Just Call Me Martha

On Sunday, Nate turned 4. In my mind, kids' birthday parties are a bit of a PIA. There are the hassles of entertaining a group of kids for an extended period of time at an age when it's enough work to entertain your own kid for that long. There are the expectations of doing at least as much as the previous mommies in your circle have done (the casual out-Martha-ing of each other while protesting that you're not doing anything at all for this year's party). And then there is arguably the most insidious social custom of said parties: the loot bag. No mom really wants tons of plastic crap rolling around in her car for weeks after the event, but getting something meaningful means spending more money. It's all a big headache as far as I'm concerned.

The first two years of Nate's life were marked by adult parties. We invited our friends, drank wine and ate some cake. Last year I copped out of throwing a party. We were about to move from the place I can't, in retrospect, believe we lived in for 20 months. It was not a place conducive to entertaining (read: it was a true embarrassment to have anyone over), and thus the impending move provided me with the perfect excuse not to host a party.

This year, I figured I was on the hook. We live in the perfect home for entertaining. Nate's social circle is expanding. I didn't want to hear 20 years from now that I scarred my son for life by failing to provide him with a chance to collect as much booty as possible as early on as possible.

In an effort to keep things simple, I planned a cupcake decorating party. For three weeks prior to the event, I collected various cupcake paraphernalia until I had a tidy stockpile. And then, four days before the party, disaster struck.

Nate, recalling Jake's Spiderman cake I purchased at the last minute in September at the local grocery store, demanded to have a Spiderman cake too. The exact same one as Jakey's. Please mom. Because that's what I really want.

A few curses, a phone call to the grocery store later, we were set. Except that now we had cupcakes and cake set for the same party. Somehow I didn't think I'd be winning over any mommy friends by allowing the kids to decorate and eat cupcakes followed by Spidey cake with ice cream. Fortunately, David had the brilliant idea, the night before, to let the cupcakes be the "loot bag", thus killing two birds with one stone. (I keep him around for moments such as these.)

The entire party was a huge success. Granted I haven't gone down to inspect the sugar-fueled damage to the play room, but overall, everyone had fun. I think the adults were more into the cupcake decorating than their kids. I saw not a few parents slap their children's hands away from their masterpieces, while fighting tooth and nail over the decorating bags and icing bling.

Nate? In 7th heaven. I think I may have scored so big that I can skip doing anything for the 5th birthday and sail on the wings of this success straight on through to his 6th.

A Party Montage:

Step One: Lay a base. (Note the Spidey tablecloth. Who's Martha or what?)



Step Forty Three: Display artwork on loot bag plate.



Pose demurely with Spidey cake:



Show remarkable restraint for a 17 month old. Use cutlery and a Spiderman plate properly:



Open gifts ('cause it's all about the booty):



Pick your favouritist gift of all: the Razor scooter: