Families love to celebrate, and birthdays are certainly a great occasion to do so. This week, my youngest granddaughter celebrated the big ?1.? Her mom and dad wanted to make sure her day was special, and they went to a lot of trouble to assure their princess had a great party. They rented the playroom at a local gymnastics center so all of the children would have somewhere to play, and there were decorations, sweets (a little cake just for her to eat with her fingers), and tons of candy. Her party theme was the ?Sweet Shop? and believe me there was enough sugar there to keep all the children hyper until my granddaughter?s next birthday!
I watched all the birthday fanfare with admiration for my daughter?s ability to juggle work, home life and plan such an elaborate party.?I couldn?t help but remember my own children?s birthday parties. There was a significant difference in the amount of time and attention devoted to the birthday parties of child number one and two, when compared to child three, four, and five. The twins came last, and not only were they way down the totem pole in birth order, they were born the day after Christmas.
To make their day special and help us survive the holidays, we celebrated their birthday on the fourth of July, so they could have fun outside, which made clean up easier, and the celebration didn?t get lost in all the holiday madness. This worked well until they went to school and learned that the real reason people shoot off fireworks on the Fourth of July has nothing to do with their birthday. They then demanded that their birthday be celebrated on the ?real? day.
Another incident that illustrates the difference between first children and their siblings happened when they were about six years old. It was time for the evening meal and I had made a cake for dessert. I cut them each a piece and put it on the table in front of them and they started singing ?Happy Birthday.? The only time the little darlings saw cake was on someone?s birthday!
The fact that I was older (36) when the twins were born, made a difference in the amount of time and energy I had for parenting, but one thing that wasn?t different was how much we loved each baby that God sent to our family.
I know that when my daughter and her husband look at their child, they wonder if they could ever love another child as much as they love her. The answer is ?yes? they can. That?s one of the most amazing things about parental love, your heart expands with the birth of each baby and each one of them has their own individual place in your heart. And just when you think your heart is so full of love that?it can?t possibly grow anymore, your children have children and you become a grandparent. And what do you know? There?s more room in your heart after all!
Birthday Party Planning Tips
I. Timing matters. If the children are really young, have the party as early in the day as possible and not at nap time. Fussy babies do not make for fun parties!
2. Designate specific jobs. If you are fortunate enough to have family and friends who want to help?let them! I brought the ice cream to my granddaughter?s party and her other grandmother brought the punch. My son?s girlfriend was the photographer. Having less to worry about made it easier for my daughter to enjoy watching her daughter?s face light up ? and that?s what it?s all about!
3. Prepare for clean-up. If you are having the party somewhere other than your home, take cleaning supplies with you. Clean-up is made easier if you come prepared, and children are messy!
4. Expect the unexpected. My granddaughter went to a friend?s birthday party and tornado sirens sent the whole party to a closet. Thankfully, the moms remained calm, and the little ones thought the flashlights were part of the entertainment!
5. Watch costs. Don?t spend more money than you can afford. You won?t enjoy the party if all you can think about is, ?How am I going to pay for this???Trust me on this one; children remember the love long after the toys are gone.
What are your birthday party planning tips?
Source: http://blog.mariecallendersmeals.com/2013/04/08/how-to-plan-the-best-birthday-parties/
halftime show super bowl halftime show 2012 ahmad bradshaw halftime super bowl 2012 super bowl score madonna super bowl performance madonna half time
No comments:
Post a Comment