March 7th, 2011

Spencer and the Big Kids

On Saturday, we went to a bbq/birthday party for a friend of ours. We’ve known him since high school and in a funny twist of fate, hubs, the friend and I triple-dated to a school dance once, all with different dates. Ahh, memories. So, this friend has  almost 8-years-old triplets. I know! These also happen to be some of the cutest, smartest and nicest kids I know. However, in party-mode, with at least 12 other kids (ranging from 20 months to 8 years-old) in attendance, things get a little crazy. Luckily, Spencer, for the most part, could hold his own.

It was a little hectic when we first got there because a bunch of the 8-year-olds were playing tether ball in the back and Spencer just saw ball, ball, ball! and charged the game. He would then get distracted by their (thankfully) oh so patient dog and run to the other end of the yard, kicking the soccer ball. And then he would go for the tether ball again. It was so stressful (for me), my danger-sense would not stop pinging. So I had a beer. The big kids went off to play in the front yard and Spencer got to play some tether ball with me and the hubs. Well, it was more like smack himself in the face ball, but it was really cute to watch and Spencer oddly loves getting hit in the face with things. He is a kook.

Then he went inside to play with the girls and he flirted his little toddler pants off, trying to tickle them and showing them his belly. He knows all the cool tricks to impress the ladies. So, then he hugged one of the girl triplets and she let Spencer knock her over, and hubs said Attack! because that’s what we do at home. Oh my, did the other kids think this was fun. All of a sudden we had 5 girls ranging from 4 to nearly 8, laying on the floor screaming Attack Spencer Attack! And attack he did.

It was hysterical. Unfortunately, it didn’t really help with the whole teaching Spencer not to shove/hit/touch other kids, but he had so much fun and truly glowed from all the attention. I think I need to get this boy in to preschool.

August 1st, 2010

Spencer’s Party

So, I (successfully, I think) threw my first kid’s party. There weren’t too many kids, 2 7-year-old kids, a nearly 3 year-old and 11 month baby girl and Spencer. Since it was mostly adults and I know how to stock a beer tub, we were all set. I made most of the food, the decorations and the favors, but I ordered the invitations from Etsy. I couldn’t be more pleased with how they turned out.

It looked better before my sloppy job and removing our address and phone number. The cute safari animals set the theme for the party.

The favors were set-up on the dessert table. For the favors, I took sidewalk chalk and slip-covered it in safari themed paper, tied with twine and added little tags that said either Be Wild, Monkey Around or, my favorite, Color Outside the Lions. I just threw in the last picture to show how the birthday boy knows how to pre-party!

I love the banner I made for the front door. Just 1s cut from craft paper and mounted on string. It was so simple, but set the tone. The rest of the house was mostly decorated with more paper 1s and safari animals that Spencer already owned. I also made a dvd slide show of pictures of Spencer through the year. It ran for about 10 minutes and cycled through.

I struggled with how to decorate the sliding glass door. I needed something double-sided and the outer side would be behind the food. I ended up making photo sheets that were really simple because they used the full-sheet of square craft paper and a full sized 4×6 photo. The only thing that needed cutting was the 1. I included the middle picture to illustrate just how bad my party pictures are. I didn’t even think to move the screen out of the way.

I failed to photograph most of the food, but the menu was brats, hot dogs, blue cheese vinaigrette potato salad, chili beans, and cabbage salad. For appetizers, we had chips, dip, watermelon and tomato-mozzarella safari skewers. The idea for the skewers came to me during a bit of insomnia. So simple. I made the skewers by placing a small bamboo skewer between an animal sticker and craft paper and then trimming around the edges. The cakes were made with a zoo animal cupcake pan and were hurriedly decorated by me.

We filled the fountain for the first time in forever and Spencer spent some time exploring in it. He ended up adorably soaked from head to do necessitating a mid-party outfit change. Luckily, we had another “on-theme” outfit. He liked his cake and I thought it was fine that he just had a little bit and he had a chocolate on his actual birthday, but I guess people were expecting a full smash cake, and I just didn’t do one. Presents were opened with some help from the other kids and I think a good time was had by all. Spencer had such a good time, he slept through the night for the first time in 4 months.

My favorite picture from the party.

Lessons Learned:

• No one drank soda. Don’t bother.
• Buy the cake.
• Don’t leave cleaning the house until the day of the party, even if the party doesn’t start until 5. I was a stress ball all day.
• Have toys out for all the kids to play with. Rookie mistake, I know.
• Put someone else in charge of taking the pictures. Mine are not too good.

Special Thanks:

• Suzanne sent me the paper used in the chalk wraps, the banner and the origami animals.
• Jody listened to me go on and on and on about the party for weeks. Weeks! She has the patience of a saint.
• My darling husband for enduring me.

July 31st, 2010

Party Prep

Somehow, in a few short hours, this is going to be a party!

July 12th, 2010

Party

I am beginning to have a complete and total meltdown about Spencer’s upcoming 1st birthday.  First off, I can not believe that my baby is going to be one. Yikes! Where did the time go? I was going through pictures from the early months to pull some out for a collage or decorations or something for the party and he was so tiny. He’s so busy now that I have forgotten what it was like when he was a lump in a bouncy chair. How time flies!

Well, enough with the cliches and on with the party. I finally ordered invitations and have seen the adorable proof; I’m just waiting for the final printable file. I’ve sent out some emails or let people know the date because I am running so far behind. I have the menu planned and just need to figure out decorations and dessert. We decided on a safari theme because Spencer’s favorite toys are his lion and elephant. I am not sure how far I am going to go with decorations. Maybe just a banner and cake topper. The party is mostly just a bbq for family and friends, I’m not sure who full-scale theme decorations would be for. Spencer surely doesn’t care. I’m sure whatever ends up working out will be great, I just need to stop stressing about it.