As impossible as it seems, my little princess is going to be 2 next month. I don't know what to do for Katie's second birthday. I don't really want a repeat of last year, but I'm not really sure what else to do.
Last year we threw a very small dinner party with the in-laws. That was probably my first mistake. Dinner - really? Anthony cooked chicken on the grill and I was in charge of sides and cupcakes, but even that was WAY too much effort. Plus, Anthony was so distracted because of having guests that he overcooked the chicken. I was really stressed throughout the whole thing. The most vivid memory I have is of Katie's first birthday cupcake. Katie was eating it quite daintily for a 1-year-old, sticking her finger in the frosting and tasting it, and Crazy Grandma came up and smashed the whole thing in her face, just so she could "get a cute picture." WTF! Naturally, Katie screamed, and the party was pretty much over at that point.
So you can see why I'm looking for something somewhat less anxiety-producing this year. I know that 2 year olds don't really understand the birthday concept, so I'm not worried about Katie having a good time. She's a happy kid; she'll have a good time even without a party. But I would like to do something to mark the occasion. Even if Katie doesn't remember, we will - and I don't want her birthday to just slip by uncelebrated.
In my fantasy world, we'd have 2 or 3 other toddlers and their parents, who of course would be super hip and cool. We'd serve some yummy snacks and light appetizers, and the grown ups would sip wine and chit chat while the little ones played outside in Katie's play house. There would be no fighting or hitting (hey, it's a fantasy, right?), and everyone would have a fantastic time. It would be relaxed and enjoyable for everyone, including the hosts.
In the real world, we really don't know any other families with toddlers well enough to invite them (except our friends in L.A., but that would be a pretty big drive for them.) So it's probably going to end up being the same guest list as last year. At least this time I won't be foolish enough to serve dinner! Maybe we'll have the party in the morning. Is that weird? Katie has a 2 hour window between 9:30 and 11:30 when she's nice and cheerful and playful. Hmm, morning party. Yeah, it seems pretty weird. But our only alternative is afternoon, and with Katie's erratic napping, it could mean the party starts at 4pm. Which means it will run into...dinnertime!!! No thanks!
I never thought I'd be the kind of parent who'd say this, but I'm kind of looking forward to having her birthday someplace like Pump it Up, where someone else can do all the work! LOL.
On with the party planning!
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