operation coco’s birthday party is in effect.

 That’s right people.  Operation throw Coco a birthday party is in effect.  I have less than 24 hours to turn this pile of craziness in to  a “Fabulous First” celebration  for my baby boy.  So what am I doing rather than getting started?  I am stalling and writing this blog  because I am looking at this pile and thinking I have completely lost my mind.  Here’s the long and short of it and hopefully there will be somebody reading this out there who will learn from my mistakes wonderful life experiences.  When you have only one child….it sounds OH SO FUN to throw a ginormous (I don’t know if that is a word but I like it) first birthday party including serving almost 50 people hand-marinated brisket with homemade barbecue sauce, homemade baked beans, and all the fixins as well as transforming your church foyer into something that looks like it came out of “Farm & Country” magazine (don’t know if this magazine exists but let’s just go with it…) to celebrate his “cowboy-themed” birthday party.  Oh, did I mention hand-made invitations, handmade party favors, pretty much handmade everything?  The truth is…I loved it though!  Those of you who know me, know that there are two things I love to do: 1.  Throw parties.  2.  Cook for people.  So of course I threw my little cowboy a party that was a force to be reckoned with.

Now comes the problem and hopefully all you moms out there are listening…..

AS A MOTHER, WHAT YOU DO FOR ONE…YOU WILL HAVE TO WANT TO DO FOR THE OTHER.

It is a lesson that has to be learned.  I am not sure where my mom and older sisters were when I was throwing this “Fabulous First” ginormous birthday party for my first child.  Why did they not stage an intervetion?  Let’s be honest…probably because they know me well enough to know that I am too crazy to listen anyways.   So I am going to tell you what I wish someone would have told me:  All I am saying is that you might want to think through the fact that you WILL have more children (if you are planning on it) and whatever you do for one child’s first birthday, you will want to do for the next child and the next child and the next child.  However, it will get increasingly more difficult to throw the said “fabulous first” ginormous birthday party when you are now toting ”the next child and next child and next child” along with you for the birthday shopping.  For instance, shopping kid-free for a first birthday party for your only child and starting 6 months early on the planning is completely different than starting two weeks before and shopping with three kids with you who are breaking glass Glade-scented candles in the Wal-Mart aisles and while mom cleans up the mess, the other child is throwing twenty bags of unshelled nuts (because I was SO planning on using those in my birthday cooking) in the cart. 

So there it is….think it through.  For me, I didn’t.  But to be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I might be drinking coffee at midnight while I make my homemade cinnamon rolls for brunch the next morning but you know what, I will be rockin’ my ipod and listening to “I Will Survive” Aretha Franklin style.  Because I WILL surive.  And I WILL throw this party for my little man.  And I WILL be glad that I did it.  (Notice the use of the power verbs).   And after writing this blog, I am actually feeling excited about it.  I believe in looking on the bright side.  So here is the bright side….it maybe a little, ok ALOT, crazier to throw a first birthday party now, but I have two little helpers that are just SO excited about helping me get ready for their little brother’s birthday, and there are just no words to express how precious that is.  So now I am off to tackle “the pile” with my little man.  I am sure I will be posting pics of how everything came together in the next few days.

I will not, however, be posting any pictures of myself.  Because I, most definitely, will be in a coffee coma with large dark circles under my eyes.  I will definitely have some adorable pictures of the birthday boy though!