It’s been a long but fun past 4 days for us. Both kids are now a year older…again, which means that I too am older. Man, I hate that part. All in all it was a great birthday for both kids. We tried to keep things quiet this year. I’m having a bit of a rebellion streak against the insane growth of birthday madness all around me. I’ve told my kids on big age changes we’ll have parties but not every single year and definitely not at the going scale of their friends. In the past two months my daughter has been invited to a “Build A Bear”, rock climbing, “BounceU” and ice skating extravaganza for friends. As if it weren’t enough to rent out every bouncing toy and carnival style fun at a home, now we’re taking kids to stores for birthday bashes giving each a spending allowance. Good grief. I must be a scrooge because I have a hard time thinking of paying $200-300 just for the party aspect of a birthday. I’d so much rather spend that money on a vacation fund or something fun for the whole family and not silly trinkets or rental items that will soon be lost or forgotten when the party is over.

I’m amazed at how much has changed in such a short time. The growth even within the past couple years is amazing to me. I had a couple birthdays I can remember when I had a real “party” with friends growing up. Even then it was at my house with the focus being cake, ice cream and games. Most of the time it was a celebration with family, grandma made me a cake and I got a few presents from siblings, parents and grandparents. Today’s standards throw everything on tilt, especially gift expectations. First, it feels like every week I’m buying another gift for another friend’s birthday. Second, my kids are starting to expect receiving things from other kids on their birthdays now (this is another gripe post by itself.) And third, my kid’s expectations for volume of presents gets distorted with big parties. Both of my kids finished unwrapping presents this year with an immediate “where’s the rest?” idea. In that moment, I felt like our room had just transformed into the Dursley’s on Privet Drive. Now, I remember the excitement of opening presents and I know at these young ages there are few things as important or wonderful as getting gifts. But still, I wish I could help them truly understand how blessed they are and how much they have…all the time. I worry about the high expectations for ‘things’ that is so prevalent today.

Anyway, here’s the wrap-up:
Taylor was all about Star Wars and Darth Vador or as he calls him “Koo-Kee” complete with the breathing sound effect. His black cake with strawberry filling actually tasted great and is the first birthday cake to be completely eaten.

He choose lunch at a Mexican restaurant and made sure everyone he saw all day was made aware that it was his birthday that day! He “set up” his own party table right down to filling up cups with water for his cousins when they arrived to have cake and ice cream.

Cidnie threw me a loop wanting a cake with penguins while incorporating red, white and blue. If possible she also wanted the flag and a picture of her face on the cake too. I did my best but I still have limits…*giggle* Her German chocolate cake with coconut filling was also a hit and is well on it’s way to being eaten completely.

She got to have a sleepover with a cousin this past weekend and also got to go to a movie with them. She surprised us with her dinner request that instead of going somewhere she wanted dad to fix her chili, with spaghetti while she played with her friends on their waveboard outside. So last night we had chili on top of spaghetti and she was happy as could be. This morning I passed her room to hear her new stereo blasting Hannah Montana (thanks for that dad.) Apparently, that birthday gift was a hit.

So they’re both happy, healthy and have a few new items to add to their stash. I’m happy to have kids to spend birthdays with and grateful for grandparents who still love to spoil their grandkids.

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