This year Evan will be turning 6!
Birthdays are so important to Evan. He has been counting down to his birthday for the longest time. He tells us nearly everyday who he wants to invite and who can not come. He has asked for many different places to have. His birthday is always on his mind.
This year I really want to make sure he has a nice birthday that is solely to honor him and let him know how much we love. It is very important. He is the most loving and caring little boy. It would be so easy this year to have his birthday get lost in the shuffle or over shadowed by the birth day of his sister, which could be as soon as the week after that. He would be so hurt. He is so sensitive and to be skipped over like that would devastate him.
But I am always at a loss for what to do for his birthday. The problem is March in Pennsylvania is so cold and snowy the party has to be inside. My house is not large enough to host lots of children and their families, plus I live on a one way street with no off street parking. I can't park more than 3 cars at my house. So we have always had to rent some sort of venue.
Last years was great. We rented a play place that had inflatables, ball pits, trampolines, gyms, computers, you name it it was there even ride on toys. The kids had a great time. Plus they catered and cleaned up. They even did all the goody bags so all I had to do was show up with the birthday boy.
One of the places Evan has asked to go back to is a train place. We have also rented out train club buildings. These make him and every little boy happy. They are simply just many different train layouts that the kids can look at but not touch. But he has had at least 3 train birthdays.
He asks to go to Chuck E Cheese for his birthday every year but it is just not a good deal. Not to mention it is loud, hard to supervise chaos. I try to avoid parties there and weekends.
He is a crafter so I looked at Micheal's craft stores. They offer birthday packages but they really don't look that good. They provide a room, craft and instructor and you provide the rest food, set up, decorations. The crafts they have advertised are just not that good looking either. I could by better craft stuff and still provide the rest of what I would have to there as well and come in under what they are asking, but it is back to the space issue.
The Y lets you rent the pool for parties which could be a lot of fun. It has plenty of space and parking. It would be great except we are there all the time and are tired of that place. We are dealing with kids from 4 to 8 and I don't think many of them can swim. Would parents be willing to put on swimsuits in March to be with their kids?
No matter what I was going to bring cupcakes to school and have a little celebration there. I was wondering if that would be enough for him and then take the family, grandparents and cousin to the Baltimore Aquarium. It is an amazing place that I know he would love. But it would not be a "party". And with the price of the full tickets to that place just taking the family would cost more than throwing one of these parties.
I want to make it special. But I need to get a move on it because I need to make and get out invitations. I just don't know what to do. Any ideas?
That last shot is amazing.
ReplyDeleteWe've already been talking about birthdays...and my both of my kid's birthdays aren't until June! Abby wants a Chuck E. Cheese birthday, but I despise bdays there. Just like you said, too loud! Hope you find the perfect place for Evan.
ReplyDeleteSorry to post this here, but I sent a gift for you and it was supposed to have been delivered yesterday. I had my hubby mail it for me so he might have put his name on the slip. I just wanted to make sure you received it and that he didn't send it to the wrong address! He's honestly done stuff like that before. :)
I run into the same kind of problem each year, both my older two kiddos birthdays are in march and my anniversary. I don't know if they have one there but here they have a pizza place, and there is a room you can rent for birthdays, they have games and all sorts of fun things to do plus pizza and drinks included. Or do you have a bowling alley there? We have a really cool place with bowling, aracade, laser tag that has rooms for birthdays with different age brackets? Birthdays ideas are difficult when you can't have it outdoors, I'm sure whatever you come up with will be great!
ReplyDeleteyou have some super ideas * my girls are actually going to an "indoor pool" party this afternoon ... & it's cold here * but kids are super excited & the hubs has no prob. getting in with them ... super idea for a winter party :)
ReplyDeleteI think the birthday celebration at school in addition to the family visit to the aquarium sounds fun :) I think any little boy would be happy with that and have a blast!
ReplyDeleteincredible johns is great but they probaly dont have one located near you. IT has lots of different themed dining rooms, pizza and dessert buffet, beverage/mocha bar, and lots of fun rides and games for the children. lego store and build a bear also offer bday parties. a great indoor party for a boy is a hot wheel themed party !
ReplyDeleteI wish I could help you more with this. My daughter's birthday is in Nov. and I struggle with this every year. The aquarium sounds really fun though! GOOD LUCK!
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