So busy.

So tired.

So big.

Not big enough.

Popsicles with friends.

Solo snack.

Rock time.

Walk time.

Today we celebrated Wesley’s 4th birthday with his first-ever party with friends.

This would also be my first-ever experience planning a birthday party for little kids.

Lesson Learned #1: Simple is best!

When I started planning I was kind of extravagant, but I simplified and things were a lot easier to pull together with less time. Plus, the kids are three, four, and five. They don’t care about extravagant. They just want to play and eat cake.

We held it in our backyard. The kids liked to play, but they wanted a little structure, too. Once the thrill of just playing wore off (about ten minutes) we brought out snacks.

I bought some pointed wooden sticks from a cake supply store and mounted fresh fruit on them, ala Edible Arrangements style, only with less style and for a lot less money.

I included strawberries and grapes stacked in three as well as marshmallows and half-bananas that I dipped in melted chocolate/peanut butter (recipe below).

The pictures above were taken after the fruit had been out a few minutes and already attacked by the kids. I think they especially liked the chocolate-peanut butter marshmallows and bananas.

But Wesley’s favorite was the strawberries. I think he may have eaten them all.

Carissa liked the banana.

When snacks were done we pulled out a pinata. This was a smashing success. And, it was the most orderly I’d seen the kids all hour. They lined up and patiently waited their turn to swing at the ball.

We gave each kid a couple swings, and then after a few rounds we just told them to whack at it. That pinata was industrial strength!

Wes needed a little help to realize he was supposed to be hitting the pinata and not the tree, the clouds, etc.

At last it fell and the kids were on that candy like piranhas.

We had cake and ice cream.

When all was said and done and eaten, guests left with a goody bag because I like to say thanks to everyone who came.

The goody bag included bubbles and a chocolate-peanut butter marshmallow that I made myself.

It was easy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dipped Marshmallows (and Bananas)

Melt 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2 Tbsp. peanut butter in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes at 50% power, stirring now and again. Dip the marshmallow (I used a lollipop stick I got at a cake/candy supply store), top with sprinkles, and put in the fridge to harden. Since I used sticks, I stuck them in a piece of Styrofoam to keep the chocolate looking pretty as it hardened.

You can also do this with banana halves and freeze them for a nice alternative to an ice cream bar.

I actually just read about how you can mash bananas and freeze them and it tastes a lot like ice cream, except better-for-you, and now I can see how that’s true.

Last of all, because every mom deserves a little something, they all got a goody bag, too, with cake bites from my favorite place.

Lesson Learned #2: Birthday parties are best with lots of help! So glad a couple moms stayed to help me out!

And now I am One Who Throws Successful Birthday Parties for Little Kids.

Phew. No more until next year.

What is an umbrella for, anyway?

*Le Sigh*

Cutting Wesley’s hair. It is a hard, hard thing. I always let it grow out as long as I can possibly stand until I suck up enough courage to pull out the clippers and make his and our lives miserable for fifteen minutes while I cut his hair.

I heard about a place 30 minutes north that specializes in haircuts for kids. I’m not usually up in the area, but I was today, and I made a special trip in to see if they could make our usually traumatic trimming experience any more bearable.

Before I took Wes here, I called and spoke with an employee to ask what their experience is working with kids who don’t understand what’s going on and get pretty upset about it. She told me that she used to cut her handicapped niece’s hair all the time, and there was much kicking and screaming involved. In fact, she went on, even with kids who aren’t disabled, there can be much kicking and screaming involved. I felt satisfied.

The place has a slide, colorful kids’ umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, and a touch-screen computer with games. Here’s Wes playing ping pong (also note the “before” mullet).

Wes was fine and happy playing until it was time to get into his chair (a police car). Tears fell. His nose ran. There was much, “Mooooooom!” and “Down! Down!” and “Noooooo!”

Meanwhile, Carissa wandered around and had a great time touching everything in the place. There is something really great about a kid friendly place where you don’t have to worry about your toddler toddling around.

The girl cutting Wes’s hair was patient and, more importantly, FAST. Wes hated the clippers, but calmed down a little once she started with the scissors. There’s a TV screen right in front of him, and before she started snipping she pulled out the remote and let us look at the on-screen TV guide to pick something Wes would like. “Super Why!” it was. I saw another kid younger than Wes blithely–and silently–watching a cartoon while holding a sucker as he got his hair cut. As I’ve already established, that wasn’t the case with Wes.

BUT. He did OK. It was certainly about 95% easier than me having to do it myself! And when he was all done, they gave him a balloon.

Four years old!

Wesley came home from preschool wearing a cute crown (so surprised it was even on his head), but he was very grumpy.

After his nap we went to Partyland. They have a section for kids to play in (which I discovered at the END of my shopping).

Wes didn’t much like riding the horse (it was kind of old and rickety), but Carissa liked to watch.

There was also a train (which I wouldn’t pay 75 cents for him to ride).

We had a simple party with just our family. Wes kept saying, “Cake!” and “Pizza!” (And, just so my sister knows, he also kept saying, “Tawa’s house!” and got quite mad when we didn’t go there after Partyland. And, just so my folks know, he also kept saying, “Amma, Ampa’s house!” Alas, he had to put up with us, at our own house, instead.)

Store-bought cake. I was going for easy.

Wes ate his ice cream first, tasted the icing on the cake, then ate the pepperoni off his pizza, and then ate more ice cream. Dinner, done.

On to presents.

We bought Wes two things, a t-ball set…

…and a dump truck (which we found for $6 on clearance at Funfinity. Don’t tell Wes). It was kind of beat up and dirty, but it works. It moves on its own and says things, which Wes thinks is cool.

After dinner and presents he played in the backyard, and then ran around the house with Carissa, giggling lots. He was sweaty in the picture I took with him here, but no longer grumpy. Happy birthday to my baby boy!

Last month my mom and dad came in town for a visit. Always much fun.

Wesley loves his Grandma and Grandpa.

Lunch at Malawi’s.

Wes rode the carousel and liked it.

Wes likes to make his sister laugh. I often have to tell him to stop tickling her, because he’s getting too rough. Here he is doing Five Little Piggies on her feet.

And playing peek-a-boo. “Boo!”

OK, John, forgive me, but I have to include this photo because I love it so much. Last month John and I had a date (!) at a murder mystery dinner theater. Basically, you eat a (really tasty) dinner while the actors mingle with you and put on a performance around you. Some audience members are asked to participate. John not only read a line, but they also asked him to strut around with other male audience members during a musical number. The song was “I’m Too Sexy.” Too bad I forgot that my cell phone has a video option. But at least I got a photo!

Carissa loves to sit on little seats, even if they’re not meant to be seats. Here she is making a pack of water bottles her chair. (Important note: I have since cleaned my pantry and it no longer looks this disastrous.)

I take the kids everywhere. Some places we’ve been:

Shopping.

The park.

Playing in the fountain.

The Bean Museum.

The splash park (that’s Wesley’s cousin in front).

Carissa was brave sometimes.

And sometimes not.