Stinky-Pants Party

I have a big family. Ryan also has a big family. So when we have a 1st birthday party, like we had last week, we don't invite any of them. Seriously. I learned long ago that a 1st birthday party should be really short, like really short. I also learned that you shouldn't plan anything except him eating a cake (or powdered doughnut in Sunny's case) and parents and/or siblings opening his presents for him while he watches. After the first present is open, no offense to the gift-givers, but he really doesn't care what present comes after the first present because quite frankly, he has already forgotten what he was doing there in the first place. Also, if I invite my family, that is like 50 people and if we invite Ryan's family that is another 35 people and to be honest it stresses me out and makes me sweat. I don't really like it. My house is too little for all those people and Finn, he really doesn't care. To be honest I think it stresses him out and makes him sweat as much as it does me. He is freaked out by the 37 kids trying to "help" him open his presents.

So this year, we had our family (which alone, is plenty of guests) and we invited 2 of our friends and their kids to come. So that added on 3 adults and 4 kids. It was just right. All the kids were very helpful with presents and it wasn't too crazy.

We gave Finn a plastic pool and filled it with playland balls. When I bought it, I was pretty sure it was my worst idea ever. I was sure I would get sick of the balls being all over my house, and kids jumping in and out of the pool. The first night we made a rule (that was kinda obeyed...kinda) that only Finn could get in it the first night. That KILLED the other kids. To see that pool full of colorful balls just screaming their name. I think it hurt them a little to refrain themselves. But we got some GREAT pictures of Finn in the pool and a bunch of little arms reaching into the pool.

We have this tradition that I inherited through marriage that I loathed at first. Where we let the kids plow into their own cake. I don't know why I hated it so much at first. You might think that it is because they get so dirty, covered in icing and high as a kite form all the sugar, but that's not it at all. I actually let my kids get really dirty (during the day when I say "Man, you are diirty!!!" they respond with "dirty means we had a fun day Mom") because we have a tub. I allow my kids to eat treats and I allow them an occasional binge. I think the thing that bugged me is that I didn't want to do someone else's tradition, maybe. Because I do tend to be a little spoiled like that... a little. All my kids have poked at their cake, maybe played a little, but it didn't take Finn long at all to realize it was for eating and he went for it. He dug right in and never came back.

So Happy Birthday Finn!

Now, we can finally start Linsakkuh. Instead of 8 days or whatever it is, celebrating my birthday, we have like a month long celebration. It is a glorious thing. I am turning 30 on Saturday (don't worry, that hardly calls for a gasp! more like a w00t!)!!!

Enjoy some birthday pictures!

***Right now I am saying every swear word I know (under my breath, of course) because stupid, dumb blogger will not upload photos. So after 11 tries I am giving up for now. I will try again later though, I promise, because this post is useless without photos. Arrrgh.... And the funny thing is, that somehow I am frustrated at Ryan (huh?) because he is my computer guy husband and he is working instead of helping me and he hasn't made me a fabulous new dotcom of my own like THIS ONE (imagine that, working...phff...). Even I know how ridiculous that is. I am not really mad at Ryan or anything but I do wish we could come up with some kind of deal, I dunno, maybe he makes me a site and I, well, I suppose this is a private conversation.... Except it will probably end much less dirty, like he makes me a new blog site and I sit down and write a blog instead of whatever my end of the deal was.