Miss A has been invited to quite a few birthday parties this year, quite normal for the first year of school I am led to believe. After about party #4 she started to ponder what she might do for her own birthday party, albeit @ 6 months away. This discussion was normally one sided, I wasn't buying into anything that was either going to cost me a lot of time, stress or money.
I know I should know better, but that's what brings me to the conclusion that I perhaps need to go back to work, my mind kept churning with all the fun we could have in our own newly acquired backyard that had already been dubbed "the paddock", the logical conclusion was to have a farmyard party!!! Miss nearly 6 had other ideas, Build a Bear, Glitz & Glam, Tiny Chef, all her suggestions were shot down by her Mother on a mission with the comeback that she could do any of them when she turned 7 or even 8 but a farm party would be too baby'ish at any other age. So 2 months before her birthday I set off on my farmyard party mission with no turning back. Two weeks before the party she hit me with "but what if I don't want a farm party", by that stage it was met with "farm party or no party - end of discussion!" and no I do not need to be reminded where my kids might get their stubborn streak from!
All things farm related became a bit of an obsession for me for a little while there, but I had great fun coming up with ideas and bouncing them off of anyone who would listen. The last thing I needed was someone to egg me on but I found a kindred spirit in a fellow prep Mum who inspired me and made me realise that doing things for our kids can be a whole world of fun for ourselves too - O Yeh!
I am so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends who always come to the party when I have a crazy idea that requires more hands than I have to execute. My beautiful Mum came to town and baked her butt off for the entire week, my wonderful brother made a special trip with my gorgeous niece, he was under strict instructions not to stand around and look pretty and so was allocated duties and my amazing girlfriends went all Masterchef in my kitchen and took over food service.
So the birthday girl and 40 of her little friends enjoyed a beautiful day in our paddock with the help of some hired farmyard friends. Now I must rest on my laurels and stick to my promise that one home party per child ever is enough!
