A Day in the Life: Ellie D turns 4

Hard to believe my little girl is four. I'm sure I will start her birthday post with that same line every year....might have to look back and see what last year said now.

Of course, by now this was almost 2 weeks ago. Thank you hectic life of career mom, which I am realizing more and more each day that it isn't what it was cracked out to be. I was working on Ellie's birthday party even before we left for vacation. I had the cakes made and frozen, the fondant made and stored and put my mother on the task of making a triple batch of buttercream frosting. See, even though career mom may not be what it was cracked out to be, I still insist on making things as difficult as possible for myself.

Call me old fashioned, but I grew up on homemade parties at your house in your own back yard. Pot luck food (although I didn't allow anyone to bring anything to my house) and games. Both my bridal shower and baby showers were the same in NH. I wouldn't have it any other way. But in Westchester County, the rule is more of spending exuberant amounts of money to have your party at some place that is a factory for birthday parties. Ellie has been to a few now, and I won't knock them because after what we went through, I can definitely see their appeal. But I am stubborn and wanted to stick to my roots.

It was Ellie's first year to have a kids birthday party. So we bought invitations and put them in the mail. She wrote her name on the back of the envelopes even. We made goodie bags for the kids. I picked out the most non-branded and on sale stuff at party city. I planned games and we rented a table with chairs. The forecast was promising. I made a quadruple batch of macaroni and cheese. I spent probably a total of 8 hours decorating her cake since she declared she wanted a ballerina birthday cake. We borrowed a small bounce house from our friends. I think I was more excited for her party.

And then I fell prey to the weather forecasters. 77 and sunny all week long it said. What was the weather on Sunday morning? 55 and drizzle. It may have gotten into the 60s, but it was definitely too wet out for us to be outside. One hour before the party Mike and I were moving all of the furniture around to set the party up in our back room.

All in all the party was a success. There were no melt downs, everyone seemed to have a good time, we ate one third of the macaroni and cheese and we we hit major chaos after blowing up the bounce house inside our house--no one got hurt or crashed through our TV. I am pretty sure a few moms walked away thinking I was completely nuts though.

And our little girl? She was the perfect hostess. I was so proud of her. I even invited one kid that she kept saying wasn't her friend and she was as polite as could be. And thankfully, thankfully, we seemed to have moved past our major emotional meltdowns that dominated this summer and into a funny, spunky and sharp young girl who can't seem to say "I love you Mommy" enough.

My favorite part of the whole party? After everyone left, our family room had a big open space and we had an impromptu Drzewiecki family dance party. And then crashed. Until I realized I still had to make cupcakes for her class.

The 8 hour cake. It was so humid out that the fondant got so sticky every time I took it out of the fridge. I wasn't happy with the quilting but it was my first attempt. The picture makes it look better.