Birthday Breakdowns

We just had my oldest son's 8th birthday party and I have lived to tell about it!  The boys played road hockey and we did a Lego hunt and build.

It made me think of the party I had for Colin when he was four years old.  It was the morning of his party and I was running around quickly with the vacuum when suddenly I smelled burning rubber.  I noticed a long plume of thick smoke pouring out of the side of the vacuum.  This is the thought that instantly raced through my head: "Oh no, the house is going to burn down before we can have the party!"

(Notice that I didn't seem to care much about the house burning down, I just thought that it would be bad timing.  Hmmmm.  Anyway, moving on.)

Luckily the house didn't burn down and I had a great excuse to stop vacuuming, so - so far, so good.

I was taking a shower and Colin, who was very excited, kept messing around with my makeup on the bathroom counter.  He finally announced, "Mommy!  I have a great idea! I'm going to take pictures with my camera."  He had a little disposable camera.  I thought, 'That IS a great idea.  I can finish getting ready in peace, and it will keep Colin occupied.  He can take pictures of the balloons, and the cake, and the pinata.'  I said enthusiastically, "Great plan, honey!"  I heard him running off. 

I sighed happily.  Finally, a moment of calm.  I could just take a deep breath and prepare for the coming party.  Suddenly I heard the shower curtain being swept back and a little voice yelling, "SAY CHEESE, MOMMY!" 

I screamed in shock, and then tried to swipe at the curtain, yelling frantically, "Just my head!  Just take a picture of my head!"  (I think I burned that particular roll of film.)

After that excitement, the party went pretty well.  It was utter chaos, of course, but reasonably well-controlled.  No one was injured or had a nervous breakdown.  (You have to set your standards low.)  I didn't do too much - I only had some play stations with crafts, and lots of food.

I had looked up ideas online before the party, and I read one woman's account of how she and her husband had done a Thomas the Train party.  They both dressed up as train engineers and re-created the entire Island of Sodor in their backyard.  In one 'scene' it was snowing, and her husband stood on a ladder and shook boxes of white Styrofoam peanuts over the children.  I felt like posting this comment: "Did you get divorced before, during, or after the party?"

Celebrations are such fun, aren't they?  Pass the wine!