Party Time!

(disclaimer: I actually started this post a week and a half ago, which is why the tone changes a bit from beginning to end. Also, it's been edited to reflect the passage of time. ;)

On Saturday we had a birthday party for Ben. I went ahead and decided to throw a relatively big party. I realized as we were trying to decide what to do that I'm still disappointed in what I missed out on with both my pregnancies. Don't get me wrong, I remain grateful for all the support and care we got from friends and family, but still feel like I missed out on a lot. Frankly, part of it probably also stems from the fact that most of my older and closest friends were done with babymaking and most of them don't live near me. So without too much whining I'll just say that there wasn't much fanfare for my pregnancy or Ben's birth. In fact, two of my oldest (as in known them a long time) friends (women who were in my wedding!) didn't even bother to send a card, email, or phone call to say congrats. (Ok so what I said about the whining, nix that.) I mean we didn't really need any stuff for Ben and I wasn't expecting the same response as when Lucy was born, but you know what, I've had A LOT of friends (including the two who were in my wedding) have 3 kids and even if I had fallen out of touch I always sent a little something and I often sent something for the other kids too. So, I really don't think a card or email is really too much to ask. Ok, so apparently I'm a bit more angry about all this than even I realized.

I've never been the most popular girl around. I wasn't in a sorority at college and I typically have had just a few close friends. And I've been guilty of letting some friendships fall by the wayside and losing touch with people. But I've also tried to be there for my friends. I've thrown A LOT of bridal and baby showers -- even some 2nd baby showers, and I try to remember to send birthday cards and call and send occasional emails to let people know I'm thinking of them. I guess it really makes me more sad than anything. It makes me really think that perhaps these relationships didn't really mean as much to my "friends" as they did to me. It makes me doubt myself and question all my relationships.

ANYWAY. The upshot is that I decided that even though he's only one and doesn't really have his own friends yet, F#@% it! I wanted a real celebration. So, I invited a sort of random selection of our friends and astonishingly most everyone we invited came. Fortunately, the weather held and we were able to keep the kids outside for the most part. It was definitely even harder than usual to play hostess while chasing a one-year old unsteady walker around, but it was a great party. My parents came up for the day and my mom took the kids for a long walk before the party so that my husband and I could get ready. So many dear friends came to help us celebrate and we had a great time. Unfortunately, Ben was tired and cranky by the time I gave him the little cake I'd made just for him, so we didn't get any fun cake smash photos because he just fingered it a bit and then cried to get out of the high chair. I guess I'm a little too used to throwing parties for an older kid, should probably have scheduled it a bit earlier in the day. Nevertheless, we had a great time.

We didn't get to the gifts until after the party, but he enjoyed some of his new toys on Sunday and particularly loves his new firetruck.


Sunday was another busy day. We started the day off with a little exercise. Lucy did a one mile fun run with a friend and I ran my first ever 5K with her friend's mom. Daddy and Ben came to hang out with Lucy after her race and to cheer me on for mine. Afterward there were snacks and some time on the playground with friends. Then we headed home to clean up in time for my husbands parents to arrive for the day and another birthday celebration! He seemed a little more interested in the cake they brought, but as my father-in-law commented, the little guy got a raw deal. It was his birthday, but he didn't get any chocolate cake (and it was VERY good!)

So it was a very full and very fun weekend. Now we just need to get the house back in order and catch up on our sleep!