We ate a birthday breakfast of Belgian waffles, bacon, and strawberries.
While this moment of enthusiastic singing was perhaps annoyingly loud, later I found Mary had taken the CD player up to her bedroom, was playing a CD, and was very sweetly singing along into the microphone. It was pretty darned cute.
Fluffy pink cat!
The balloons gave Margaret much incentive to crawl today, as she would creep across the room, grab the balloon, and--oh!--once again the balloon would puff away from her. So frustrating!
New nightgown sewn by Mama
All day I've watched Mary playing with the doll house exactly right: moving the dollies around, making them talk to each other, take baths and stroller rides, and do little things. Meanwhile, I had to explain to John that the dolls are not hammers.
These wonderful wooden saint dolls are from St. Luke's Brush (StLukesBrush) on Etsy, which I want to recommend for its excellent quality, beautiful painting (with faces that actually look like the real saints' faces), and fast service. Upon opening the dolls, one of the children (I forget which) shrieked with joy, "Saint dolls!"
Margaret likes the saint dolls too.
After nap time, Grampa Neil took the kids "out into the woods" (the trees behind our house).
John's fort
Then after one of Mary's favorite dinners--meatloaf ("Meatloaf? Yay, I love meatloaf! Thank you, Mama!")--we prayed our family rosary by a back yard bonfire (always a thrill for the kids), and ate birthday cake.
I have some particular friends who love throwing big party bashes. I think it might even be easy for them, and it's definitely a load of fun. For Chris and me: not easy, not so much fun! Last year was the first time I tried to throw a real party-party. It was expensive and I felt a lot of stress about the planning, hoping everyone would have a good time, and running the event. I over-organized, I did too much, and the kids were over-structured.
Chris and I decided this year to try to rebel against the system! He's been joking ever since that if we just stop having big birthday parties ... that the Birthday Party Industrial Complex will come after us. It is like trying to stop the mail, as on "The Junk Mail" episode of Seinfeld (a humorous six minutes worth watching). Chris himself grew up in a family that celebrated birthdays mostly simply, since five brothers and a cake make an instant party!
My preliminary opinion of throwing a low-key, family birthday party is that it gets high marks from me!
Cost of Party: Almost nothing! I have a box of party decorations that I bought one time and use whenever I need them. So I just grabbed a few balloons, party plates, party hats, and voila! I had all the cake ingredients in the house already.
Mama's Stress Level: Zero! Making a slightly fancier breakfast is what I often do on a Saturday anyway. And I had to make dinner anyway, I just made some of Mary's favorite foods.
Happiness of Children: Through the roof! Mary was overjoyed at having her chair decorated with crepe paper and balloons. Strawberries at breakfast made her morning. The gifts were a total surprise to her (albeit, because she is only three).
Not saying we'll aim for low-key parties forever, but I've gotta say, this day was a pure joy for me as a mommy instead of being one of stress, and this is the kind of thing I want to repeat!
I absolutely 100% support your low-key birthday concept!!! Who says that it always has to be a huge thing with lots of money spent and tons of chaos and stress. This way you get to actually enjoy the day with your child! Looks like a wonderful day! She is a sweetie and I can't believe how fast 3 yrs is. (seeing her birth picture again seems like it just happened!)
we have always just done immediate family birthday parties! I love that we get to celebrate with the people who love our kids most, on the day the Lord blessed us with them!!!! Mary looks so happy!!! BLESSINGS!!!
TridentineWife: Thank you! One thing I do on their first birthdays and you might enjoy doing for your blog is a once-per-month photo. It really shows how they grow!
Ladies: I had the most interesting talk with some experienced moms a few weeks ago. They had many children and both expressed regret for doing big birthday party shebangs in the early years (friends, games, party favors, tons of food, etc.). Now they have many children and aren't going to do that for each child, so they reduced birthdays to family only, a cake, and one gift or a few gifts. They said they wished they had always done small celebrations like that so as not to build up expectations in their kids.
Happy, Happy Birthday to Mary! It looks like a lovely celebration! Low stress and maximum fun are the best. That was our how we did it for Baby Brother this week too.
I love the St. Luke's Brush dolls! I'm planning some for St. Nicholas Day stockings this year.
P.S. My boys love their dollhouse. They are very literal with it, though, and have it set up and play exactly like our family life... right down to TWO big beds for co-sleeping, lol. :-D John might come around.
