Big birthdays

This year is the first year we are throwing a bigger birthday party for either of our kids. Our sad rundown so far:

Tobey's 1st - Dinner out with Eric/CC, coffee ice cream cake that he couldn't eat
Tobey's 2nd - 4 families over for dinner with no decorations, forgot what kind of cake
Tobey's 3rd - nada, nothing, we were on vacation with my family and never celebrated
Eli's 1st - neighbors over for ice cream pie, kids decorated foamy visors
Eli's 2nd - candles on Trader Joe's cupcakes that none of us fully ate because of solid frosting

So Tobey's 4th is the first birthday that he knows is coming and had the notion of asking for a birthday party. Actually, he more or less assumed he would have a birthday party and instead just asked for a space shuttle birthday cake. And thus starts me as a crazy mom putting together a real party.

I didn't mean to be a crazy mom. I meant for the party to be simple, just big and simple. No jumpy houses or fancy venues, just our neighborhood park with the water play area. Decorations so that we don't get splinters on the picnic tables, balloons to mark where we were and lunch. I just wanted something a little nicer than pizza, since we weren't going to have anything else really fancy.

"Something a little nicer than" is a slippery slope for me because once I get an idea in my head, I WILL NOT be happy until I can implement it. Christine Harms understands what I mean, bless her heart, we're both Type A in that sense. When Tobey said he wanted a space shuttle cake, then how fun it would be to have a space theme. Once I realized an ice cream cake might actually work with dry ice in a cooler, I could not settle for a regular cake. Once Tom mentioned the rocket Popsicles, I eyeballed Safeway and PW to find the right kind. Once I saw glow in the dark stickers for the constellation craft, I would not be happy with regular stickers. I "researched" at Diddam's early but still ended up going twice, including a returning stuff even before the party has even happened. And sure 99 Ranch noodles would be easier, but I didn't intend for our food to be all Chinese (already getting fried chicken and egg rolls from 99) so I am making my own pesto noodles. Sometimes I wonder, maybe I should do this for a living since I take event planning, for a 4 year old birthday party no less, so seriously. Then again, I don't think I can afford the white hairs. I've sacrificed going to the Y and dragged Eli to every food store we frequent. Life is a little abnormal the week before a party.

Maybe there's something to be said for having parties at a Little Gym or a Pump It Up where they do everything for you. I can't say the tab that I've run up is any cheaper than at a "full service" birthday place. But I'm willing to pay the price of my time and some sanity for a party that is uniquely ours.