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| Where we're not having Archer's birthday....this year |
Or is it a big year? I mean, in the big scheme of life, is 3 a year we celebrate as a major milestone? Trying as hard as I can, I have *no idea what I did for my 3rd birthday. Was this the year my parents brought a pony to my backyard for pony rides - for realz - Fyi, not a good idea: I thought that the pony was my birthday present and the day DID NOT END WELL. Or was the 3rd birthday the year we went to McDonald's (hands up if you all had a McDonald's birthday but for the life of you, can't recall a recent birthday at McDonald's).
As I am about to turn 40, universally regarded to be a milestone birthday, I've been thinking a lot about how we celebrate our children's birthdays and whether they really are for them or for us?
We've recently started the birthday party circuit. Those with older kids will tell you that at a certain point in their child's life, almost every weekend has one or more birthday parties in the schedule.
And I'm not complaining. I'm really not. It's actually pretty fun to watch the little ones run around, having fun, stuffing themselves with delivery pizza and cake. I'm not even judging parties at those indoor play centres - you know the ones with the indoor gyms and parachute games, etc.. At some point, I have decided that if you really love your child, you need to be prepared to park your cool at the door.
But thinking that I found the perfect compromise of fun and cool this year, I planned and just today cancelled plans for a birthday party brunch at the Gladstone Hotel. The Gladstone has this great Family Brunch on Sundays. The food is yummy, fast and cheap and there is good Bluegrass Music for the little ones to groove to. It's like the Dakota Brunch but brighter and with more crazy hipster kids running around. We went about a month ago and we were set -- this is where we'd have Archer's birthday. Our friends would love it, we could afford it and Archer would think we were awesome.
Or would he? I started to have my doubts the second time we went to the Gladstone brunch. This time, for whatever reason, the music seemed a little louder and Archer seemed to be a little less interested in the band and the food and more interested in the cool old elevator at the hotel. But I ignored my sneaking suspicion.
Until today when I realized that he is *only turning 3. It's a big year for sure but I think it's because it's a big year for us, the parents. It's another year to remember how happy we are about being Archer's parents and to celebrate having Archer in our life, but this day ain't about us. And sometimes it's hard to remember that and so, when I focus on what Archer would really really want for his birthday, I'm pretty sure it would be a fun day with his family, full of a trip to the park, a ride in the car, a guitar song from his dad and maybe a piece of cake. When he gets a wee bit older, it might be a indoor playground or the Gladstone Brunch but so far, he hasn't mentioned either of those options...
