Birthday Extravaganza Day One

Don’t you love how kids birthday’s just seem to drag on for days. First there was the planning of the birthday party (we’re going to Cowabunga Bay for her birthday party this weekend), since that plan was finalized she’s been asking when we can go shopping for party favors (not until the day before the party! Won’t know who’s even going until then!), then there’s the actual birthDAY (today), then there’s the playdate with the friend who wanted to go to the party but couldn’t make it (but still wanted to see her). LOL! For a stretch there, we did a party every year for her (this was easier when we lived near family). But since we moved, it’s more of a challenge since a party means inviting non-family; kids that Rachel’s friends with that I don’t know from families I’ve never met. Add in that her birthday takes place during the summer, I don’t have addresses for any of her friends from school, and of course the school doesn’t give out that information – and birthday parties take on a whole new challenge.

The last two years, we’ve just done a nice dinner out and let her invite a friend to come with us. With more kids in the neighborhood that she’s become friendly with, finally we have a handful of kids we can invite. (No need to worry about addresses with them because Rachel can hand deliver the invitations!)

Maybe because of how much easier it was to do a party when family was nearby, but since we’ve moved I’ve definitely felt like my birthday party throwing abilities are sub-par. I’m thrilled that we can finally do more this year. Even though I know this is not the case, I still worry that she will try to measure how much I love her by how big a deal her birthday is. It’s totally silly and totally unrealistic. Of course no birthday party I could ever throw for her could compare to how much I love her.