Birthday Blues

Most birthdays I am excited to do a little party (and sometimes I have done too big of one and been in over my head) for my girls. We have done a cowgirl party, mad hatter tea party (with red punch), several princess parties, a blues clues party, Hawaiian party, Barbie, a dress up party, and I am sure I am forgetting a few. Since we have been in this house, I just can't get myself excited about doing a party. Maybe because our house is still very unorganized, I can't find the things I want or need. We don't have a yard, and as of right now our yard is all torn up in big ditches ready for sprinklers. I would then be forced to do everything inside.

It is that time of year again which makes it really hard, the end of school year and also Lindsey and Lauren's birthday. I feel really bad because last year we were going to do a party for the girls, we even sent out invitations. I was due on June 10 or 11 and the party was for the 23 or 24th of May. Lindsey and Lauren's birthday was on the 28th, so it seemed to work out okay. I knew that if I did a party I would have to do it earlier so we wouldn't interfere with the new baby. I had planned the party 3 weeks before my due date, so I didn't think it would be a problem. Then of course, a day before the party, we went to the hospital and had Samantha. Robert told me not to plan the party, but I kept thinking if I didn't do it before the baby, then it just wouldn't happen. That one didn't work out.

If I remember correctly, we did do a party, it was just later... or I meant to anyway. It seems like those first few months are just blurs sometimes, I can't even remember what the theme was? Oh, I remember now, it was a flower party. Okay, yes it is coming back to me a little bit. Or was that the year before? I can't remember... how sad is that!

Thinking about last years birthday and lack of focus on them, because of the baby that was born 6 days before they were 6 years old, their birthday was kind of overlooked. My parents were here so we did a family party which was the first time they have been here for their birthday because my mom works for the school in Washington and they aren't out yet. Not to mention, you just can't make it for EVERYTHING, so you kind of have to pick and choose. (I wish it wasn't that way.)

Lindsey and Lauren are talking about a "party" and I am not all that excited about it. I keep thinking of things we can do to not have the party here so that we don't have kids crawling in the dirt. Another thing is that we don't have numbers of their friends so once school is out, it will be harder to invite those outside of church and kids on the street. I considered a park, but I then have to figure out what to do with the little girls during that time. I thought of Chuck E. Cheeses, but again, it is what do you do with the little ones. I don't know... I am stuck.

Anytime we talk about a party for the twins then Emily chimes in, "You said we would do a party and if they have a party you owe me one!" I am not sure really what happened in March, she just didn't get a party, nothing was totally planned out. We talked about a few different weekends, but nothing was finalized. I told Emily she has BY FAR had more parties then Lindsey and Lauren have. She had her first one at 3, and Lindsey and Lauren had their first one at 5. Emily has had a party most every year.

I am just stuck. I thought about doing something bigger for the girls, where they could just invite ONE friend each and go bowling, or to a movie, or Liberty Land, or something like that... but I am not really sure. I thought about doing a party at Liberty Land for Lindsey and Lauren, but then I worry about keeping track of extra kids. I feel like I NEED to do a party for them but I am just lacking something.

I was talking to Robert about it last night and he was firm about no party here at the house. Which I agree, no yard makes it hard and I don't want kids to go out and be climbing through the trenches. It seems like there are always a few that go do something other than the party things. Before we had our nice big back yard with the playground so usually it was were the stragglers went.

Lindsey and Lauren's birthday is the 28th, Lindsey has already invited people to the park by the school on the 27th for her party... I still don't know what I am going to do. I hope something comes to mind soon. Maybe I should just set the date and make myself ready for it.

Oops, Amber just poured a whole box of cereal on Samantha's high chair tray.... which Samantha isn't complaining, but I better go tend to that and worry about birthday dilemma's later. Oh nice, Amber is helping her eat the cereal too.