Monkey Business

UGH. I just realized I need monkey stickers. Why? Oh, I need them to stick on the little monkey name tags I have to make, (Duh! Of course!) and to coordinate with the monkey plates and napkins, and monkey goodie bags I have (not enough of, but more on that later).

My kindergartner is having her first real birthday party. I thought this could be simple and easy, you know the way I like things...but....

Things have a way of spiraling out of control fast on the birthday party front. I just was thinking "We need balloons! But how will I pick up balloons? But we NEED balloons!" Then I snapped out of it, realized everyone invited knows where we live and balloons will only get in the way. So no balloons...at least not today...check back on my crazy-status Saturday.

The girl picked the theme (monkeys, obviously!) Well, after I kinda, mighta, maybe talked her out of the ladybug theme because of the lack of accoutrements available for ladybugs in the middle of winter. OK, and maybe for a minute she wanted a Harry Potter theme (Dad is reading her the first book and she LOVES it) but I thought most kindergartner's might not get it so I perhaps steered her in a different direction. For the record, I LOVE that she didn't have a princess party. Go girl! And although the monkey theme was a third choice, she LOVES it and everything that goes with it. And trust me, there is a LOT that goes with it.  For some reason, my (I mean her) goodie bags had to; 1) Go with the monkey theme; and 2) Also be totally awesome.  (So then other mom's would know I care not only about my child's well-being but also their child's ability to attend an awesome monkey themed party.)  Did I mention things maybe getting out of control?!

So, in my head I pictured all the girls from her class getting invitations and everyone talking about it at school and then I did a great thing: I asked her who she wanted to invite. She did an even better job than I would have. She included all the people who she likes to play with. So now we're getting a houseful of neighbors and cousins...AWESOME. I love that she did this. I know the kids and they all matter to her. Full disclosure: two of the neighbor girls are also in her class, and I didn't invite the whole class of girls so maybe I'm breaking some kind of rule...but she never received anything saying any party with girls had to have the entire class of girls invited. The neighbors just happen to be in her class, so I think they count as neighbors and not classmates. Maybe I'm breaking some kind of kindergarten party etiquette, but so be it.

OK, so monkey invites went out and everyone is coming. Which maybe I didn't count on because I only ordered so many awesome monkey goodie bags. But I reordered extras and now the tracking says they should be here Friday for a Saturday party. I'm crossing my aposable thumbs they get here on time.

So, back to the nametags...since this party is not a class party but a 6 degrees of my daughter party, I need monkey stickers, because I need all the kids get along...or at least tolerate each other...or at least know each other's names...in my monkey themed house for two and half hours.

I also told the girl she could have a monkey cake. What was I thinking?!? Off to google how to decorate a monkey cake. Wish me luck!

BTW, there is one great thing about having a party for a kindergartner...the threats I get to make all week about not having the party if she doesn't behave. Parenting at its best, folks.

Incidentally, to all my local readers (yea right!)...I KNOW there is a kids play facility called Monkey Business and we could have just had the party there. But right before it was a kids playland it was a STRIPCLUB and for the record, there is not enough disinfectant in the WORLD for me to have my kids party there. Sorry but, "Hey kids, that's a fireman's pole now!" just doesn't cut it for me.