AIBU to be considering not cancelling the party?

[vvviola]

DD1's 7th birthday party this afternoon (NZ, so it's morning here). Frozen themed, so quite a bit of work has gone into it - cake is baked and decorated, all the baking is done (DD2 has food allergies so I have to bake everything)

Problem is, DH and I are sick. I've had a nasty sinus thing all week and not I've what feels like the start of a chest infection. DH is similar without the sinus stuff. Neither of us slept well last night with the coughing. I was evicted to the couch at 1am by a grumpy DH (to be fair, it's comfortable, and sleeping apart meant we weren't waking each other up).

It's going to be hell. MIL is coming up, but while she likes to help she's hard work and often creates more hassle by her helping.

DD2 is snotty and grumpy. But then she's nearly 3, snotty and grumpy is the default status.

We probably should cancel the party. But it will be 3 weeks or more before there's a spot to hold it again (all the friends have their birthdays within a few weeks of each other). And I was up til after midnight decorating the sodding cake.

WIBU to suck it up, load up on as many drugs as possible and just get through it?

Sorry you are sick..... I would suck it up take plenty of paracetamol and go for it

If you can then I'd say to just try to get through it. Awful for you, I know, but I think it is worth just plodding on to get it over with (and then going to bed for a very very long time)

I remember on Christmas Eve when we were both really ill with flu (proper flu, not just a poorly cold) and I came very close to just explaining to dd that there was NO santa, just so I could go to bed. But as a parent there are times when you just suck it up and keep going.

Do you have any other friends and family that could be drafted in to help?

I'd attempt it too. I can count the times when I genuinely haven't been able to get in with it post-kids on one hand - there's often absolutely no option than to have to do it (bloody Michael Gove, have to do school run somehow no matter how sick. I remember DH once with very high temp D&V etc getting up and yet again being very violently sick, and ringing in sick; and me thinking "and if it were me, I would now have to still do the schoolrun").

And I'm sure she will absolutely love her cake. Do you have any good friends bringing kids to the party who could potentially be roped in to stay and help out?? That would make all the difference.

Load up on pseudoephedrine, paracetamol and ibuprofen - honestly it will make you feel human for at least three hours, plus lots of caffeine.

If I were a family.member or friend, id be there in a shot with my dh to step in and do the leg work for you while you rested. do you have anyone who can do that.

I'd go for it. It's not contagious, so you're fine there. Dose up on everything, and maybe ask one of the other parents to help out a bit?

Dose yourselves up, grin and bear it and pat yourselves in the back afterwards knowing that you haven't got to do all of the baking again.

Hope you both feel better soon.
Xxx

Two potential helpers - but one has already taken DD1 to her sport this morning and has helped us out a fair bit before, so I don't like to impose. And the other was only saying yesterday that dropping off and going meant she was going to get her first time to herself in months.

Otherwise it's just MIL and BIL (who will talk a good a good game but may not be much practical help)

There is a God! I found blackcurrant lemsip at the back of the cupboard (I can't stomach the lemon one), so first dose of that being drunk as we speak.

Well I guess in that case you will just have to cross your fingers and hope that they take one look at your face, take pity, and offer to help - and if they do, don't feel guilty, just say yes and help them out as soon as you can - especially the one who hasn't had a break - arrange a break for her another time ASAP.

And be very specific about what you need BIL and MIL to do. Give them each a list.

And make sure the jobs you give them are the energetic 'entertaining the DCs' ones not the 'pressing the button on the kettle' ones.

Please let the parents of the children attending know though so they can make the choice not to send them. as a chest infection normally lands DS in hopsital I would rather be per warned and keep him away.

They all have a fair idea Sirzy they saw the state of me at school pick-up yesterday.

MIL is being her usual "I help on my terms" self, and lecturing us about taking some quackery pills "for the immune system". It may not be the screaming 7yos that are my biggest problem today.

Hopefully one of the parents offers to help you out then!

Hope all goes well!

Promise helpful friend you will give her double time to herself in a few weeks.

Suck it up and keep going I am afraid.
Suck up to your MiL, say how delighted you are she is there, since you and her son are both a bit poorly, could she make it her personal responsibility to make sure your guests drinks get replenished? That would be such a relief for you. Hopefully if you give her an easy but time consuming task she will be helpful and off your back?
Good luck!

I'd do it. Ugh, poor you.

How long is the party? Good luck!

I'd go for it too...the very thought of trying to explain to a 7yr old that their party was being cancelled would spur me on to tell the truth...that and all the spoiled party food. 3 hrs of hell vs 3 weeks of whining (mine would) Hope the lemsip does the trick x

It is done.

It was loud, crazy and general chaos.

But I think it went ok. I managed to direct MIL into helpfulness and I think I channelled my DM (Montessori teacher and general kids entertainment guru) for the duration of the party. They flew through all the planned games, and I needed to put the Frozen movie on for 15 minutes while I finished the food.

Collapsed in a heap on couch now counting down hours to kids bedtime.

Well done! Goodness I'd've put Frozen on for a good deal longer than 15 minutes if I'd been in your state!

And

Well done OP! Hope you and dh feel better very soon.

Good work. It's done, no need to replan, remake, reinvite.....

Feet up time now.

Hope you're better soon
Xxx