Less Planning, More Fun
Read more about: Mommy Guilt
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We had Turbo Tot’s first birthday party over the weekend. After giving it much thought, and conferring with her Godmother, I decided to take the easy way out do something different for Turbo Tot’s first birthday party. I decided to serve only cake and ice cream, instead of the full dinner and dessert I did for both her sisters’ parties. However, I felt guilty not throwing the same kind of shindig I did for my older girls. So I asked my dear friend Lora . . .
“Am I short-changing my third child or finally wising up?”
She answered unequivocally,”You’re wising up.”
Cool. That makes the party a lot easier to plan.
The invitations went out inviting guests to enjoy cake and ice cream from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Simple enough.
I baked a cake, frosted it and threw some colored sprinkles on it. No biggie. What a difference a decade of motherhood makes! For Sweet Angel’s first birthday, I was an absolute basket case because the guests were arriving and I still hadn’t finished decorating, with various colored frostings I tinted myself, the cake I made in the shape of Big Bird. I was so flustered and rushed, I scribbled in icing “Happy B - day!” because I didn’t even have time to spell out “Birthday!” Ah, the self-inflicted pressure of being a first-time mommy!
Turbo Tot’s party went smoothly. We were all relaxed and enjoyed watching her eat the cake with only white frosting. Who needs tinted frosting? White frosting is easier and doesn’t stain the baby’s clothes.
The neighbors and family from out of town left around four, consistent with the designated end time on the invitation. However, the core group stayed. By 5:30 p.m. the kids started saying they were hungry. Hmmm. Lora and I stepped into the other room.
“If we leave, they will leave,” Lora offers.
“No, I want you all to stay. This is fun. I just need to feed them dinner now.”
“I have some pasta and sauce at my house,” Lora offers.
“I have the makings of a shrimp dish,” I add.
Okay, it’s settled then. I go back into the kitchen and call out,
“Why don’t you all stay for dinner!”
And they all did. On the spur of the moment I was having a dinner party for 14 people. So much for just cake and ice cream! And you know what, everything worked out perfectly without any planning!
We had a such a blast and the last guest left around 9:00 p.m. On the way out the door, Turbo Tot’s Godfather said to his wife Lora and me,
“See, you can have fun at a party without all the planning!”
He’s got a point.
Shannon Hutton draws on her experience working full-time, part-time and from home with three kids to blog about the universal challenge of achieving work-life balance. She also uses her Master's in Education and professional experience as a School Counselor to address parenting and school issues in her weekly 
You’ve got very lovely family perfect shot of a family portrait. God bless!
It was a blast.
I ALMOST forgot about the PAT”s game.
Love DAD
What a wonderful day! I can so relate with the stress of providing dinner and cake. My girl’s birthdays are a month apart so it gets very stressful. This year I decided to let them know that to save money we are having a small get together with pizza, cake and ice cream… that way we will actually have money for decent gifts for them.
It actually went over pretty well, a lot better than I thought
Love the pictures — especially the family portrait! If that were me, we’d serve something simple like, well, Pizza Hut! And if it were up to my husband, he’d put the pressure on himself to stage an Iron Chef meal. Poor guy.
Those are gorgeous photos and I love the one of Turbo Tot with her cake - such an adorable little grin she’s got!
Yup, by the 3rd child, things get much simpler - Becca’s party on Sunday involved a store-bought cake, little ice cream cups that I bought at the grocery store, only 3 families invited (only one of which made it) and a lot less stress than in years past!
I have fun memories for all of my kids birthday parties. I think while the kids are young, they serve just as much purpose for families to get together as they do to celebrate birthdays. My older son’s birthday is 4th of July so it always gives us an excuse to celebrate the holiday.
Sounds like a great party! Happy Birthday to your little one.
Dear Shannon, I love your blog! I have come across it from reading other blogs but we have so many similarites(sorry no spell check)yours makes me smile at my life the most.
1. we have the same wedding song
2. i have 3 kids close in age to yours son 8, daughter 5 and baby daughter 1, i also would like 1 more, but hubby says NO
3. baby daughters had the same onsie that i saw in your wordless wednesday “Nothing is wrong, just testing you”
4. my favorite place is also the Cape, i grew up going to Brewster every summer for a month and Emac and Bolio’s was our favorite ice cream destination!
5. i am responding to this particlular day because i just had my baby daughers bday which was a smaller first bday party then the other 2 had and the same simmalr guilt feelings
6. the same need to constantly be doing something productive and feeling guilty about not spending more time with the kids
7. RED SOX FANS!
I will stop there because i am telling you the list goes on,next you are going to tell me you live in MA and drive a white minivan…
Please send me your email so i can send you some pictures of my 3 loves…and maybe you can give me some tips on starting my own blog.
melissakaylor@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Missy
Oh no, my crazy Italian habits are rubbing off on you!! Dinner for 14 on the spur of the moment - bet you never dreamed that 10 years ago! It’s great to catch all the posts I missed! That WAS a fun night. Got any wine?