When Shaelyn turned 2, I threw a big Curious George party. I made homemade invitations. I pre-drew George's face on paper plates for the kids to paint. I decorated with George-themed decorations. I wanted her to have a party she could remember, and you know what, she does remember it. Or at the very least, having watched herself in pictures and videos incessantly has helped her to "remember."
I wanted the same thing for Rachelle. A themed party that she would love. A lot of attention to detail. And then the week of her birthday was upon me. I had thought of a Busy Town party, because she loves watching "Huckle" as she calls it with Shaelyn. But what do you do at a Busy Town party?
When Shaelyn was 2, she knew it was her birthday. She knew she was the center of attention, and that everyone was there for her. She knew why George's face was plastered all over the house and why there were Barrel Full O' Monkeys hidden throughout the living room. She ate it up.
Rachelle, on the other hand, just thought it was cool that for some reason our house was filled with people on a random Saturday morning. To be honest, Rachelle doesn't really have any "friends" her age. Sure, there are at least 6 kids that all fall within 6 months of her birthday in her nursery class at church, and she knows who they are, but I wouldn't say they are her friends. Her friends are Shaelyn's friends - it's who she talks about, who she sees twice a week for school, who she goes places with.
So of course, at her party, she was totally fine with all the kiddos her age playing in the playroom without her, while she danced and pranced in the living room with the "big girls" - Shaelyn and Clara. It was a "dance party" - complete with tunes from the electronic keyboard, and Rachelle was the party DJ. Which meant that song #44 was played over. And over. And over again. It's the Nutcracker March, in case you were wondering. Rachelle's favorite. And yes, she knows what number it is.
It was very low key. I didn't really plan anything. Just let a bunch of kids loose in your house while synthesized music plays real loud. Sounds like a party to me. We did make "dancing sticks" and I hid some noise makers around the room for a scavenger hunt activity. When we found them, we had a parade of sorts. Or at least a bunch of 2-year-olds with green horns in their mouths.
Lunch was Rachelle's pick as well. Shaelyn always picks pizza. But Rachelle wanted peanut butter and jelly. So we went shopping. She picked out her juice boxes, her cake flavor (chocolate), and her side items (strawberries and cheese). I showed her that there was cheese in the shape of Mickey Mouse, and the world stopped. She held on to that cheese until we got home to put it in the fridge.
She knew exactly how to blow her candles out, and exactly how to eat her cupcake - like a dog.
The next day, on her actual birthday, she got to wear a "Birthday Girl" star to church, have a family party that night (complete with another cake), and open presents.
By the end of the weekend, she was singing "Happy Birthday" to herself.
I think she finally figured out it was all for her.
