Sydney's 3rd Birthday Party

The 'official' plan: to have a dress up party at the house with nine toddlers.

The real plan: to keep the birthday girl from having a major meltdown in the face of so much excitement

How it all turned out: as a playing in the backyard party, a little chaotic, but a lot of fun

And with a birthday girl who not only had no meltdowns, but really enjoyed her day. (To the point that I think we had to sing "Happy Birthday" at least nine or ten times before the day was over.)

To prepare for the party, I had really decked out the house:


Gotten out all of the food... in the red and yellow that were Sydney's choice for her party:


And planned all of the dress up stuff that was also her birthday gift from her dad and me:

Before the rest of the guests arrived, Emmalyn and Sydney did play dress up for a little bit.

Once the other kids arrived, though, Sydney announced, "Let's play in the backyard!" So (remembering the real goal of no meltdowns), I said, "okay."

So despite the time spent decorating and cleaning the house, the backyard, which I had not even straighten up or attended to, was where the real action was. I knew that we had done some fun things with the backyard, but until I really saw it filled with children playing, I had no idea how big and fun the backyard really was. I don't know why I didn't just plan the party for outside to begin with.

There was enough different "stations" around the yard for all different groups of kids to be playing together and on their own.

The big thing I have learned from the last couple of parties Sydney has had or attended is that timing is everything. The kids will play until they are worn out, so if you wait for them to be done playing, they are too "done" for cake and presents. So after 40 minutes, I suggested to Sydney that she could eat cake and that got her inside for singing "Happy Birthday" and blowing out the candles.

The cake, by the way, was yellow cupcakes without icing. I am so pleased that I didn't succumb to the temptation to buy an expensive cake or put icing on the cupcakes just 'cause. Sydney loved the icing-less cake and ate about six of them before going to bed.

After cake, Sydney opened presents and that was probably the most chaotic part for me. Her friends were all bringing her gifts, tissue paper was being throw around the room, I had a pencil and a pad of paper in my hands trying desperately to write down who gave her what while keeping from tripping over all the toddlers who are running amok in the living room. What fun!

My very favorite moment was when everything was done and I looked at the other parents and announced that I wanted a picture with all of the kids. The oldest child there was only five and the youngest just turned two. I used the phrase "herding cats" more than once. Yet we did manage to get one picture with all of the kids' faces showing, if not actually looking at the camera.

After that, all of the kids played until they were "done" and I was so glad as several parents had to carry their exhausted toddlers to the car, that we had done all of the presents and cake (and gotten the picture) before that point.

Sydney had a blast, of course. When everyone had gone, she looked around the house and in her most forlorn voice said, "Aw, all my friends are gone! Now no one will play with me."

Then she hung her head.

And then she looked up and shrugged, "Aw, I guess my parents will play with me. C'mon Mama."


Someone asked me if I was disappointed because the party really didn't go as planned at all. Really? Not a bit. I got to see Sydney play dress up before and after the party and got the picture of all of her friends and saw Sydney having an absolute blast, so I think how it turned out may have been better than I had planned it.

Which is not to say that I'm not working on planning next year's party right now. My joy is in the planning. The execution is really more about Sydney than me anyway.