kseenaa | Birthday party, take one! Yay?

Tomorrow we are going to visit my mom and do a pre-celebration of Alexandra's birthday.

Pre-celebration, what you mean you might ask...

Well, my relatives are very lazy. It is apparently easier for US to do the two-hour trip to the area where THEY live (and mom) than it is for them to do the same trip to visit us. Hey. And here I thought it was the same no matter what way you went. :-/ Also, mom got a house. Gawd forbid you can have a birthday party for a baby-girl in an apartment... :-/

So we'll borrow mom's house and garden and have our selfs a little birthday party there.

It saddens me a little, because doing it this way means my relatives and

peting73's relatives never get the hang out. And that, quite frankly, sucks. :-/

So, I think we'll only do it this way this year. Next year, when she turns two, they bloody well have to suck it up and take that trip or not congratulate Alexandra at all. So there.

I feel kinda torn about it. :-(

On one hand, I want Alexandra to experience the HUGE crazy family gatherings I got to experience when I grew up.

But at the same time, we live HERE. This is our HOME. Why can't they visit us, when they expect us to visit them all the time? :-/

So, yeah. It'll be fun to meet all and all that this weekend, but I do feel very torn about the whole thing. :-/

Oh well.

At least there will be cake and cookies.

This entry is crossposted between LJ and DW. Comment where you are comfortable.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I can't get over she'll be a year old. I don't blame you though. Have the party their and invite the ones you love. They show great, they don't show they have hell to pay. You have enough on your plate already dealing with setting up the party. If they can't go out of their way for you wth!
It's a touchy subject on my part...but either way YOU want it I'm sure it will be fun and a success.

I know. It's crazy. One year has FLOWN by! o.O I can hardly keep up myself.

It is a touchy subject. There's always parties everywhere especially during summer among my relatives. I have a HUGE HUGE family. Not even joking. I greet my second cousins kids on their birthdays... That would give you an idea.

I didn't invite many, but I knew that not many would come if I had the birthday party here. And it was her first one ever. Next year though, which I pointed out to them, it will be held here. In our home. :-) There were, gladly, no complaints. :-D

That bites. You could tell them it's more difficult to travel with a baby than for them to just come to you. :/

I can't believe it's been a year already!

We've been traveling back and forth those two hours since Alexandra was... 1½ - 2 months old or so. She has no problems traveling by car at all. It's just a pain in the ass to pack everything. :-P

I still find the logic that it's easier for us then them a bit... mindblowing. :-P I guess they see it as one family is easier to move then many. *shrug* I don't know...

And YES! A whole year! I have a hell of a time keeping up! I bet you'll tell me it gets worse as they grow older now, right? ;-)

I bet you'll tell me it gets worse as they grow older now, right? ;-)

Yep. ;)

Well, at least I know what I have to look forward to then! X-D *lol*

Omg, a year?!

*shakes head*

Well done, you two.

And regarding your family, you tell them they can come to you next time. Six months before Alex's birthday, tell them that you're happy to bake and cook, and that there'll be plenty of goodies, but you can't make that journey again. It's not fair on you - fuel, wear and tear on the car, time, energy... You have a home that is perfectly good.

If they protest, say that you're sorry but it's not something you can do. Or that you should rotate - one year with you, and one year with them.

Carve it out for your family. It's easier to do it /now/ than when Alex is eight or nine, and you're back at work, and battling years of "But you've done it before!" when you can't make it.

A year, yes. And agreed. It's crazy. Really crazy. I try to keep up. And fails. I bet it'll get worse as Alexandra grows older. *lol* She is doing great though, this is true! :-D

We've done that journey back and forth since Alexandra was 1½ - 2 months old. She got no problem going on trips by car. It's just a pain in the ass to pack everything. :-P

I think you got a good plan going there. Rotate. :-) I'll keep that in consideration. But for next year! They're already invited here, since I already told them as much during the party. ;-) If they show or not, is up to them!

My family is HUGE! Like, really really HUGE! So I am used to them, just... during summer when EVERYONE has their birthdays it gets a bit much... :-P

Well, Happy Birthday to Alexandra!

I can't believe it's a year already. Is she walking/close to walking?

:-D

Yep! 9th is the date and she'll be a year old!

It's crazy it's been a year already, I know... I can barely keep up! I bet my ass you'll tell me it'll get harder to keep up as they grow older, right? ;-)

She is... sorta walking. *lol* She holds on to thinks and walk around all the time and likes it! But as soon as I try to hold her hands so she can walk holding in me... she gives up and sits down. *lol* She is very fast when crawling though!

Hee! That is such a cute age!

I bet my ass you'll tell me it'll get harder to keep up as they grow older, right? ;-)

In some ways, that's for sure.

Thanx for the warning... ;-)

I feel you. I'm gonna give you some totally unsolicited advice, so take it as you will.

Draw the line NOW, while the baby is still a baby. This is YOUR family now, you and she and your man. The rest of your family, no matter how you love them, are extended. You're the nuclear and what you want is important.

Don't run around for their convenience. If its important to them to see you guys, they'll suck it up and do what they need to do. If not, you know that then, too. Do not always automatically accommodate them. They'll grow to expect it and it will become a horrible point of contention - trust me on this. I know.

Make your own traditions first worry about theirs later. You three are the most important now.

I love honest and blunt advice from friends. :-) And you know I do. ;-) It's most often the best ones. :-D

My family is not very common (which I thought when I was a kid), so I am used to it. It's just during summer EVERYONE has their birthdays. *lol* Bad planning with the sexings there...

I hang out with my aunts and uncles... my cousins... mom's cousins... my second cousins... my second cousins kids... Birthdays and parties during summer.

Which is the problem, even if it is a nice problem to have. I have a HUGE HUGE safety net. If I need anything, I can call anyone and they'll come and help me no matter what. And that same goes from me to.

My brother, who currently is in the middle of a divorce, has gotten SOOOOOO much help from our family/relatives right now it is amazing.

Problem is, we're the only ones living in this city. Most of the rest of the family lives approximately close to each other. Like, within 30mins. To drive here (or there) it takes 2 hours. Not undo-able, but still.

Alexandra is fine with it. We've done that trip since she was 1½ - 2 months old. It's just a pain in the ass to pack!

It does hurt a lil that they can't take the trouble to come visit us that often... It has gotten better though, I will admit! We do get more visits than we used to. So it's on the up and up there. Hopefully that will continue as Alexandra keeps growing. I keep my fingers crossed for that.

I did point out during the lil pre-birthday party that next year they'd have to come to us if they wanted to congratulate her. :-) So they are already invited, in a matter of speaking. We'll see how it goes. :-)

Funny with nuclear families and how the meaning of the word have changed during history... I think my family is quite old-fashioned when it comes to that. :-) I am grateful for it. It gave me much of my strength while growing up as a bullied kid in school. :-)

And you just wait for the insanity during Christmas... *lol* X-D

Birthday party, take one! Yay?

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