoey's dwarfism, Bill seemed to be hinting at the "medical" (as Jen kept calling it) in India that he suspected Zoey may have another type of dwarfism, as do I: primordial, specifically.  Have they ever had her genetically tested for that?  All it takes is a simple blood test.  It seems incredible to think that they have or would not!  Very curious why that's not being addressed as all of Will's myriad health issues were on TV.  They do seem determined to portray Jen as The Little Superhero; did she insert that in the contract, lol?  As much as they try to show Jen doing all the mothering, trust me, she is not (nor is she physically capable).  Again, what they show is not a factual or representative slice of life or genuine human behavior, warts and all.  Personally, I tune in to reality TV to see a documentary; not some romantic fantasy about a heroine who smiles ALL THE TIME.  Sorry, but it's just not normal for anyone to smile as much as Jen smiles...  As always: love the kids...

I too like documentary, real shows (hard to find nowadays). But with all the negative drama & fake "realty tv". I don't mind a quick 30 minute show that is focused on happiness & I'm not a "sun shiny, rainbows type" of person. I couldn't deal with any other show doing this, like the Duggars are to perfect & happy for me but this show is not as sugary in that the kids are too small to be acting & I admire the success in business.

[4leafclover]

Then it must be Bill's father and stepmother who live in Florida?  I think 1 or 2 of his brothers are there as well.  Not easy to drop everything and fly to Houston several times a year unless they are retired and/or wealthy.

[minx]

I see nothing sinister or weird about the Arnolds being at the party and not Bill's parents. They don't live in Houston. In my experience four-year-olds barely notice what people are at a party anyway; they focus on the presents, the activities and the decorations/theme. Will undoubtedly loved his cake, too.

Someone mentioned the contrast between Dave Arnold and Zoey. That just killed me! She looked like a peanut in his arms, so adorable. When you see her away from her family you can see how tiny she really is.

[mojito]

 

As for showing us only the sunny side of things, that's just lovely, but it's not reality.

True. I think they went over the top showing what Jen's been going through with her cancer treatments. How sunshiny can you get?

Edited May 3, 2014 by mojito

[minx]

I also think Jen and Bill should have had the party at home, and that Jen herself should have cooked all the food, baked the cake, made all the party favors, and cleaned everything up herself. Why should having cancer excuse her from anything? Get that apron on, woman!

Kidding, of course. I never passed up an opportunity to have my kids' parties at another venue if it was possible. They were happy, my husband was happy, but most importantly MOM was happy.

Having said that--IMO the party was a bit much for a four year old, too long, too many people. But you tend to overdo it with the first kids' party and you learn. I'm sure TLC had a hand in the whole thing, either suggesting it, arranging it, whatever. They need a title for their episode, a theme.

[LegalParrot81]

I wonder how long the party itself actually ran?  They only had the venue for 2 hours, it took 30 minutes to set up (per Bill's voiceover) and probably 20-30 minutes to clean up, so that would mean the party was only about an hour.  Just about right for little kids, imo.

[shandam]

I loved the party for Will. Jen planned it well down to the adorable cake! I just wonder if anyone else has noticed that Will screams a lot and Jen nor Bill ever seem to tell him to stop. If they are preparing him for pre-school, the screaming and grunting will have to cease as no teacher will put up with that behavior! Believe me, I love the little guy, but sometimes I feel he is regressing into babyhood. I wonder if the arrival of Zoey has something to do with this.

Karen you are seeing the same thing as I am the behavior wont just go away. How do they cope when cameras are off I wonder? No teacher will deal with it and I worr they are setting him up for major problems.