Birthday Fun
Well, folks, I survived another children's birthday party. There were a few moments there when I wasn't so sure that was gonna be the case, but, alas, it is the next day, and I'm here, and I'm alive, or at least I think I am. I fall asleep so quickly these days, that its plain frightening. I don't even think I am aware of my head hitting the pillow, which I think actually would qualify as passing out. Knowing that I can pass from consciousness to subconsciousness, or unconsciousness as the case might be, kind of freaks me out.
Anyways, back to being alive. And birthday parties. Basically we invited enough people to fill a small stadium, but mainly because we thought the (fucking) weather would actually be nice, seeing as how it is August and all, and that we could celebrate in our big backyard. I know you're laughing that I would be so bold as to assume the sun would be shining. So what did we do, we packed 'em in. You can fit a lot of people in a hundred square meters, but just because you can doesn't mean you should. After everyone settled in, had a couple of cupcakes, a couple of gummi bears, and a couple of Mn'M's, the party was rockin'. We sang some children's songs, did the hokey pokey, had a pinata, and ate some birthday cake. The Sugar Bombs were havin' a great time! Then, we ran out of organized activities, so things started to get a little freaky. But, just at the right time, the horse and carriage pulled up!
Rewind to a couple of months back. I was sitting in the waiting room at the Frauenartz for my post birth check-up (stay with me here). The was a woman there who was newly pregnant and was asking me how life was with two children, logistically speaking. I lied of course and told her it was all cool and easy. We got to talking a little more and it turns out that her husband runs this Pferdetaxi business in Prenzlauer Berg. Crazy stuff, right? Well, one day not too long after that, I saw the horses and carriage driving around Helmholtzplatz. Since they were going about 2 miles per hour and I was stuck behind them in a car, I had some time to do some thinking. My mind started wandering and I thought it would be great to have something like that at a children's birthday party. So I started digging around in my bag and excavated a piece of paper and pen so I could write down the phone number that was posted on the back of the carriage (and written really small). Without hitting it, I got close enough to read the number, wrote it down, gave them a call, and Voila! Super Birthday Party.
So back to the present. When the horse and carriage pulled up, I told everyone to have a look out the window at our fat ride. The children were so excited and the parents were downright giddy too. So, everyone moved to the hallway (and this next part almost did me in) to start putting on their shoes, sweaters, raincoats, go pee, get a little snack, have a little breakdown, etc. Holy flippin' madness, I tell you. And then, AHHHHH! We were outside, in the fresh, rainy air and in the big wagon that held about 25 people. It was awesome. We took a little ride around the neighborhood and the children were so into it. For me, it satisfied a sort of Disneylandish birthday party urge as well as stayed downright true to history and nature, or whatever. They are called Luna Pferdetaxi and I would highly recommend them for such events or if you want to take a tour around Berlin. Very nice.
So I have been recovering today from all of that. A friend of mine came over this morning to visit. She is always talking about psychology and therapy (hers). For some reason, the idea of therapy just made me burst into really psychotic laughter. I just couldn't stop and it was pretty embarrassing. You know when you have the giggles and every little thing just makes you laugh more? Well, she kept saying, "What? What is it? What's so funny?!" and I just kept laughing and laughing. It was awful. When I finally came to, the only explanation I could come up with was that therapy just seems so luxurious to me. I don't even have time to pee sometimes, much less consider my mental state.
Okay, time to eat.
Anyways, back to being alive. And birthday parties. Basically we invited enough people to fill a small stadium, but mainly because we thought the (fucking) weather would actually be nice, seeing as how it is August and all, and that we could celebrate in our big backyard. I know you're laughing that I would be so bold as to assume the sun would be shining. So what did we do, we packed 'em in. You can fit a lot of people in a hundred square meters, but just because you can doesn't mean you should. After everyone settled in, had a couple of cupcakes, a couple of gummi bears, and a couple of Mn'M's, the party was rockin'. We sang some children's songs, did the hokey pokey, had a pinata, and ate some birthday cake. The Sugar Bombs were havin' a great time! Then, we ran out of organized activities, so things started to get a little freaky. But, just at the right time, the horse and carriage pulled up!
