We had this huge party for Z yesterday, the day before her birthday. It was going to be a simple backyard birthday party, and she asked to celebrate the obvious theme of "The Wright Brothers and Lil' Orphan Annie save the dinosaurs from extinction."
After some discussion, she agreed to simplify it to "things that fly."
We started inviting people and, in keeping with our It's Just a Low-Key Backyard Birthday Party Philosophy, we didn't really keep track of just how many people would show up. Bring your siblings! we said to her friends. We're CAS-U-AL. We've got a bounce house, an airplane pinata and kites!
We figured the kids would bounce and eat pizza and run around in the April sunshine.
Or, you know, the April SHOWERS.
Yeah, it rained part way through and was freezing cold.
So we had 25 + kids (and most of their parents) in our house for more than half of the party. It was insanity and I went to bed last night exhausted and traumatized, ears ringing and nerves sizzling.
They all brought huge presents! Why didn't we say no presents?? Have I ruined her with this huge party with so many kids and so many presents when what we really want is a simple celebration of her and her special wonderfulness? Will she always require a huge, loud PAR-TY? Why didn't we plan a single inside activity? Why WAS IT RAINING?!?@?!@?!#*!#@%$&$%??
We didn't get to fly the kites, we didn't get to run around the yard. We hopped the kids up on sugar and had them whack the pinata in the garage and it was all sort of insane.
If yesterday was the disease, today was the balm for my recovery.
We woke up slowly to blue skies, ate breakfast, went to church with my parents.
We had a leisurely lunch and received birthday phone calls from family and friends.
We had quiet/nap time followed by a bike ride to the park to fly her new kites.
We had her favorite dinner and ice cream sandwiches for dessert. We toasted her many times over, read to her, indulged her silliness at every turn, told her stories, tucked her in with kisses and hugs.
I gazed at her so many times today with adoration and awe.
My baby.
My fleet-footed, graceful, tender-hearted, curious, wise, 6 year old baby.
This was the way I wanted to celebrate her.
4 comments:
Beautiful.
And I love love love the family photo! That's worthy of enlarging and hanging over a fireplace.
Oh I loved every word of this!!! I too long for cazzzual and get insanity and wonder what the eff is wrong with me. Maybe casual does equal insanity and it's all good? Loved your Sunday and kite flying. What a great day. So glad you had fun:)
Oh, I love Sundays like that! Happy birthday, Z!
Love this! I have felt like this many times after a birthday party. Of course, I never had 25 kids though. I LOVE the last picture in this post-PURE BLISS!
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