How has an entire month gone by since I last posted? Oh yeah, it’s for sure because I’m notoriously bad about keeping up with blogs, even though I have the best of intentions. (No comments from the family/peanut gallery, please!)
But, thanks to Jennifer over at Adventures in McQuill-land, I’m posting again finally. You see, Jennifer has started a new blog carnival revolving around Memories and Mondays. (Making Memories Monday – cute, huh?) And if there is anything that will get me talking (or blogging), it’s the concept of preserving or making memories.
Last night, Allan (hubby) and I were talking about our little Allan’s birthday, which is coming up in two short days. (He will be five on Wednesday, and he’s VERY. EXCITED. about it). It hardly seems possible that five years have gone by since his very dramatic entrance into the world.
I had serious blood pressure issues during his pregnancy, which basically developed into pre-eclampsia, bringing him here to us a bit earlier than planned. In many ways, his birth was NOT a fun experience for me OR for his Daddy, and we always shudder a little bit as when we talk about those days. It’s a weird feeling – complete joy mixed with relief mixed with terror. That pretty much sums up the experience.
Anyway… the point of my post today is not about that experience, but rather to share about the Birthday Memories we made as a family this year. “Birthday season” for our family starts on March 1st with Samuel, then continues on March 22 with Martha, April 8th for Daddy, and then finally lil Allan gets his turn on April 28th. (It’s a LONG couple of weeks between Daddy’s and lil Allan’s party, because he is SO READY for HIS turn).
This year, the kids all had very specific plans for their birthday parties. Samuel’s was at our local Natural History Museum, and centered all around their new King Tut exhibit (one of his obsessions). Martha wanted a princess party (OF COURSE), and originally stated specifically Snow White, but she was happy to “settle” for ALL the Disney Princesses when Mommy forgot to order the Snow White “stuff” online and couldn’t find any in the local stores. And lil Allan… well, he’s had some time to change his mind twice three times.
By accident, I started a new birthday shopping “tradition” that I plan to keep up every year. It’s a simple thing really, but quite honestly, I think the simple ideas are usually the best. Each child got to go on a specific shopping trip with me to purchase all the supplies for their party. Tableclothes, cups, plates, napkins, candles… they got to go TO the party shop (and Walmart) and pick those things out. One-on-one time with Mom (FABULOUS), mixed with a shopping experience ALL ABOUT them and their birthday. Can’t beat that!
It was actually a really good idea that Samuel went with me, because I was kind of stumped about what to get to decorate for his party. I mean, it’s not like the party stores have an abundance of King Tut party theme supplies. I stood in the aisle at Party City and said, “um… what color tablecloth/napkins/plates should we get? Brown?” And Samuel replied, “MOM, we need to get YELLOW… for GOLD. You know, like King Tut’s sarcophagus. (DUH was implied)” Duh, indeed!
Martha’s trip was a ton of fun for BOTH of us… I’m not sure who squealed more at all the PRETTY. PINK. PRINCESS. STUFF. (Ok, it was probably me).
And finally, this last weekend, lil Allan and I went for HIS shopping trip, with the intention of getting Batman supplies (his second choice after the Incredible Hulk supplies were disappointing to him). We arrived at the store, and found NO Batman stuff. BUT, they DID have “How To Train Your Dragon” supplies, and that was the end of Batman. We then headed over to the toy aisle, so he could give me a few “present” ideas, and that’s when I discovered that five is that MAGIC age when pretty much ANYTHING in the toy aisle will work just fine. Or maybe that’s just my cute kid who likes it all…
Anyway, birthday party supply shopping – it’s our new tradition. And I’ll be excited to go through it all again NEXT year.
