Since Natalia is an only child, I get to go overboard with my planning and enthusiasm regarding all things Natalia. I am more of an idea girl than an action girl, so I sometimes get overwhelmed with getting it all together, but it always works out and Natalia is heavy with the praises that I am "the best mom ever". That's kind of the point - I want her to be wow'd by her childhood. Jeremy thinks I am slightly nutty, but I know he is wow'd too.
This week Natalia's first grade class had their Spring Musical. It's kind of lame because they just stand on bleachers singing a couple of songs. Of course, I would never voice that to Natalia. To her it was like I had just watched Les Miserable. I seriously expected the kind of musicals that you see on TV or read about in her children's books where there are costumes, acting parts and glitter, all preformed on a stage with good lighting. Then I woke up and realized my kid goes to public school where underachievement breeds like promiscuous bunnies. She had been practicing the songs for months now and did a fabulous job. She even sold daddy on the fact that she needed a new dress just for the occasion (that's my girl). Jeremy is learning that we girls need a new dress or pair of shoes to attend the opening of an envelope. After her "performance" I handed her three roses wrapped in paper and tied with a ribbon. She felt so special.
Her birthday is where I really get to go crazy. Being the idea girl I am, I love the planning and themes. Her fourth birthday party was "The Crafty Party" where kids decorated their own birthday cupcakes and picture frames. This was a brilliant party because the kids were entertained by their own goodie bag gifts and I didn't have to buy or decorate a cake. I had Jeremy (the designated photo guy) take each kid's picture, print it out, then put it in the photo frame for them to take home that day.
Then there was the Alice Tea Party where I had the house decked out with card guardsmen I made out of poster board and construction paper, paper roses (some red, some white, some in between) tucked in our silk trees, a camping canopy with paper lanterns hanging from it set up in my dining area, tea service and little flower pots the kids painted and I put a fully bloomed pansy in each one to take home. I, of course, got to be the Queen of Hearts and made all the kids call me "Your Majesty", while Jeremy was the Mad Hatter and wore a hat I made him. It was hilarious. There were 13 kids at this party - it was a bit much.
Last year was Rock Band where the kids came dressed up all punk, the house was decorated in posters and glitter and we had a balloon/magician guy just for good measure. I wore my favorite Jem and the Holograms pink wig and rocked out with the kids since they all get shy on the mic. See! Overboard and fabulous.
This year was my favorite. It was a makeover madness with a team of glam fairies (thanks friends), personalized smocks (made from pillowcases and glued on ribbon trimmings), mani/pedi's with flower filled foot soaking tubs, hair, and makeup. The girls got to chat, drink out of plastic wine glasses, and get pampered for three hours. Thank goodness there was a limit placed on the invitees. Five girls was a handful even when the girl to adult ratio was 1:1.
With every birthday there is a slide show that we put together full of pictures from the past year. It's my favorite part of the year. My thought is this: If I host a fabulous party, you owe me 15 minutes of your life watching pictures of my little boogerface. The slide shows are getting longer every year. I gloat a little inside when the moms tell me how much fun their girls had and how they want a birthday party just like Natalia's. Yes! Even the thank you cards were cool: picture flip books of the party for each girl to remember it all.
I don't just go all out for birthdays and recitals. There are a lot of ways for me to amp things up. Going out as a family becomes "Family Date Night" where we all dress up in our fancy gear to go to a ballet or out to a nice restaurant. This usually involves a princess dress, lip gloss and possibly a new pair of shoes. For our Disneyland trips I have my friend pose as one of the Disney Princesses and call Natalia a couple days before our trip to tell her how excited she is to meet Natalia. Lunch box sandwiches get cut into flower shapes (thank goodness she usually eats hot lunch) and the oranges get faces drawn on the peel. Anything she has to take to school or daycare gets her name on it with glitter paint and a heart to dot the "i". I love it.
Our new mommy/daughter activity is painting. Since I am an undercover artist, I have some of the coolest art toys - special paper; artist quality brushes; oil, acrylic and watercolors; and a myriad of different pencils. We head to the park, lay out a blanket and listen to Tchaikovsky for hours while we paint and chat. Sure she has kid-safe, non-toxic watercolors and markers in her playroom, but it is the mommy stuff that makes it so special. Well, that and the actual mommy.
So far I know she isn't spoiled because there is no sense of entitlement. That is when I'll have to lay off bedazzling her life. So far, so good. It's fun and exciting to show her how special I think she is and it is never a burden. Will I be throwing her a Super Sweet Sixteen where Cee-Lo sings to her onstage at a security filled, invitation only party topped off with a Hummer for her to drive off in? NO. Even if I lived in the land of limitless funds I wouldn't do that. That's just dumb parenting. What I do hope is to fill her mind with the knowledge that I love her, cherish her and hopefully she will pay it forward to her kids someday. My next planning venture involves a vacation with two formal nights AND Disney Princesses. Jeremy - we're gonna need new shoes and dresses!
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