A Non-Pinterest Worthy Birthday

I am a mean mean mama and do not let my kids have large birthday extravaganzas every year.  This is partly because they are expensive and I worry about my kids becoming entitled, but more so because we have 4 birthdays in the span of a month.  That is a whole lot of birthday without the addition of large parties.  That said, I decided that I would let Linus have a party this year.  Six is a pretty big deal.  I thought he would want to have a Halloween party with his whole class or maybe a few friends doing a Lego birthday party at Math n Stuff.  Linus surprised me when he told me he did not want a friend birthday, but rather a party with all of his cousins.  I know.  So sweet.

A cousin party simplified things quite a bit.  We already gather once a month with my husband's family to celebrate all the birthdays in the month.  Linus was okay if the other three October birthday people were feted as well.  While I was surprised by his guest list, I was not by the theme request--LEGO Star Wars.

Parenthood has become a competition of sorts and Pinterest exists in part to let over achievers brag about how much better they are at the gig.  I have a love hate relationship with the site.  It is great for coming up with ideas and organizing them.  There are a lot of moms who obviously love their children more than I love my own and thus are willing to throw an over the top Star Wars birthday party.  I can only imagine the time, money, and energy spent on what I saw.  I opted against sewing Jedi robes for everyone and merely got some ideas for activities.  I downloaded decorations off of Etsy that I could print at home.  I opted against water bottle and candy bar labels.

I'm pretty happy with the results.  There was theme stuff, I set up an indoor Jedi training obstacle course, we played Escape the Death Star (hot potato).  I got a tuxedo cake from Costco (yum) and put a mini Lego starfighter on top.

The challenge of hosting a cousin birthday party is that kids range in age from one to twelve.  I am generally opposed to goody bags.  As the big activity I assembled bags of Legos and then let the kids all create their own starfighters.  I was blown away by what the kids created.

We opened presents on the back deck.  As I have said before, Linus has amazing, loving, and creative cousins (and aunts and uncles).  His cousin, Colby, made him a bow with arrows.  Aunt Jenna made him a quiver.  His cousin, Mason, made him a Calvin-ball set (from Calvin and Hobbes).  Linus is very excited about the Star Wars decals for his wall (although I think I might get rid of the Leia in the gold slave outfit...).  There was so much thought put into all the gifts.  I was touched.

sometimes snuggling is better than opening gifts

with bow, arrow, quiver, and Calvin ball mask

Another perk to a cousin birthday?  The big kids help clean up.  After everyone left, Dave and I collapsed into bed.  I didn't have to get up in the morning because it was my birthday.  After Starbucks and flowers in bed, I got to go to a bouncy house birthday party.  There were naps, long phone calls with friends, Princess Bride watching, Thai food and leftover cake, and Walking Dead.  It was a good day.

35 years old.  No longer a young adult.  Is 35 middle-aged?  That seems weird.

It was a lot of birthday for one weekend.  Linus suggested we eat healthier today.  The party might not win any awards on Pinterest, but I think the birthday boy didn't mind at all.