We’re going to be in Florida for the girls’ birthday. This will be awesome! Except my brother and his family will not be in Florida with us, and all my girls keep asking is when they get to celebrate their birthday with their cousins.
We’ve tossed around a few ideas for a friends party, but wow are those expensive! Last year at the bouncy house place was expensive, but I felt like we got our money’s worth with 20 kids there. The two options the girls like both want $300, and they only get to invite 6 or 8 friends. Yikes. Not what I want to spend right before we leave on vacation.
Since none of their daycare friends have had birthday parties, I decided to pitch the option of no friend party, instead saving our money for Florida. Then we could do a fun dinner out with my brother and his family before we leave (hibachi!). Delaney immediately went for this, Caden did not. And so, we have been in negotiations ever since.
Yesterday I finally asked Caden what was most important for her birthday celebrations. Did she really want to go to the cooking class? Or did she really want to celebrate with her cousins? Turns out it was a little bit of both, so my solution was to do a ‘cooking class’ at my brother’s house (they have a better kitchen for it) for the birthday girls and their cousins, and then dinner out at the hibachi place after. Caden went for it, but then started saying all of her friends she would invite along. No!
My mom suggested I just do an inexpensive party at home. Sure, I could do that, but I am absolutely buried at work right now and the last thing I want to do is plan a party where I have to entertain a bunch of kids in my house. I just don’t have it in me. Nor do I want to drop $300 to have someone else do it for me. (The only way I would do a party at my house was if I booked a princess who handles the whole deal, but she is expensive and only allows a certain number of kids.)
And so we are at somewhat of an impasse. Actually we’re not. We’ll end up doing the faux cooking class and hibachi, I just need to convince Caden of that. And stop feeling guilty for not giving them a friend party this year.
I hate hate hate the birthday negotiations with the boys. One of my least favorite parts of twins. And I totally sympathize because Jon’s birthday is the day before mine and I hate sharing a birthday and birthday plans.