Take for example, birthday parties.
Before I had children of my own I would look at other people’s childrens’ birthday parties and just shake my head in knowing disbelief.
The fanfare.
The money.
The presents.
All over the top and so unnecessary.
This continued through my first born. He wasn’t much for crowds and chaos so not only did he not want a birthday party of his own, he didn’t even want to attend the parties of other children.
I continued to shake my head at the birthday party fever that seemed to infect all those around me.
Then my second child came along and he likes a good time, but is more interested in activities than parties. The last three years I have thrown a simple picnic at a community pool in honor of his birth.
And then child number three. Let me just be honest here. He is number three. I am lucky to remember to feed him breakfast, let alone what month AND day he was born.
A few months ago Ryan mentioned that he wanted a party this year for his ninth birthday.
A party? I suggested we could have his best friend spend the night and do something special with him like the last few years.
Nope. A party.
A party with all the boys from his class.
A party with all the boys from his class and a few boys from the other third grade.
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade and a few non-school friends (boys).
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade, a few non-school friends (boys), and Reid’s best friend and his brother.
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade, a few non-school friends (boys), Reid’s best friend and his brother…oh and his brothers.
And he wanted to do it at home.
It had to be at home.
I tried to talk him into obscenely expensive alternatives, but he was unswayed.
Home it is.
Home it is with invitations going out to 20 boys all under the age of 10.
Well, it wasn’t that simple. I reintroduced the obscenely expensive alternatives – bowling, movies, swimming, gymnasiums, arcades and then I played the LEGO store card.
At this point I was willing to bankroll anything that would not create the chaos at my house that 20 boys might bring.
Nope.
NOPE?
Not even to the Lego store?
I knew I was beat. The invitations went out and 16 boys attended the party on Sunday.
5 of the moms stayed out of pity and I think they might have been a little fearful for my sanity. No mom wants to leave her son in the care of a crazy person serving cake.
3 hours later…
It wasn’t that bad!
In fact, I think all the anxiety I had leading up to the event was unfounded.
My upstairs is evenly covered with Legos, Wii remotes and about a 1000 nerf bullets, but everyone had a good time.
The mom who mocked birthday parties had just thrown one.
The boy who was overwhelmed by them in the past…had a blast.One of the things I have found the most surprising about motherhood is that…
Everything I previously mocked, I now do on a regular basis.
Take for example, birthday parties.
Before I had children of my own I would look at other people’s childrens’ birthday parties and just shake my head in knowing disbelief.
The fanfare.
The money.
The presents.
All over the top and so unnecessary.
This continued through my first born. He wasn’t much for crowds and chaos so not only did he not want a birthday party of his own, he didn’t even want to attend the parties of other children.
I continued to shake my head at the birthday party fever that seemed to infect all those around me.
Then my second child came along and he likes a good time, but is more interested in activities than parties. The last three years I have thrown a simple picnic at a community pool in honor of his birth.
And then child number three. Let me just be honest here. He is number three. I am lucky to remember to feed him breakfast, let alone what month AND day he was born.
A few months ago Ryan mentioned that he wanted a party this year for his ninth birthday.
A party? I suggested we could have his best friend spend the night and do something special with him like the last few years.
Nope. A party.
A party with all the boys from his class.
A party with all the boys from his class and a few boys from the other third grade.
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade and a few non-school friends (boys).
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade, a few non-school friends (boys), and Reid’s best friend and his brother.
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade, a few non-school friends (boys), Reid’s best friend and his brother…oh and his brothers.
And he wanted to do it at home.
It had to be at home.
I tried to talk him into obscenely expensive alternatives, but he was unswayed.
Home it is.
Home it is with invitations going out to 20 boys all under the age of 10.
Well, it wasn’t that simple. I reintroduced the obscenely expensive alternatives – bowling, movies, swimming, gymnasiums, arcades and then I played the LEGO store card.
At this point I was willing to bankroll anything that would not create the chaos at my house that 20 boys might bring.
Nope.
NOPE?
Not even to the Lego store?
I knew I was beat. The invitations went out and 16 boys attended the party on Sunday.
5 of the moms stayed out of pity and I think they might have been a little fearful for my sanity. No mom wants to leave her son in the care of a crazy person serving cake.
3 hours later…
It wasn’t that bad!
In fact, I think all the anxiety I had leading up to the event was unfounded.
My upstairs is evenly covered with Legos, Wii remotes and about a 1000 nerf bullets, but everyone had a good time.
The mom who mocked birthday parties had just thrown one.
The boy who was overwhelmed by them in the past…had a blast.
Take for example, birthday parties.
Before I had children of my own I would look at other people’s childrens’ birthday parties and just shake my head in knowing disbelief.
The fanfare.
The money.
The presents.
All over the top and so unnecessary.
This continued through my first born. He wasn’t much for crowds and chaos so not only did he not want a birthday party of his own, he didn’t even want to attend the parties of other children.
I continued to shake my head at the birthday party fever that seemed to infect all those around me.
Then my second child came along and he likes a good time, but is more interested in activities than parties. The last three years I have thrown a simple picnic at a community pool in honor of his birth.
And then child number three. Let me just be honest here. He is number three. I am lucky to remember to feed him breakfast, let alone what month AND day he was born.
A few months ago Ryan mentioned that he wanted a party this year for his ninth birthday.
A party? I suggested we could have his best friend spend the night and do something special with him like the last few years.
Nope. A party.
A party with all the boys from his class.
A party with all the boys from his class and a few boys from the other third grade.
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade and a few non-school friends (boys).
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade, a few non-school friends (boys), and Reid’s best friend and his brother.
A party with all the boys from his class, a few boys from the other third grade, a few non-school friends (boys), Reid’s best friend and his brother…oh and his brothers.
And he wanted to do it at home.
It had to be at home.
I tried to talk him into obscenely expensive alternatives, but he was unswayed.
Home it is.
Home it is with invitations going out to 20 boys all under the age of 10.
Well, it wasn’t that simple. I reintroduced the obscenely expensive alternatives – bowling, movies, swimming, gymnasiums, arcades and then I played the LEGO store card.
At this point I was willing to bankroll anything that would not create the chaos at my house that 20 boys might bring.
Nope.
NOPE?
Not even to the Lego store?
I knew I was beat. The invitations went out and 16 boys attended the party on Sunday.
5 of the moms stayed out of pity and I think they might have been a little fearful for my sanity. No mom wants to leave her son in the care of a crazy person serving cake.
3 hours later…
It wasn’t that bad!
In fact, I think all the anxiety I had leading up to the event was unfounded.
My upstairs is evenly covered with Legos, Wii remotes and about a 1000 nerf bullets, but everyone had a good time.
The mom who mocked birthday parties had just thrown one.
The boy who was overwhelmed by them in the past…had a blast.
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it