Commuter Mom: Birthday Bash

My daughter just turned 3. My husband and I had a long debate about whether or not we should have a party for her. We thought about the indoor playground theme: watch a group of preschoolers bounce off of the walls, literally. Then we considered the pottery painting route: watch a group of preschoolers paint their hands and try not to cringe every time they get close to the shelves of breakables. Last, we considered a party at our house: let a group of preschoolers trash our small house while we stand shoulder to shoulder with a group of parents we don’t know all that well…in our small house. Did I say our house is small?

In the end we opted for a small family dinner. My parents and my husband’s brother and sister-in-law came over for an early meal and some playtime. It worked out beautifully! I made all of my daughter’s favorite foods: macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, and tater-tots. I threw in a salad for some grown-up appeal. (I think that is the easiest meal I’ve ever cooked for a dinner party!) I even made a cake that looked just like Curious George. Our 3-year-old princess (she insisted on wearing a tiara and large fake earrings the whole night, in addition to the necktie from her Man in the Yellow Hat Halloween costume) was the center of attention and loved every second of it.

The next day her friend came over for a play-dough playdate. It was the perfect birthday for my daughter — and for her mommy and daddy.