It's His Party, I Cried Cuz I Had To.

The birthday party happened. I suppose I should just go ahead and blog it all out now, but I’m still kinda mulling over it.

In short: we didn’t get to go anywhere near the pool. Due to insane Alabama pop-up thunderstorms, we set up in a partly clouded sky, and started welcoming guests to continuous rumbles of thunder.

The only alternative was a large play area inside. The kids loved it, although several kids were disappointed. Everyone showed up in swimsuits with cover-ups and flip-flops. My party favors were beach balls. We had an entire bucket of unused pool toys and the cake was a cupcake alligator (very pool-ish).

From 2010-06-28

Conner was worn out, enjoyed seeing his friends (several didn’t show - assuming due to the freak storm), but still wanted to swim.

One little girl left crying because we never made it out to the pool.

And me? Well, it’s not about me. But for the record, I hate nothing more than promising my children something, much less a group of children something, and not being able to deliver. Especially for my oldest baby’s 5th birthday party.

Party?

Conner being a creature of habit asked for his birthday party to be at the local bowling alley like last year. It was no hassle (as no-hassle as a birthday party can be for a parent) and the kids enjoyed themselves. Best part (aside from Conner having a ball): no clean-up.

So there I am last Saturday, a full month out from his actual birthday, calling said bowling alley in attempt to book this bash.

Me: Yes, I’d like to book a birthday party.

Asst Ball Polisher: Ok. When?

Me: <date>

ABP: … ooooh. Yeah. That’s not going to work. See, my manager told me that we couldn’t book ANY parties for the entire month of June because of a bowling tournament. I can get your information and let her call you back.

Me: …

So I give him some contact info and started to google. Number 1, there’s only 3 bowling alleys in this city (f*ck). Number 2, of those 3 this one was the only one not located in the ghetto. Number 3, EVEN IF I WANTED TO GO TO THE GHETTO AND BOWL WITH A GROUP OF 5-YEAR OLDS, I COULDN’T IN THE MONTH OF JUNE BECAUSE THIS TOURNAMENT OF DOUCHECANOES WAS GOING ON AT EVERY VENUE.

::facepalm::

I entered panic mode. I was ***not*** ok with having his party at my home for these reasons:

• Space:: We have a lovely house with 4 bedrooms/2 baths, but it’s just not conducive to 10 5-year-olds and their parent(s). Like, just no.
• Cleaning:: I loathe nothing more than busting my figurative balls for a full week all-the-while getting the cake and the food and the drinks and the favors and all other things that are applicable ONLY for my party guests to whirl through the house which then results in me being left with utter destruction. Which means, the next day, I have to clean the whole damn thing again.
• Weather:: Space would be less of an issue if we used our fenced-in backyard… but it’s June. The last week of June, to be more precise. And in Alabama that = 95+ degree, 80% humidity and 100% OMG SHOOT ME
• That’s about it. (Oh! But we also have 3 dogs. So there.)

Then, I entered a different version of panic mode because I live in this NO GOOD, HORRIBLE, CRAP HOLE of a city and as I googled other places to have this par-tay, I came up with these alternatives:

• Pump It Up - pretty much every other party we’ve been invited to has been there. Conner isn’t much for it. And it’s just rather “bleck”
• … THAT’S IT.

No other alternatives!

Uggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggh. 

Can’t bring the party “home” to Birmingham (where I’d have like, 30923909320482043 options for venues) because all of his pre-school pals are HERE (and therefore unlikely to willingly drive 2 hours for a bday party).

Two days later, the bowling alley called and could “fit me in” on the FOLLOWING Saturday (note: in 8 days from the end of the conversation). 

Me: …

NO.

So I emailed around to his preschool pal’s parents (PPPs) (noteworthy: the only parent I’ve ever seen do that is yours truly) and was all “so um, <insert dramatic story> could you come?> to which I received 4 “um NOs” within 3 hours.

Fabulous, but I don’t blame them. It was very short notice and a lot of these PPPs are AF families who all have 24/7 access to bowling on-base, so. Yeah. I get these things.

Then a brillant idea popped in my head: POOL PARTY.

But where? Oh where? We do have a YMCA membership but I’d never heard of a party there. So I called.

And we booked it.

THANK GOD.

Oh, but it costs $250 to rent the pool for 2 hours because they have to employee a lifeguard after hours for us (yes, we are literally “shutting that shit down”) and DUDE. That’s pricey. I still have cupcakes/cake, pizza, paper product, refreshments, etc OMG.

Buy this so we can afford it.

 Oh, and I’m pretty positive I’m making this:

source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3518/3315119454_d719cabfc7.jpg