Hooray for Mary (3 already! I can't believe it!)...but an even bigger hooray for you. It is SO WONDERFUL to see "pure joy for me as a mommy" - that is a great gift indeed!!
We skip the big bashes, too. Chris's family and extended family always does them, and we're the sole standouts in the family who don't. But when I was growing up, my birthdays were always like what you did for Mary this year--a favorite meal for dinner, cake and ice cream with my immediate family, and some presents. My family would wish my happy birthday throughout the day many times and just make it feel like a special day, even though we weren't doing much out of the ordinary. And I never knew any different, so I thought it was just it was wonderful--and still do. We sort of compromise and invite the grandparents over for dinner and cake on Theo's birthday, but that's about the extent of it. I'm a big fan of low-key celebrations, myself. Too much chaos stresses me out. (Now if I can just get my mother-in-law to give up her idea of having a baby shower for me. I feel silly having one for a second child, particularly given that he's the same gender as the first--and to be honest, I'm not into the big gatherings anyway!!)
As much as I do love to host big parties, we typically do low-key celebrations for the kids' birthdays too. I don't like how big elaborate parties for kids have become expected these days.
I absolutely 100% support your low-key birthday concept!!! Who says that it always has to be a huge thing with lots of money spent and tons of chaos and stress. This way you get to actually enjoy the day with your child! Looks like a wonderful day! She is a sweetie and I can't believe how fast 3 yrs is. (seeing her birth picture again seems like it just happened!)
ReplyDeletewe have always just done immediate family birthday parties! I love that we get to celebrate with the people who love our kids most, on the day the Lord blessed us with them!!!! Mary looks so happy!!!
ReplyDeleteBLESSINGS!!!
TridentineWife: Thank you! One thing I do on their first birthdays and you might enjoy doing for your blog is a once-per-month photo. It really shows how they grow!
ReplyDeletehttp://luke2-14.blogspot.com/2009/11/happy-first-birthday-mary.html
Ladies: I had the most interesting talk with some experienced moms a few weeks ago. They had many children and both expressed regret for doing big birthday party shebangs in the early years (friends, games, party favors, tons of food, etc.). Now they have many children and aren't going to do that for each child, so they reduced birthdays to family only, a cake, and one gift or a few gifts. They said they wished they had always done small celebrations like that so as not to build up expectations in their kids.
ReplyDeleteHappy, Happy Birthday to Mary! It looks like a lovely celebration! Low stress and maximum fun are the best. That was our how we did it for Baby Brother this week too.
ReplyDeleteI love the St. Luke's Brush dolls! I'm planning some for St. Nicholas Day stockings this year.
P.S. My boys love their dollhouse. They are very literal with it, though, and have it set up and play exactly like our family life... right down to TWO big beds for co-sleeping, lol. :-D John might come around.
Courtney: I love that your boys re-created the two giant beds for cosleeping! Priceless!
ReplyDeleteHooray for Mary (3 already! I can't believe it!)...but an even bigger hooray for you. It is SO WONDERFUL to see "pure joy for me as a mommy" - that is a great gift indeed!!
ReplyDeleteadorable pics :D
ReplyDeleteWe skip the big bashes, too. Chris's family and extended family always does them, and we're the sole standouts in the family who don't. But when I was growing up, my birthdays were always like what you did for Mary this year--a favorite meal for dinner, cake and ice cream with my immediate family, and some presents. My family would wish my happy birthday throughout the day many times and just make it feel like a special day, even though we weren't doing much out of the ordinary. And I never knew any different, so I thought it was just it was wonderful--and still do. We sort of compromise and invite the grandparents over for dinner and cake on Theo's birthday, but that's about the extent of it. I'm a big fan of low-key celebrations, myself. Too much chaos stresses me out. (Now if I can just get my mother-in-law to give up her idea of having a baby shower for me. I feel silly having one for a second child, particularly given that he's the same gender as the first--and to be honest, I'm not into the big gatherings anyway!!)
ReplyDeleteMargaret got the same dollhouse for her 3rd birthday. I got it at a yard sale for $. She still adores it!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Mary!
Happy birthday sweet Mary!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I do love to host big parties, we typically do low-key celebrations for the kids' birthdays too. I don't like how big elaborate parties for kids have become expected these days.