So we threw a birthday party for our middle kid this weekend and even though our birthday parties are reasonably modest affairs, at one point during the post-party lull, my husband added up the tab and we both just about fainted. But it was WORTH it, even though we've spent our grocery money for the next two weeks and will have to live on the canned stuff deemed unworthy in other, wealthier weeks. What is having dusty bamboo shoots for dinner compared to the joy of one's child?
My husband made that awesome Spongebob cake, of course. "I want to eat his fingers!" one of the guests said, yearningly. After the party, all that was left were Spongebob's feet. The Spongebob pinata also had a distressing fate – it had ribbons trailing from Spongebob's seat that supposedly would create a cascade of candy and junky toys when pulled, but instead resulted in a big fat nothing. So my husband went off in search of some sturdy scissors to do pinata surgery and while he was gone, the kids snapped off the pinata's arms and legs and started hitting Spongebob wildly with his own limbs, which sounds JUST like a scene in Lord of the Flies. My husband bravely waded into the sea of shrieking, flailing kids and lifted the pinata over their heads, thus ending the carnage.
I suspect this will be one of The Boy's last full-fledged birthday parties – already, several little boys sat out of some of the games, too cool to want to participate. Next year might see us just taking The Boy and a friend out to the movies, maybe, which is bittersweet in a way but also comes with a substantially lower risk of me getting hit in the head with a papier-mache leg. And just like that – whoosh – another part of childhood is over.
It happens fast, childhood and things ending. Later today, The Baby and I are going to a pre-kindergarten open house at the school, and even as she's blithely playing with play dough beside me right now, another huge part of childhood is quietly ending and it's poignant and somewhat rough on me, truthfully. But time does its job and my job is to be tough about it, I guess.
The Girl spent Saturday night at a sleepover and came home groggy and completely irritable and I made our St. Brigid's Day bread in the kitchen rather amused by her sullen crabbing. What is fun about parenthood is the way that kids stay so much the same, even as they get older – her personality now is very much her personality at ten months old, the way she can't handle being tired, her kind heart, a certain wary watchfulness in her – all of this is known to me and I can picture her easily as an adult, as a mother to her own children, the way she will both change and remain at once her true self, this person she has always been.
Today is Groundhog's Day – or Candlemas – and we're due for more winter, which doesn't surprise me. "Are you making manicotti tonight?" The Girl called out to me as she left this morning, and when I called back that I was, she and The Boy hurrahed and rushed off. And then The Baby and I went back inside, back into our house where the decorations from the weekend's birthday party – one of the last, maybe – were still hanging festively, celebrating time that has already passed and moved on.
I really like the cake in the picture, your husband must be a good cook outside of the baking world. I think kids parties are always chaotic. At least the kids didn’t do any damage to your place!
It is so good to hear that even as children age their little personalities stay the same. I dearly love my two-year-old daughter’s gentle, sweet, methodical, and considerate nature (and, yes, I love the horribly stubborn streak too – wonder where she gets that from!), and am terrified that that will go away as she grows. That is more of a reasurrance than you could possibly know – it makes the future a little less terrifying. Thank you as always for your posts!
I recently went to another birthday party were the theme for the event was also Spongebob. But this party was for a 50 year old man. Yes 50. There were games at that party too. Hopefully by the time your Boy is 50 someone else, perhaps a mate, is throwing his parties and you can just attend!
Hmm…I dunno Beck. The twins turn 12 in less than a month now (AUGH!) and they are still planning a full-fledged party. Ilsa wants to make her own cake and I don’t want her to! It’s MY job! But they still want movies and sleepovers and a theme, which this year is supposed to involved sword-fighting and a tournament. They have grand ideas, my kids. I don’t think you get off the bday party hook till they’re teenagers, and by then you are grateful to just get pizza and a movie and 2 friends and no games.
Just don’t invite the “too cool for school” kids next year.
happy birthday to your Boy! looks like a fun party and that’s a great cake. My baby is 10 months old and i’m keenly noting her character traits at this age as a hint of what’s to come…
Very.cool.cake. Maybe Andrew will make our son’s b-day cake outta wood. You know, professions and all.
Yes, you survived quite well. Lovely cake!
Happy birthday to the Boy – I’m glad it was a successful party! And as always, your hubby rocks with the cake-decorating!
Oh girl!
That cake is awesome!
I’m glad you guys survived.
its true, kids grow up so fast; or rather its time…
so everyday, I force myself to sit back and just ‘enjoy’ my boys…before the moment zoom pass again…
I never realized how heartbreaking being a parent really is before I had kids.
I was just showing this to my husband who is very impressed and pointed out that since the hands are mostly icing, of course a kid would go for those first. For my part, I’d pick the pants because they appear to have chocolate icing. Yum!
Ooh that manicotti looks good. I suppose you could use canned tomatoes if necessary and leave out the meat?
And the cake is amazing, as usual. Now I’m wondering if we could pull off a Bob the Builder or maybe Lunar Jim (who seems to have eclipsed Bob the Builder in the affections of a certain little boy) cake?
sigh. only you could make me feel wistful about a childs birthday party…
You totally crack me up and make me melancholy at the same time. How do you do that?!
Sounds like quite a party, Beck! Don’t right off parties yet – you still have The Baby!
PS: would you adopt me?
I can’t believe how quickly they grow up these days. Seven is the new 12, I tell you. I had birthday parties with friends until I graduated high school.
Glad it went well! K turns 4 in less than a month and I’m hemming and hawing over the party.
The ‘Lord of the Flies’ moment really is hilarious. I’m glad the party turned out well. Smaller parties also means less of a dent in your grocery fund, hopefully. I’m glad it turned out to be so memorable – and the cake is fantastic!
I will find a way to stop time. When I get that done, I’ll let you know how to do it. I’m so sure there’s a way. So far, pressing my hand firmly on the tops of my boy’s heads and pushing down REAL hard isn’t working. Just so you know.
That is an amazing cake!
“Whoosh!” is right. It goes so fast, and just like the b’day party thing (being part sad that those days are gone, part happy that b’days get much easier from now on)- my kids growing older has been for me less sad than surprisingly exciting. I am finding I am enjoying being a parent much more all of a sudden, and though this time may also be fleeting, I think the secret is to enjoy it, cardboard appendages and all.
I have always been grateful that my only boy’s birthday is in June, where the crazy can stay outside in the warm sunshine. But I will miss the infectious joy of a multi-kid party when he decides to change the rules on me.
You always make me weepy, but I am especially emotional today, as it is one of MY baby’s birthdays. And my boy was so gracious yesterday, thanking me for the “really nice pawty” (which was just a family gathering with his grandparents) in the middle of his birthday dinner. *SOB*
“What is having dusty bamboo shoots for dinner compared to the joy of one’s child?” Indeed.