Rewind to a couple of months back. I was sitting in the waiting room at the Frauenartz for my post birth check-up (stay with me here). The was a woman there who was newly pregnant and was asking me how life was with two children, logistically speaking. I lied of course and told her it was all cool and easy. We got to talking a little more and it turns out that her husband runs this Pferdetaxi business in Prenzlauer Berg. Crazy stuff, right? Well, one day not too long after that, I saw the horses and carriage driving around Helmholtzplatz. Since they were going about 2 miles per hour and I was stuck behind them in a car, I had some time to do some thinking. My mind started wandering and I thought it would be great to have something like that at a children's birthday party. So I started digging around in my bag and excavated a piece of paper and pen so I could write down the phone number that was posted on the back of the carriage (and written really small). Without hitting it, I got close enough to read the number, wrote it down, gave them a call, and Voila! Super Birthday Party.
So back to the present. When the horse and carriage pulled up, I told everyone to have a look out the window at our fat ride. The children were so excited and the parents were downright giddy too. So, everyone moved to the hallway (and this next part almost did me in) to start putting on their shoes, sweaters, raincoats, go pee, get a little snack, have a little breakdown, etc. Holy flippin' madness, I tell you. And then, AHHHHH! We were outside, in the fresh, rainy air and in the big wagon that held about 25 people. It was awesome. We took a little ride around the neighborhood and the children were so into it. For me, it satisfied a sort of Disneylandish birthday party urge as well as stayed downright true to history and nature, or whatever. They are called Luna Pferdetaxi and I would highly recommend them for such events or if you want to take a tour around Berlin. Very nice.
So I have been recovering today from all of that. A friend of mine came over this morning to visit. She is always talking about psychology and therapy (hers). For some reason, the idea of therapy just made me burst into really psychotic laughter. I just couldn't stop and it was pretty embarrassing. You know when you have the giggles and every little thing just makes you laugh more? Well, she kept saying, "What? What is it? What's so funny?!" and I just kept laughing and laughing. It was awful. When I finally came to, the only explanation I could come up with was that therapy just seems so luxurious to me. I don't even have time to pee sometimes, much less consider my mental state.
Okay, time to eat.
posted by mama jens at 1:36 PM
3 Comments:
Glad to hear to you survived that birthday party. You don't seem to get that much sleep. How much sleep do you usually get?
I'd like to ask you a question: what is the age difference between your two kids? We have a 9-month-old kid (who is climbing on the desk and examining the computer mouse while I'm writing this) and already think of getting another baby in the next couple of months. Do you think that is too early? Our kid already goes to the kindergarten - so it will not be 2-kids 100% all the time.
I wish you more sleep!
Bye,
Erik
Great story ... We are just now planning our soon to be two-year old's birthday party ...
Yes, falling to sleep fast - one of the many benefits of minding a toddler ...
thanks for the comments. erik, with regard to sleep, i usually get the bare minimum. problem is that i nurse a lot at night, and therefore the sleep isn't very solid. that should be ending relatively soon, however. and as for the age spacing between my children, they are four years and three months apart. that works really well for me. i like the fact that the older one is more or less independent - can get dressed, brush teeth, wipe butt, etc. - so i can concentrate on the little one. there are, of course, many benefits to having them closer together as well. for one, they will be closer, peer and relationship wise (might fight more too). also, once you get past the crazy twos and threes, you're kind of home free, as opposed to going through all that and starting all over again with one baby. and if the career thing is important to you, you can get back to that sooner. i, personally, would like to have another one now (don't tell my husband), but i think i might be too neurotic to handle two in diapers (my second one is 9 months as well).
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