I just finished taping snowflakes to the ceiling in preparation for AB’s Frozen birthday party tomorrow. I’m feeling surprisingly (see also: unusually/questionably) calm. Before most parties I’m running around like a maniac because the cake isn’t perfectly frosted or I start crying because I have to mix two different styles of paper plates AND NOW THE PARTY IS RUINED.


Dramatic and overly-perfectionist, party of one.


I’m not holding my breath. There’s still time for this whole operation to head south fast.


I’m sure Annabelle would enjoy a small cake and celebration with just the three of us and maybe someday that’s how we’ll celebrate, but not this year. She has looked forward to her Frozen party for MONTHS. She sets up birthday parties for all her stuffed animals and dolls, complete with cake, candles, songs and gifts every single day. If I really aged each time she sang me Happy Birthday I’d be 112. She lives for birthday parties. When the doctor told me she was too young for asthma testing because “she’d have to follow directions and blow out candles on the screen” I wanted to tell him she’s been training to blow out candles for half her life.


As her birthday gift we’ve invited two very special guests over. Elsa and Anna will be appearing live and in person at our door at 9:30. Annabelle loved when she meet them in Texas but a few weeks ago I took her to a free princess meet and greet at the mall put on by the company we’re using. I wanted to scout out how authentic the princesses looked before we hired them. (Prince Charming was a pathetic attempt at a dashing young man.) AB was so nervous to meet them we had to get out of line after 20 minutes. She’ll either love the princesses or it will be a nightmare. We’re having them come before the party and only AB and her cousin will visit with them. AB gets shy around large groups of people so hopefully she’ll enjoy it more in a small group.


I have something to get off my conscience- I don’t make her birthday cake. I’m the only one who was truly distraught over this decision, but I’m the only one in charge of planning her perfect party. My mom always made our cakes so I want to do the same for my children. I made the cakes for her first two parties and liked how they turned out. This year she wants an ice cream cake which I’ve never made before. I’ve heard they’re not hard to make but can be tricky to decorate. In the end I decided to buy two cakes, assemble them to make it two tiered cake and decorate it. I’m glad I made the decision because making the cake would have added yet another thing to my lengthy to do list.


Time to get back to my decorating and agonizing over which straws best match the tablecloth.