So, we moved house 6 weeks ago, obviously still in total chaos, especially as it's coincided with summer holidays and the request to 'play with me' approximately every 30 seconds cutting into sorting anything out.
DS turns 4 and up until now we've done a small garden party at home for close family to celebrate his birthdays. As we've moved (very naice house and area that family and friends have asked to visit) thought we'd combine birthday and housewarming. Kill 2 birds and all.
As of the last 6 months kids at nursery have started inviting each other to parties. My own DS has got more interested in friends and parties, so thought we'd invite nursery kids in addition to family kids and a few kids of friends, plus others for housewarming, which would carry on after. Bit daft as we're now in a different area, kids going off to different schools and we'll never see any of the nursery ones again, but I got caught up in the cuteness of first 'real' party for DS.
All done fairly last minute as move, a family bereavement and DH's work that takes him away overnight a fair bit have put pressures on time and energy.
I've dithered not having DH around much to check out who is invited. Also, loads of dithering between dates as people are away, and trying to accommodate what different family members can do. All my fault as we should have organised it weeks ago and just set a firm date.
I had definitely discussed combo party with DH, in fact I'm fairly sure he suggested it. When we talked about it at the weekend he didn't seem to think housewarming was a good idea and hadn't really asked anyone. In which case, ffs, I could have just planned a softplay for the kids and been done with it.
Invites are out, enough kids seem to be coming to make it, just about, worthwhile. I've booked a bouncy castle as we have a great garden and thought with that, a few garden games and just space to run around it would work. We've had a brilliant summer in the garden so far, playdates have all been a success without too much effort needed. We even have a toilet outdoors in an outbuilding, so no need for them running through the house at all.
Looked at the forecast for the day and it seems it'll be tipping it down. Now wondering whether to book an entertainer as 2 hours in the house with a load of kids seems like hell. So tired at this point of the summer holidays that I cannot summon up the brainpower to think about how it'd need to be organised...probably just throw cake and balloons in a room and lock the door behind me! Also, random people without kids for housewarming element, so there's that too.
Sort of asking what you'd do but also just using mumsnet as a virtual cupboard to have a silent scream in.
Anyway, never again, until next time!