Two for Two
So, we threw Wombat a birthday party a month ago, and I don't know whether the best word to describe how I feel about it is "proud" or "flabbergasted." This year it wasn't about AH MAH GAH MY BAYBEE IS GROWING UP (as it was last year). This year it was more like AH MAH GAH I'M PULLING TOGETHER A PARTY IN TWO WEEEEEEKS.
The proud and flabbergasty part is that I (with the help of my team) miraculously made it work, and it was even better than what I'd spent three months envisioning--envisioning down to the tiniest detail but then not doing a damn thing about until we were within shouting distance of the date, at which point I was contemplating whether sending invites via carrier pigeon would actually be quicker than sending them by mail, providing that the pigeons were properly trained, of course.
Actually, the invites started out as the biggest problem but then turned out to be the biggest and best solution. I'd like the record to show that this does not gel with my worldview, in which she who is unprepared deserves to fail miserably, but since I'm the forgiving type, I've decided to let it slide this time.
Last year, you may remember, I spent several long nights with a glitter pen and glitter glue hand-embellishing a school of rotund goldfish. This year I spent several long weeks thinking about the invitations but doing other things instead--other things that unfortunately didn't even involve Christmas shopping, a factor that was looming heavily during this time as well--and so, only two weeks out, I had to resort to an email invitation, and I begrudingly went online in search of a design that would soothe my sadness over not being able to cook up something cute with actual paper and paint. (Handcrafting anything is a lot of work and sometimes more than I can handle, but I really do love having the excuse.)
As it turned out, though, choosing an email invitation design was harder than I thought, and not because I had to decide on only one of a dozen darling layouts but because I found myself trying to settle on the least offensive of hundreds of wrong wrong wrong options. I wanted a design that wasn't overly cutesy or overly stark or overly covered with trucks and dinosaurs and other in-your-face "boy" things, and I although I know that procrastinators can't be choosers, I KNOW THIS, I was still clinging to the party theme I'd wanted all along, despite the fact that I had purchased exactly zero party supplies and could have changed the theme simply by changing my mind. But Wombat didn't love dinosaurs or trucks or trains or Noah's Ark (get it?) best of all. He loved the alphabet. And I wanted to give him an alphabet-themed celebration. (Could I be more thrilled with my little nerdlet's two-year-old passion? No.)
I settled on this invite from Pingg:
It was...okay. It didn't say "alphabet," but it at least said "party." It wasn't overly anything and I was able to customize it in a way that worked. Besides, there was something about the balloons I really liked...
One week later I had all my supplies in hand via Amazon Prime. I bought a five-pound package of gummy letters, an order of glassine envelopes, and a 100-count bag of balloons, to the last of which I attribute the party's success, at least as far as making my kid happy was concerned. My parents flew in and brought a manual balloon pump because I was so busy I actually had to outsource my trip to the craft store to a helpful grandma in Salt Lake City. In the days before the party, we inflated and hung balloons, baked alphabet cookies, stuffed goody bags, made macaroni and cheese using tiny letter-shaped pasta, and ventured to Costco for the giant chocolate cake that is the real reason we throw parties in the first place. We had the perfect number of guests and just the right amount of food (to Simon that means plenty of leftover cake to eat for breakfasts over the next week), and Wombat kept saying "It's my birthday party! It's my birthday party!" and running through the balloons we left on the floor. He opened his no-gifts-please gifts and squealed with joy and said thank you and made sure each of the kids had a party hat. We sang "Happy Birthday" and he blew out his candle and he turned two. T-W-O.
It wasn't how I'd pictured it, but it turned out better, even with all the scrambling and improvising and letting go of things that just weren't possible. (Yes, I'm listening to myself, self. But I still think I just got lucky.)
Bonus video: Here's how to get mom to cut you a piece of birthday cake and then to ensure you get it all to yourself.
It was a great party, with exactly the right amount of everything (food, decor, guests, good cheer). Even with my gimp hand I had a slap-bang good time.
OMG your bayyyybeeeee! Two! I can't even begin to imagine. Such an awesome party theme. Those gummy letters are too cute!
I LOVE your party ideas. I've got a future 2-year-old party coming up Jan. 30. I have a friend that just threw a party for her 3 year-old with clowns, a rented bouncy thing and a two-tiered Elmo cake. I've been waffling between "that party was a little overboard" and "am I a schmuck for wanting to go cheap and get balloons and a nice sheetcake with Elmo candles?"
Your pictures convinced me to go with my gut and go "small" - (but definitely with the gummy alphabet letters and lots of family). Thanks and happy days with your Big Boy!
Great photos! Looks like he had a lot of fun! What a perfect second birthday party. :)
Oh girl, the whole darn thing was perfect. I loved the treat bags but moreso, I was impressed by the brilliant rainbow stringing of balloons.
No helium! But balloons on ceiling!
looooove the balloons hung on the ceiling! i am totally overwhelmed by the idea of planning a party with a theme. but i love it.
Do you have beams on the ceiling?? how did you do the balloons? They look great!
p.s your dad looks like brian wilson (beach boys, not beard)
Oh, he is handsome! I can't believe he's two already. I love the alphabet theme and the rows of balloons on the ceiling.
Oh, he is handsome! I can't believe he's two already. I love the alphabet theme and the rows of balloons on the ceiling.
The boy is so cute and pretty handsome. The party is so meaningful yet simple just a family celebration for the kid's 2nd birthday. Really awesome, blow your candles and make a wish...... >,
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