We try so hard to create fun memories for celebrations, and sometimes despite our best efforts all we have to show for it is photos like this! This post is dedicated to taking the meltdowns with the giggles, the disasters with the dessert—and letting them cry on their birthday. Welcome to the Terrible Twos! Maybe there’s a lot going on, and you’ve got to think fast on how to solve issues that come up, and avoid the overstimulation. Maybe I’ll have the energy to put in some lessons learned. It's been almost 2 years ago, and I’m just now writing about this because I finally have some details from the party to share, haha! At this party I had just had our baby days previous who was still in the hospital, so I spent most of the party time breast pumping for my baby and didn’t take any photos! Not a single photo. My little boy who had just turned 2 years old probably got jipped as far as attention on his birthday. So here you get a raw look at a very biased view of the things I remember. Combined Carnival Birthday PartyAll of us Lloyd mamas had just had babies or were super pregnant, so we did one giant party for our kiddos who were all born the wave previous! It split the responsibilities and costs, and allowed us to work together. We also got to buy all the presents for cousins at the same time which was super convenient :) Here are the things that stick out to me... Jumper. The only thing I was in charge of was the blow up jumper! There is not a single shred of photographic evidence of this. The kids got to wear their swimsuits and slide on it, it was delivered and set up in the yard next to all the festivities and was a hit! I think it was also one of the bigger costs. Sprinkles. I poured lots of sprinkles onto cupcakes that the other mamas had made (maybe I made a batch?). My sister-in-law showed me how to dip and roll the frosting top into the sprinkles so that it covered it nice and evenly, then we topped them with different animal crackers. Each birthday kiddo was able to have their own! Accident. My daughter had a potty accident during the party. Although I totally got where my mother-in-law was coming from when she cared more about the furniture and carpet than my daughter's need for help, experiencing this at a party gave me so much more empathy and compassion about how scared and sad my kid was. I tried to be extra gentle and patient with her as we got her cleaned up and changed, and I remember her giving me a very big hug before going out to play again. Eating way too many hot dogs. They were really yummy, and I was fiercely hungry from all that breast pumping! Meltdowns. They happened. Especially with outfits. And not understanding taking turns when opening presents. And being too tired. Sometimes you just have to let the birthday kid wear what they want to wear so they can have a smile (or at least not a cry) on their face! And sometimes you should just plan for a much shorter party or around bed/nap times, and be sure to feed them before that magic hour when they turn into monsters so that everyone is happy. It may be worth it to take a break, change them, take them to a dark room, and let them have a power nap haha. Lessons Learned. Not everything will be perfect, and that’s ok. Big parties may not vibe with little ones. Sometimes too much is just overstimulating for young kids, so maybe plan for 1 or 2 activities only. I personally like smaller parties and if it were just my kid's birthday rather than a combined one, I would have probably skipped a jumbo water jumper, and half of the beautiful decorations and food items that ended up here. But I had help!! Ask for help! Get lots of help with things like taking pictures, serving the food, being in charge of an activity, helping set up or take down, etc. Know your limits, accept them, and accept that your kid is their own person who sometimes won't follow the program or expectation you have. Smiling and rolling with the changes can turn everything around!
I wonder if sometimes these parties are for us Moms who have been overtaken by our creative natures not even realizing we're going too far, conditioned by professionally styled events featured on our every social interface, or trying to pass a bar we've set from all our previous parties that just seem to get bigger and higher every year. Totally guilty on all of the above counts. Here's to real life which often looks much simpler and sweeter— without great cost to human spirit, a team of paid professionals, and a hefty budget. Here's to real life that might be messy, but hopefully less tears from your birthday boy/girl, with lots of planning around what works best for you, your kid, and your family.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI'm Kat - designer, code monkey, teacher's wife, and maker of home. This blog is my personal and creative outlet chronicling the special moments of our family. Archives
January 2020
CategoriesAll Adventures Decorating Kids Little Passports Party Personal Projects Teachers Why I Believe |