Jumping for Fun

Thanks to my girlfriends, husband, mother and Little Debi (my box car cakes, thank you very much), Stink's 3rd Birthday Thomas extravaganza went off without a hitch. Well, if there was a hitch, I was too busy running around like a crazed mom to notice (as evidenced by this photo, thank you Rex. If there was a caption over Stink's head it would read "Yes, Mommy, I know you are trying to encourage me. Now back off before your eyes pop out of their sockets and land on my cabooses you freak").

Random things to note about throwing a birthday party (well, they worked for me... take it or leave it)

- If you invite your kids' whole class, they just might show, so be ready to cook 80 quesadillas (any moms of class mates, if you are reading... you are the best group of girls I could have ever asked for to go through toilet training, party circuits and general toddler mayhem... thank you!)
- Spend the extra money and get alcohol for the parents - they deserve it (especially the few dads that showed up... cheers to them!)
- Every time a party guest asks for one of your kids' presents, divert them with a bright colored party bag. This tactic also works for husbands, only insert "computer game" over the words "party bag"
- For $72.00 and a good sports bra, you too can have this incredible bouncer pictured above. Just Jump for Fun Fun at 1-800 -281-6792 before your boy turns 13 and he's dialing 976 Jump for Fun.)
- There is such thing as too many presents. I have seen less gifts on a Toys R Us commercial (But thank you to all my friends and family... I joke about gift overload, but these are going to come in so handy on rainy days when I pull out a new set of play dough, truck, maid gift certificate... wait, that last one was my fantasy gift. Nevermind.)
- For all the work I put into this party, I'm still glad I kept it simple. The homemade quesadillas really only took me 30 minutes, the bouncer took 10 minutes to order, and I didn't go crazy baking homemade train cakes. Creative I am, Martha Stewart I ain't, but I think it all came together. (That or I drank too many of the beers Mrs. V. kindly brought over.) Whatever the case (and I'm not talking beer) there comes a point where we moms need to plan, make lists, then move on. I did that and actually had fun.

In closing, today Stink went to his cousin's Princess Party where, yes, there was more cake, presents, games, and a jumper! Since it only takes a few days for toddlers to create a habit, is it any surprise that Stinker announced that "tomorrow I have my Scooby Doo party". When I asked him to go use the bathroom one more time, he said he'd do it for a present. Thank God my little Pipsqueak still thinks that going to the supermarket is a fiesta. I give her two more weeks.