Happy Birthday Baby

I can NOT believe my baby is 3 today. In fact, about 40 minutes from now will mark exactly 3 years since he took his first breath. I was probably being prepped for surgery right about now - that's when it stopped being about me and started being about him.

His party this weekend was great, although quite chaotic. It was too cute watching him and his friends all dancing around the basement to Big Jeff. He was so proud. There were 22 kids there (I only counted 20 in advance - oops) and their assorted parents. Luckily, I have a decent sized basement that could accomodate everyone. And the basement cleans up nice with a few streamers and balloons strewn around.

Today is the actual day though. It's hard not to relive every moment. He has grown up so much this last year - he talks, he can jump with 2 feet (ok, so this doesn't SEEM like a big thing, but really, it is!), he makes jokes, he sings his little heart out, he loves to hug and kiss and cuddle, he has his very own playdates and he likes to do whatever his big brother does. One thing he still refuses to do is use the toilet. When we ask him why he won't he says "'Cause I said NO" and that's the end of that. I just need to tell myself that he won't be wearing diapers in college. His time will come.

SuperGerky told me today that he can't wait to grow up so that he can do whatever he wants. I told him to slow down and to savor this time in his life because when he longs to go back to it, it will be too late. He didn't really get it, but took my hand anyway and said "Ok, Mommy. I understand." He didn't. But how sweet that he understood that I needed him to be my little boy for a bit longer. Wow. Sappy day for Mommy.

Breathe In Breathe Out

Mommy is freaking out. Why oh why did I decide that having a December baby was a GOOD idea? I woke up in a cold sweat this morning worrying about details of the season. I have about 18 kids (and their parents lets not forget) coming to Magician's party next weekend and it occurred to me at 5:30 this morning that I have no idea where I am going to SEAT these children. I don't have a toddler table big enough for a dozen and a half kids! (Luckily, I can rent one. Thank goodness for party places. But until I was able to actually book a couple at 10am, I was a little freaked about it).

The other thing that I am a bit freaked about is the whole nanny thing. I finally decided to bite the bullet and I hired an au pair. From Macedonia. A male au pair from Macedonia. He speaks Macedonian. Not English - just Macedonian. I am having a bit of buyer's remorse (can that term be applied to people?). I thought it would be a great idea to have him start working the second week of January since we have planned a ski vacation for that week. What a great way for him to get to know us and get comfortable with us, etc., and we look like fun interesting people who ski. Then it occurred to me, at about 5:40 this morning, that if I have him come when we are going on vacation, and then leave him the following Monday alone with my children (since I will have just taken a week off work), he will have no idea WHERE they ARE! I didn't even consider that he doesn't know his way around and will not really have any good idea where the kids' schools are. Even if I show him, he will have to go from one school right to the other (there is approx. 25 minutes between when SuperGerky gets dismissed and when Magician gets released). Normally, there is plenty of time to get from one to the other, but that of course assumes that you know where you are going. I suppose I could ask my current nanny to stay a few extra days just until he is comfortable with where he is going. Ugh. And I have 2 MONTHS to stress over this!

And BTW, I can't stand parents that don't RSVP. That's just rude. I wish I could take back the invitation to anyone that didn't RSVP so they don't just show up that day. Sigh.

Back to work for me.