Friday, December 05, 2008

Planning for lack of planning

low down

I’ve got birthdays on the brain.

Most people are probably thinking about Christmas, wishing it were New Year’s Eve already so they can just drown their sorrows in some sweet and tasty beverage.

Not me. I'm planning a gigantic moving party for a soon-to-be five-year-old who wants to usher in her last months as a preschooler rolling around a gigantic skating rink with a minimum of 30 of her closest friends.

Total cost $350.

Really? For a child's birthday party?

Yup. Said so right there in the contract.

"Includes: rink admission, skate rental, private skate for two hours, sheet cake, pizza and two choices of beverage."

It’s what some might call overcompensating for an original lapse in planning.

See, when we decided to have children somehow it never occurred to us that the baby would likely arrive nine months (give or take) after the proverbial rabbit died.

When the doctor smiled and told me Ittybit’s due date I realized my first mistake as a new mom.

A Christmas BIRTHDAY! Really?

Really ... says so right there in the calculator.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just can't believe your kid can rollerskate already!! I've never even had Abby try it.

toyfoto said...

Annabel's only done it once. We're going tonight to "practice."

Kelly Anne said...

I have a Christmas-time birthday too.

Number one question - "Doesn't that suck? Did you ever feel cheated out of a birthday because of Christmas?"

It never really sucked; I have in adulthood shifted my birthday to celebrate in conjunction with New Year's Eve, as then I have a guaranteed celebration!

The only thing that really bothered me was not being able to bring in cupcakes to school on my birthday. And getting birthday presents wrapped in Christmas paper (which my family never did).

Have fun roller-skating!

Whirlwind said...

I know what you mean - Einey was born Christmas Day (very unexpected, I was due January 21st). We did the rollerskating party last year, but it only cost us $85 (of course, they didn't have roller limbo...). All of my girls have now been on skates. Not well, but improving!

We're having her party tomorrow - a reptile show at our house. They're bringing 20-25 things. She is very excited. Of course, being December and weekends packed, quite a few friends are coming 1/2 way through the party as their first basketball games is tomorrow as well. Einey is missing the game and is just glad her friends will be here, even if they are late.

Have a great party!

Anonymous said...

$350??

For a 4th Birthday Party??

O-U-C-H!

kimmyk said...

awww!!
how fun!!

i miss little kid birthday parties!

screaming kids
paper everywhere
cake in the hair

girls crying cause boys were being mean
boys crying cause the girls were mean

*heavy sigh*

memories....

Christina said...

And that's exactly why we did a carousel party - it's cheap!!

Anonymous said...

New Year's Baby here. Automatic reaction I get is: that is so cool. To which I used to reply, "actually, it sucks because it is so close to Christmas and everyone is burnt out and/or hungover." That was how I felt as a child. Now I don't care and throw a birthday/New Year's Eve party for myself every year - a very casual affair.

Annabel's party sounds like the best party ever.

Fairly Odd Mother said...

We just had the American Girl doll store open, and I thought, "oooo, birthday party!". That was, until I saw the price: $450 for 8 girls. After I picked my jaw off the floor, I knew why I've always had my kids' parties at home: I'm cheap.

A skating party sounds good though! I'm going to check into it---I don't have a Christmas baby but #1's b-day is 1.8 which sneaks up on me every year.