It isn't a Wedding...

But it is a birthday. And birthdays need to be celebrated. I have always been a big believer in the BIRTHDAY. Especially mine. Hello world, let's commemorate me. I like presents. I like parties. I like cake. I like birthdays.

And now I have my children's birthdays to celebrate. I can't go half way. I know I border on crazy. I have friends who don't make parties for their children. It's just a quite affair with the family. A cake, a present, the end. Dear friends, I mean no offense, but truly, this strikes horror into my festive little heart. I know what you are thinking... Evan is turning two. He isn't even going to know the difference. Well, true, but I will. So who exactly is the party for then? For me?

Maybe. And I am okay with that.

In a few years my kids will want to make their own decisions about their birthday parties. I won't be able to get away with having a teddy bear picnic theme. They will want Sponge Bob, or Transformers, or worse... no theme at all. They will select which guests to invite and what kind of food to eat. They may choose to exclude me altogether. But right now, I run the show. Oh and I put on a show.

Every child's birthday must have a theme. Zack's first birthday was barnyard. There were barnyard plates and napkins, an enormous blue gourmet birthday cake with a black spotted cow on it. (Almost) too cute to eat. There were oh a mere 50 guests or so, it was a catered affair, with a Keg and a case of wine. I know that I had a good time. And the pictures, they sure look good in Zack's baby book.

Evan's first birthday was a bunny party"Hoppy First Birthday". I had a local musician (Anya & The Music Train) come to entertain the troops. I scaled back a bit on the food, but the cake was still over the top and of course I did not leave out the adult beverages. Whats a party without booze? Oh a kid's party.... right.

This year, Evan's birthday party happens to also be the very first large-sized event we have hosted in our new small-sized Berkeley home, and I am trying to do it right. The evite, much like a wedding went out over a month ago. My guests must believe me to be over-the-top-prepared, but I get excited. As previously mentioned the theme is Teddy Bear picnic. There will be teddy bears for all the kids, picnic baskets for the dinners. Blue and white teddy bear plates and napkins. Sandwiches cut with a bear cookie cutter. A big ol' cake with Winnie the Pooh. A bear pinata. A bounce house. And of course drinkies for the grown ups. And yes, I am crazy.

As one can imagine hosting such a party takes planning, energy, organization and cash. In short, this is not the time of my life I should be putting on a fiesta like this. I should have had a small gathering at a local park, purchased a few drink boxes, a balloon and cake. Done.

But I want a party. I want to celebrate my son, even if he's too young to understand it all. There will be evidence. I will have the pictures. Someday I will taunt my daughter in law with the photographs and memories, smirking at her lame party.

My boys will remember mom was the party queen.

And they were my princes.