So we're throwing a birthday party for Caleb tomorrow. May is a really busy month for us. So many things to celebrate. Mother's Day, my birthday, Caleb's birthday, our wedding anniversary. That's almost a once a week celebration. (Yah, ND says it's super siong for him and he'll advise his son not to get married near to his spouse's birthday next time.) But it's a blessing to have things to celebrate isn't it? So we shouldn't complain.
Actually, it's not in my plans this year to throw a party for Caleb. Last year when I organised a birthday party for him, I told myself,"Wah, this is very siong! I'll probably do this on alternate years." Seriously, it's tiring to organise parties. You spend 2 months planning and then leading up to the party, there's intensive preparation and then you rest for a while and next thing I know, I've to start planning for Sarah's party at the end of the year. On top of that, this year I'm preggy and now the thought that I have to plan 3 parties a year for goodness knows how many more years, sounds daunting. Besides, the last 3 years that I organised parties for Caleb, he seemed quite oblivious about them. The first 2 years, he seemed too young to realise what was really happening. Last year, he only seemed to realise it on the day itself when we told him repeatedly that it was a party to celebrate his birthday.
So this year, that was the plan. No party for Caleb so that I can rest for a year. (Ha, and naturally no party for Sarah at the end of the year lah). But you know how some times things just do not go the way you want it? At the beginning of this year, Caleb came home telling me he'll like to give out balloons to his friends during his birthday party this year. I was like...eh... maybe we won't invite friends but just celebrate as a family ok? He didn't look too happy when I said that but he didn't protest violently. Just asked me a few "why???" And then in Feb, he got invited to a classmate's birthday party at Frisk & Romp at Big Splash. He was really excited after that and talked about inviting all his classmates and his teachers to his birthday party this year. Again I was like, "eh... no need lah, there's no need to invite all your classmates and teachers to your birthday party... we'll see how ok?"
And then in March, we went to Kimi's KFC party. Yah, you know what happened there. This Mummy here was starting to think, "Oh dear, looks like things are not going according to my plans!" And in April, we went to Megan's birthday party where there was a professional face painter and balloon man sculturing balloons for children. (Peer pressure was seeping in...)
So, in my little boy's mind, it was only natural to throw a birthday party, and the standards of the parties that we attended were very high. And seriously, he has been very, very excited about his birthday party. So excited that since Feb, he has been inviting people to his birthday party, yah, one that was not suppose to exist! He'll be talking to an adult and they'll be asking him how old he is, and he'll say he's three, turning four. And when he turns four, he'll invite them to his birthday party. On top of that, he is constantly reminding me about what he wants for his party. It'll be very random but yes, on top of inviting lots of people, he'll talk about how he wants to decorate the place, how to entertain his friends and of course, what presents he wants! And he'll always make it sound like he's got something really important to tell me and if I try to dissuade him, he'll sound very disappointed.
One conversation went like this... I just picked him up after school and he told me this.
Caleb: Mummy, Mummy, I got something to tell you.
Mummy: Yes?
Caleb: When it's my four year old party, I want to invite lots of people to my party. Like my care group friends, Kimi, Megan, Clarisse... and my classmates, and grandpa, grandma, nicole jiejie, natalie meimei.... (and the list goes on...)
Mummy: Urm, Caleb, maybe we don't invite so many people? (By then the reality that I will have a very disappointed boy if I don't throw him any party, has started to sink in.) Maybe we just celebrate with our family?
Caleb: No, Mummy... I want to invite lots of people, I'll be disappointed and sad if very few people come for my party. I'll be happier if a lot of my friends come, especially my caregroup friends. I like to play with them...
So, to cut the long story short. I have succumbed to pressure. I realised that at the age of four, my child is a lot more aware of things happening around him and has his own expectations. Well, I decided to compromise a little and instead of a lunch or dinner, I'm organising a short tea party for him so that it's less siong for me and yes, he gets to invite his caregroup friends and his cousins. Friends whom he really enjoys playing with.
I have also come to a conclusion. If I want to get away with not organising parties for my kids, I can do that before they turn 4, when they're still a little "blur" about their environment. So, my poor Sarah, hee, sorry girl, end of this year, probably no party for you. We'll have a small celebration at home ok? Ok lah, come to think of it, I'm still fair to the girl coz we had 2 small celebrations with immediate family when Caleb was 2. I was pregnant with Sarah then, and like how I'm feeling now, tired and really not up to throwing a party and entertaining guests. In the end, it was Yeeyee who helped me organise some catering and ordered the cakes for Caleb. Ha, the beauty of having a big sister!
Oh, I am plotting for my break for next year already. I have started telling Caleb that next year, maybe we won't have a big party for friends. We can do something different, like celebrate within the family and it can be fun too!
And btw, any guesses whether the birthday boy will get any birthday kisses tomorrow?
