I just finished posting these photos from Adam's Birthday party onto my family blog. He had a family party on Sunday afternoon and a friend party Monday morning. Everything was perfect and all events came together to create an unforgettable fifth Birthday Celebration . . . or so they thought!
Last week was a doosie. I started out the weekend prior with my little sister and her husband moving in with us. This was a last minute happenstance and required the removal of all the contents of Audrey's bedroom and closet. The inards were spewed out into the middle of the adjoining hallway and gameroom. There were things in that closet that I have been ignoring since last spring! There they were, staring at me, mercilessly requiring my attention. I practiced a lot of selected neglect for the days that followed.
I had planned to hire a babysitter Saturday so that I could run around and prepare everything for Adam's birthday. Since James was going to be out of town until that evening I decided to trade in my sitter for the nighttime so that we could go out on a date. We made it a double date so that we could invite our new roomies. This left me with no party plans at 7:00 p.m. Saturday night.
We enjoyed a nice dinner and then decided to squeeze Walmart in between dinner and a movie. Walmart cannot be squeezed into anything! Two and a half hours later, we had missed our movie and we were still at Walmart - ALL FOUR OF US! I had sent the boys to find out that aparently everyone with half the brain to use a helium machine had gone home for the night and they would not fill my balloons. This was really my only source of decor and the only real surprise I had up my sleeve. I was going to sneak the balloons into his room so that he would wake up to see them that morning. This was unacceptable. Watch out boys, let me show you how to get things done! A half hour later and we were walking out with a dozen balloons floating proudly with helium.
We arrived home at almost midnight and I felt terrible having ruined our date. The next morning, I awoke to Adam's little face peering over the mattress wearing the very expression of disappointment. "Mom, you have to have ALL of the decorations." Now, before you judge Adam for being a spoiled brat, he has seen streamers and paper flowers, twinkling lights, and Birthday banners for his sisters. Balloons in the bedroom was not a proper replacement. Note to self: boys do care about Birthday decorations. After reassuring him that we would have a Birthday party after church he replied, "We can't go to church on Birthdays!!"
Onto my next trick, waffles for breakfast. This went over just fine but kept me in the kitchen much longer than anticipated and any hopes of baking a cake before church were washed down the drain with the leftover syrup.
We didn't get home from church until after 4:30. I had planned to make Lasagna for Adam because it is one of his favorite meals. In retrospect, I should have planned to make frozen pizza! The kids would have been just as happy. The Lasagna did not come out of the oven until 7:00 p.m. Exhausted and still wrapping gifts, I was kicking myself for not making things easier on myself. We ended up having a great dinner and a fun family party. After the kids were in bed, I was up cleaning and clearing into the late hours of the night. Instead of frosting my cupcakes for Adam's friend party the next morning, I went to bed.
The next morning, I woke up after I had planned. No one cooperated. I did not arrive early to the party. I did not frost my cupcakes. I will spare most of the details but must add that my morning involved unsticking the tabs of my daughters diaper while she was standing and having poo "roll" onto my rug! All of this while she was screaming and crying about not wanting a particular pair of shoes! Adam had stayed up late for his Birthday and was grumpy as could be. He didn't even want to have another party. Note to self: Do not let your child stay up late the night before his party.
I arrived at my friends house with my unfrosted cupcakes. Luckily for me, she greeted me with wet hair and was blowing up the contents of one of the games that we were meant to play. She had the items for her gift bags spread out on the counter. We took one look at each other and just laughed! "It is a good thing that we had the kids dropped off," I said. "That way, we do not have any of the other Mom's here to criticise us!" The truth is, the kids didn't care. They played for the first thirty minutes while we got our act together. The party was a success and everyone was happy.
All is well that ends well . . . right?!
While I would really prefer to have everything come off without a hitch, I think it is important to reveal the truth. These kinds of things take real effort. Something always gets in the way. Things don't ever go as planned. The important thing is that it happened at all. That is all the kids will remember.
I had planned to hire a babysitter Saturday so that I could run around and prepare everything for Adam's birthday. Since James was going to be out of town until that evening I decided to trade in my sitter for the nighttime so that we could go out on a date. We made it a double date so that we could invite our new roomies. This left me with no party plans at 7:00 p.m. Saturday night.
We enjoyed a nice dinner and then decided to squeeze Walmart in between dinner and a movie. Walmart cannot be squeezed into anything! Two and a half hours later, we had missed our movie and we were still at Walmart - ALL FOUR OF US! I had sent the boys to find out that aparently everyone with half the brain to use a helium machine had gone home for the night and they would not fill my balloons. This was really my only source of decor and the only real surprise I had up my sleeve. I was going to sneak the balloons into his room so that he would wake up to see them that morning. This was unacceptable. Watch out boys, let me show you how to get things done! A half hour later and we were walking out with a dozen balloons floating proudly with helium.
We arrived home at almost midnight and I felt terrible having ruined our date. The next morning, I awoke to Adam's little face peering over the mattress wearing the very expression of disappointment. "Mom, you have to have ALL of the decorations." Now, before you judge Adam for being a spoiled brat, he has seen streamers and paper flowers, twinkling lights, and Birthday banners for his sisters. Balloons in the bedroom was not a proper replacement. Note to self: boys do care about Birthday decorations. After reassuring him that we would have a Birthday party after church he replied, "We can't go to church on Birthdays!!"
Onto my next trick, waffles for breakfast. This went over just fine but kept me in the kitchen much longer than anticipated and any hopes of baking a cake before church were washed down the drain with the leftover syrup.
We didn't get home from church until after 4:30. I had planned to make Lasagna for Adam because it is one of his favorite meals. In retrospect, I should have planned to make frozen pizza! The kids would have been just as happy. The Lasagna did not come out of the oven until 7:00 p.m. Exhausted and still wrapping gifts, I was kicking myself for not making things easier on myself. We ended up having a great dinner and a fun family party. After the kids were in bed, I was up cleaning and clearing into the late hours of the night. Instead of frosting my cupcakes for Adam's friend party the next morning, I went to bed.
The next morning, I woke up after I had planned. No one cooperated. I did not arrive early to the party. I did not frost my cupcakes. I will spare most of the details but must add that my morning involved unsticking the tabs of my daughters diaper while she was standing and having poo "roll" onto my rug! All of this while she was screaming and crying about not wanting a particular pair of shoes! Adam had stayed up late for his Birthday and was grumpy as could be. He didn't even want to have another party. Note to self: Do not let your child stay up late the night before his party.
I arrived at my friends house with my unfrosted cupcakes. Luckily for me, she greeted me with wet hair and was blowing up the contents of one of the games that we were meant to play. She had the items for her gift bags spread out on the counter. We took one look at each other and just laughed! "It is a good thing that we had the kids dropped off," I said. "That way, we do not have any of the other Mom's here to criticise us!" The truth is, the kids didn't care. They played for the first thirty minutes while we got our act together. The party was a success and everyone was happy.
All is well that ends well . . . right?!
While I would really prefer to have everything come off without a hitch, I think it is important to reveal the truth. These kinds of things take real effort. Something always gets in the way. Things don't ever go as planned. The important thing is that it happened at all. That is all the kids will remember.
