A Party for Karitas (and Helena)
This year we postponed Karitas' birthday party a few weeks after her actual birthday for three reasons. 1. Her grandparents from Iceland were visiting in late September, 2. We could combine her 5th B'day party and Helena's 2nd B'day party, and 3. September 3rd being her second day of school, we knew no one well enough from her kindergarten but wanted to get to know them.
Karitas had several requests for her party: messy, big cake, messy. She had been to a birthday party last year that was called a 'mess' party and she loved it. We trudged along with the plans and tried to downplay the mess part. I didn't have much time to plan and we didn't want to do any extravagant 'event' party. We've been to some spectacular kids' parties and I always leave thinking, that was too much for a 5 year old.
We planned a lovely day at the park with playground. We decided to have some snacks, cakes, balloons, one messy activity and a pinata. Everything started falling into place. We invited a handful of kids and when running into friends, invited a few more. Suddenly we had a high acceptance rate and lots of siblings coming with. No matter, because the kids could be unleashed to the playground and that really was the whole itinerary. Still, 20+ kids was starting to stress me.
What was not planned was the erratic weather forecast for our party weekend. 50% chance of scattered showers. Thanks a lot, weather gods. On the day before the party, it poured. On the morning of the party, it looked kinda ok. We decided not to postpone. Karitas and I arrived 1.5 hours before the party and started setting up. The sun came out, we had fun placing the picnic table covers, arranging the food, attaching goody bags to balloons... Ten minutes before our guests arrived, we felt fortunate and Karitas even realized our luck. One second after I had that thought, the heavens ripped open and started shooting down rain like little daggers in our hearts. And on our tables, our napkins, our balloons, our party hats. Can you believe Karitas, with her spirit intact, ran under the picnic table to stay dry and still clasping the balloons so they wouldn't get wet?! We were laughing about the predicament when suddenly Karitas had to go to the bathroom. I scooped her from under the table and we ran towards the park's nearest restroom.
That is when Karitas started to melt. She thought she could not hold it when in reality, she was just getting really really wet. We made it to the restroom and cleaned up. The park manager on duty ran into us, took one look Karitas, and offered the back room of the park's ampitheater. At least it's a dry shelter, she said. All of the other sheltered pavilions were being used. I had no choice but to accept such kindness. By now, Fridjon had arrived with the rest of the family (Helena and grandparents) and we drove to our new venue. I admit it was not an ideal location for a kid's party but at least it was dry. The playground was no longer an option. By this time, people were to start arriving. Did they come or did they stay away because of the rain? I guess they caught wind of Fridjon's chocolate cake with butter cream.
Were people really coming? Yes, everyone came. Everyone was directed to the 'green room' of the ampitheater. We started trying to set the food on the dusty table. We unfolded some of the folding chairs. The rain stopped. The kids started playing on the stage and seating area. The kids seemed to be multiplying. I was still in shock, trying to decide how to get control of this party. But again, everything started falling into place. We had cake. Kids were smiling. Helena parked herself right in front of the cake until she got a piece. She made sure she got her 2 year party as well. We played a game that Karitas loves: find the strawberry under a mound of cool whip... without using your hands. A hit. Then we hoisted the pinata high up on one of the ampitheater's cantilevered roof trusses. The last kid broke the pinata so that means that everybody got a hit. Like magic the pinata game finished at our scheduled party end time. The kids left with goody bags. Karitas was beaming.
Party in the tool shed!
Karitas was so excited she started ahead.
We told her it's a 2 hung upside down.
Focus...
We bought an excess of ready warm dinner at the hot foods bar in Whole Foods. We opened presents that evening like it was Christmas. I could not have planned a better party, really I couldn't. Karitas definitely got her messy party. Next year, it will be indoors and it will be an all inclusive predictable EVENT party where all that's required of the parent is a signed check.
Karitas had several requests for her party: messy, big cake, messy. She had been to a birthday party last year that was called a 'mess' party and she loved it. We trudged along with the plans and tried to downplay the mess part. I didn't have much time to plan and we didn't want to do any extravagant 'event' party. We've been to some spectacular kids' parties and I always leave thinking, that was too much for a 5 year old.
We planned a lovely day at the park with playground. We decided to have some snacks, cakes, balloons, one messy activity and a pinata. Everything started falling into place. We invited a handful of kids and when running into friends, invited a few more. Suddenly we had a high acceptance rate and lots of siblings coming with. No matter, because the kids could be unleashed to the playground and that really was the whole itinerary. Still, 20+ kids was starting to stress me.
What was not planned was the erratic weather forecast for our party weekend. 50% chance of scattered showers. Thanks a lot, weather gods. On the day before the party, it poured. On the morning of the party, it looked kinda ok. We decided not to postpone. Karitas and I arrived 1.5 hours before the party and started setting up. The sun came out, we had fun placing the picnic table covers, arranging the food, attaching goody bags to balloons... Ten minutes before our guests arrived, we felt fortunate and Karitas even realized our luck. One second after I had that thought, the heavens ripped open and started shooting down rain like little daggers in our hearts. And on our tables, our napkins, our balloons, our party hats. Can you believe Karitas, with her spirit intact, ran under the picnic table to stay dry and still clasping the balloons so they wouldn't get wet?! We were laughing about the predicament when suddenly Karitas had to go to the bathroom. I scooped her from under the table and we ran towards the park's nearest restroom.
That is when Karitas started to melt. She thought she could not hold it when in reality, she was just getting really really wet. We made it to the restroom and cleaned up. The park manager on duty ran into us, took one look Karitas, and offered the back room of the park's ampitheater. At least it's a dry shelter, she said. All of the other sheltered pavilions were being used. I had no choice but to accept such kindness. By now, Fridjon had arrived with the rest of the family (Helena and grandparents) and we drove to our new venue. I admit it was not an ideal location for a kid's party but at least it was dry. The playground was no longer an option. By this time, people were to start arriving. Did they come or did they stay away because of the rain? I guess they caught wind of Fridjon's chocolate cake with butter cream.
Were people really coming? Yes, everyone came. Everyone was directed to the 'green room' of the ampitheater. We started trying to set the food on the dusty table. We unfolded some of the folding chairs. The rain stopped. The kids started playing on the stage and seating area. The kids seemed to be multiplying. I was still in shock, trying to decide how to get control of this party. But again, everything started falling into place. We had cake. Kids were smiling. Helena parked herself right in front of the cake until she got a piece. She made sure she got her 2 year party as well. We played a game that Karitas loves: find the strawberry under a mound of cool whip... without using your hands. A hit. Then we hoisted the pinata high up on one of the ampitheater's cantilevered roof trusses. The last kid broke the pinata so that means that everybody got a hit. Like magic the pinata game finished at our scheduled party end time. The kids left with goody bags. Karitas was beaming.
Party in the tool shed!
Karitas was so excited she started ahead.
We told her it's a 2 hung upside down.
Focus...
We bought an excess of ready warm dinner at the hot foods bar in Whole Foods. We opened presents that evening like it was Christmas. I could not have planned a better party, really I couldn't. Karitas definitely got her messy party. Next year, it will be indoors and it will be an all inclusive predictable EVENT party where all that's required of the parent is a signed check.
posted by Ma at
30.9.08
2 Comments
