The fact is, I'm a 'details' gal. I like straight edges, things that match, and everything placed just so. I don't leave much to chance, and success is measured by how closely reality aligns with the "perfect" vision in my head. Not surprisingly, that mentality can be a recipe for disaster, especially at birthday parties!
But then a couple of things happened this week. I got to thinking, and for the life of me, I cannot remember if there were super hero plates at Carter and Garrett's super hero party a little over a week ago. Huh. All I remember is my daughter getting to do the parachute with the big kids and walking across the balance beam for the first time. And then this morning at our friend Morgan's 4th b-day party, the pinata broke before the kids even had a chance to swing at it. Sad. Or was it? The kids were thrilled to pounce on the sugar that much sooner! Apparently swinging a bat at a hanging donkey in the sky is overrated. Ha! Who knew?!
So the lesson? Enjoy the KIDS, watch every minute with observant eyes, and realize that memories are being made. 5 or 10 years from now, I want to remember Grayson's size 11 feet in bowling shoes and the look on his face when he saw Ironman (a.k.a "I-run Man") and his new Webkinz.
And good news! I think I'll be able to do just that. While I did set the table with coordinating Batman tableware (of course), I then quickly moved on. I talked with my friends, I savored those 16 cute feet in bowling shoes (plus 2 babies running wild), ate cake, and watched the birthday boy in living color, not solely through the lens of my camera. And in the end, when all was said and done, I sat down and played Legos.
It was a good day.
But now to contrast the almost 32 years that I've had to shape my perspective, here is a look at the less-rounded perspective of an almost 5-year-old when someone else blows out his birthday candles:
But alas, all was forgotten (but maybe not forgivven...yet...hee hee) minutes later when the wrapping paper started to fly!
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