If you have had a conversation with Branik since Christmas it has likely been initiated by him asking you what level you are on in Super Mario Bros. This kid was born to play with electronics. I don't get it, because my other two were never as excited about games and gadgets as Bran is. He loves the Wii and can't stand the days I don't allow it to be turned on. If Wii is outlawed for the day, he moves on to the computer. If I say no to that too, he wants his Leapster. If I veto that one based on the principle of not needing something with batteries for play time, he has (on more than one occasion) been found sitting under the kitchen table WITH A CALCULATOR.
Anyway, it wasn't hard to figure out what kind of birthday he wanted this year, but I wasn't expecting to be doing all the work by myself until the lovely army sent Boone to Mississippi for the week, only to return him 30 minutes before Branik's little party was scheduled. It worked out and Branik was totally thrilled, even when my cake plans had to be toned down a little. But that brings me to my soapbox moment of this blog...
I have finally realized that most of these elaborate kids parties are for the parents and not the kids -- especially at this age. All the kids want is a cake, some balloons, their friends, and some presents. Kids don't care about all the other junk -- and when I did bigger, more elaborate birthdays for my kids it was really to impress the parents. I mean, at the time I thought it was for the kids, but then I realized that kids require very little to have something qualify as "fun". So I decided to quit spending gobs of money on stuff they don't care about and to quit spending gobs of time on details that don't matter to them. Would he have liked Super Mario napkins and balloons? Probably. But did he still like his plain old red, blue, and green balloons? Yep. Would he have liked it if I had rented out Jump City for all of his friends to climb on inflatables for 2 hours? I'm sure he would have. Was his day "not fun" because he played in the backyard with friends instead? Nope. Would he have been delighted to see his face screen printed on Mario's body on a sheet cake? Undoubtedly. Did he squeal with delight at my 90 minute 9 x 13 cake? You betcha'.
I'm sure there will come a day where the bigger parties will be something they want, and from time to time we will probably do something like that. But when you ask your kid what they want to do on their birthday and they say, "eat cake and play with balloons", why spend hundreds of dollars doing more than they wanted? How will you manage to keep up with that expectation year after year? Seriously, I have had people in my kids' classes who report that their kid's birthday party cost $600. For a 5 year old.
SO. STUPID.
And really? Do you think I don't notice that we hardly know each other and that you are dying to pass this information on to me? Like I should be impressed that you waste money in obscene fashion? Well done, you. Not impressed. Making fun of you on my blog.
And now I will get off my soapbox and show you some pictures, grandparents/aunts who care.
My 90 minute Mario cake and "Big Mushroom" cupcakes.
The cake and some shadows from my hands and the camera.
The boys had seen this cake already about 25 times but kept coming back to look at it. Which is why I don't care that it isn't even remotely perfect. They didn't need perfect. They needed "recognizable as a Mario Bros" cake.
Present time could easily have been called "Card time" and it would have been just as exciting for Branik. He seriously LOVES cards and opens them before the gift every time. They are all still on the mantel because he loves them so much.
Here comes my favorite picture of the whole event -- the one that screams, "My birthday was rad!"
And for my mom: he hasn't quit playing with these in a week!
For everyone else: if you are wanting a gift idea these Wedgit blocks are awesome. Totally open-ended and engaging for all ages. My 8 year old girl and both of my boys fight over who's turn it is next. I may or may not have played with them after the kids were in bed.
So. It was a Happy Birthday for our baby boy, and we really appreciated all of our family and friends that made it a special day for him. And I appreciate myself for single parenting unexpectedly that week and still baking 48 cupcakes, a Mario cake, and a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting that was 100% from scratch. (And now, I appreciate my leg being healed enough that I can run all of that cake off.) Well done, Nicole. Thank you, Nicole.
