Right. Opinions please. I might start another thread on this........
Its my DTs birthday next week. I hate having parties for them. It usually involves all my relatives and DP's relatives coming to ours. I buy, make and serve: food/cakes/wine/tea/brandy/gin the list goes on. They bring heaps and heaps of 'stuff' the DTs don't need and I end up nagging at my kids for being loud and obnoxious. On top of that I'm in the midst of counselling which has touched on stuff about my relationship with my mum and I'm not finding it that easy to be around her ATM. (And I've just spent a week and a half with her on hols remember).
So, next week I planned to have one of my friends over who has a DD the same age as my DD1 and a DS the same age at the DTs. No-one else. If the weather is good, I might hire a wee bouncy castle for them all and I thought me and my friend would sit on our arses and chat while the kids go mad. We would probably also have a bounce. I would fill bowls with crisps. Have crusty bread sarnies with egg mayo and olives and marshmallows. And at the appropriate moment sing and slurp cakes.
I thought DP can take them down to his mums in the morning and my parents could pop in after their work early evening. However,.....
I am now beginning to feel the guilt. I was at my grans earlier (she's 84). I love her to bits. She said "so, its their birthday next week, are we having another party?" I mumbled that I hadn't really thought about it and changed the subject.
My gran loves being a part of it. She loves a wee party. Two gins and she goes home thinking I've given her the world. She is largely housebound and this is just heaven to her.
But if I do something for her, I have to do it for everyone........DPs parents are old too and I'd have to have them up.......my parents........maybe even my brother......., maybe even my other gran to keep it fair .....uuuurrrrggghghhgh!!!!
I want to do it for my gran. I can't be arsed doing it for everyone else, AGAIN. I just want to live quietly and try to enjoy my kids. I am the one who shouts at them and disciplines them. I also earn the right to be Mrs Nice Mummy too I think. And I'm more likely to be Mrs Nice Mummy if I don't have to do 'the do'.