Thea's Birthday

I have only just started thinking about Thea's birthday - I think by this time last year we'd settled on a venue (My Gym) and made a few other critical decisions (Backyardigans theme), so all that left was the cupcakes and the party bags to round out the day. Now we're into two parties: a small one for school on her actual birthday and one for her friends.

When I was interrogating her as to any choices as to theme, she said, "People can just come as whatever they want. . ." So I had the idea, while out running errands yesterday, that we could do a Hallowe'en costume preview party: since all that effort goes into finding the right costume and the kids just where them at school and then that evening for trick-or-treating, why not give them one more chance to dress up.

Now the 'where' of the party-planning becomes an issue: if we do costumes, then a gym setting is out. God help me if some little cherub damages his or her costume two weeks before Hallowe'en. Ditto for the artsy-craftsy places, same reason. Pizza parlor party, third verse same as the first. For the number of people Thea wants, we could do it at the house, but the nice thing about doing it SOMEWHERE ELSE is you pay, and walk away.

Thea's going to be a knight for Hallowe'en, I think I'm going to stuff Micah into a puppy costume if I can find one cheap.

I'm off to cruise web sites of possible party places, and I'm reconsidering the whole costume idea. It seemed brilliant yesterday, but today upon re-examination, it's not as bright and shiny of an idea.