Well it’s not her actual birthday yet, but her party was today since I’m due very soon. It rained all week but Saturday dawned as a beautiful, clear, warm day. We couldn’t ask for better! I had rented tables and chairs again, but this year scaled way back on the decorations I attempted. I bought tablecloths and balloons. No crafty things this year. I ordered a cake from a bakery instead of making one myself (and note to self, a 12″ round is kind of huge!). I bought potato salad and made coleslaw. Den grilled burgers and hotdogs. It was such a change from last year, when I was running around trying to get the scrapbook done and the decorations done and the cake made and everything just perfect. This year I sliced up fruit, made some dip, cleaned up a little. Then I spent the party sitting down. Den did the set up and brought out the food.

And Kate? Well Kate was awesome. She had woken up at 6am (three hours early) and I was a little concerned that she’d not be in a good mood by the time the party rolled around, but she took a good nap at her normal time. And mostly she seems to really enjoy having people over! When we first got outside, before anyone arrived, she was playing with her Elmo balloon and new balls and wanted our attention. But then people arrived with kids – her cousins and friends – and I think that was the last I saw of her for a few hours. I kid, I was watching her march around with toys and following the other kids. At one point they all congregated in a corner of the yard where Kate was scratching a stick in the dirt and the other kids were making a “fire” out of leaves and branches. Kate grabbed the hand of grandmas, cousins, and my friends to drag them around for various reasons. She really wasn’t particular, she just wanted someone to help her in the swing or with a toy or just to witness something. She was a total independent spirit today, doing her own thing.

I ate way too much cake and brownies, but oh they were good! Kate also ate a bunch of cake, but I shrugged and said oh well, it’s her party! For one day I’ll let her overindulge. :) She was mostly too busy to eat, she sat still long enough to eat some hot dog and sweet potato and then she was “done” and wiggling down to run off again. Until the cake, of course.

She got some great gifts this year, including a ride-on motorized 4-wheeler that the toddlers all wanted to ride, a t-ball set that we haven’t opened yet but I know she will love, a toddler golf set that everyone was dragging around for the rest of the party (and then trying to swordfight with…. golf clubs got taken away), a folding chair, some color wonder art stuff that will be awesome (and safer than what we do now), and some really cute clothes! I am really happy that I don’t feel inundated with new toys while at the same time she got some stuff that she will really enjoy.

After the party we hung out with my mother in law inside and Kate was wired! Who knows how much from the cake and how much from the fun of the party, but she was being a total silly goose rolling around on her inflatable horse and “jumping” off her chair. She was still going at 9pm (her normal bedtime) but then started to unwind and was in bed at 10pm without a peep.

What a great day! We don’t have people over too often and I really do enjoy hosting on occasion. Kate did really well, the other kids all played together really nicely, the food was good, the company was lovely. And I got to sit and enjoy it!