Bad Realistic Mum Alert.
I like to get one event out of the way before I can focus on another. Usually, this works out ok, but it turns out it's not so great for G. You see, we have three birthdays in my family in January. Then school goes back. Last week, I taught my first ever workshop. By the time I was ready to focus on her birthday, it was already here.
I've been picking up bits and pieces here and there as I spot them, but, lets face it, when you're the third girl in the family, we already have all the things. My main plan when I realised how close her birthday really was (I'm very good at denial and procrastinating) was to go shopping on Monday. But K threw a spanner in the works when she woke up feeling sick. I was all prepared to be firm - you'll be fine, you're just tired, go get ready for school, but then I felt her forehead and she actually had a fever, dammit. No going anywhere for us.
Fast forward to Tuesday - G's birthday. She had a great time - a couple of presents in the morning - those few things I'd picked up, plus a couple of things from my present stash, that are probably a little too old for her, but she was still excited. Then kindergym and creche, which is always fun. Sushi, milkshake and friand out shopping - we picked her up some Kmart brand play dough (75c a tub!) and Minnie Mouse Duplo. Still looking for a bean bag, but needed to get her home for her nap.
That afternoon, while I was contemplating how I was going to cook dinner, a birthday cake, and cupcakes for Jump and Jive, Mike calls on his way home from work. "Why don't we go out for dinner for Gaby's birthday?" he asks. An excellent idea. I bake the cake, then we all head to Spur, because they have the whole kids eat free thing and a playground, and ipads, and face painting and everything else kids under 12 year love. Of course, because we hadn't booked, we were seated 5 rows away from the playground entrance, a fact which G takes advantage of. Every two minutes, she's running from the playground back to our table (only took about three trips for her to remember which way to go) to say hi, then go back to playing. I'm amazed she didn't crash in to anyone. We could have insisted she sit at the table or play in the playground, but Mike and I were both battling the cold that we assume is what kept K home from school, and we just would have had a major tantrum at the table. Pick your battles, and all that. Plus, she looked very cute.
So, by the time we managed to get everybody to stay still long enough to actually eat, it was almost 9pm when we got home. K had school the next day, B was tired, and G hadn't had a full nap. We decided to keep the birthday cake to the next night, and I was too tired to make the cupcakes, so will make them for next week.
Now we just need to arrange her birthday party (in my defense, B wants to share her party with G, and B's birthday isn't for 6 more weeks.) When have you had to reduce your expectations?
