My sweet little ones turned five, it's a miracle I'm still alive

*****Updated with pictures

I have this thing about parties. I love them. Particularly planning them. I get all geekily in to a theme and have to make sure every thing matches just so. I don't know what's wrong with me but it's getting worse. Now I'm obsessing.

B & J turned 5 on Sunday and the last several weeks have been filled with party planning.

Yes, you read that right - several weeks. For a 5 year old birthday party.

B & J had picked Spiderman and Hannah Montana as their "themes" respectively. I'd created the perfect invitation complete with Hannah and Spidey "saying" a cutesy little rhyme that emphasized the fact that we were going to a party place with inflatable bouncers - yeah I know gag.

The location had been picked months ago(we stopped doing parties at our house after their 2nd birthday) but it was the little details that needed to be attended to.

Things like... what to put in the goodie bags(while many moms despise goodie bags, I think a nice well thought out, "non-cheap plastic crap" laden goodie bag is a wonderful way to say thanks for coming), decor, the perfect cake ( see, I told you I get all geekily into this).

Once the invitations had been created and my mother and I fought to the death compromised on who to invite (she wanted to invite the whole preschool class - I wanted to invite a few select friends the twins had requested)
I sent them and waited. Some rsvp'd right away. Others waited. A few days before the party I emailed asking for final rsvp's and got what I thought was the rest.

Until party day.

When families brought siblings they didn't rsvp for. Tweenage siblings that eat a lot.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a total hardass but if you're going to bring your bottomless-stomached child please give me a little heads up. That way I can ensure there is enough food.

Running out of pizza does not sit well for a neurotic party planner like me.

But we had cake galore as I'd found a local lady that makes "Ace of Cake" style cakes . Spiderman in front of webbed buildings for B and a pink sparkly guitar for J. The cakes were a hit and might have launched me in to the party planning hall of fame- where I rightfully belong.







Craziness ensued when a bunch of sugar infused children dove into the present stash and started handing things to B & J to open. Thus in many cases I don't know who gave them what out of the bajillion toys they received. ( I was planning on having the twins open gifts at home for not only a more controlled environment but frankly that's a lot to make other five year olds sit through.) But I recovered quickly realizing this years thank you cards would need to say something along the lines of a generic thank you for the gift,we appreciated you sharing our birthday. Not ideal...but sufficient.

It's insane, my house looks like a toy store. A very disorganized toy store. I'd love to donate some if only I could I pry them from my kids hands. Next year I'll wise up and put some away before letting them have at the stash.

The night got crazier at home as they dove into all their toys and I about went apeshit trying to open the fort knox-esque packaged toys. Every single one of them.

But there were tons of giggles and squeals of excitement.
At the end of the evening when they finally went to bed I stood back and stared at these two amazing little 5 year olds that enrich my life each day that I know them. It had been an incredible 5th birthday not just for them but for me. Chaotic and crazy, but fun.

I kissed their soft little sleeping cheeks

and then headed out to the nearest bar.