Shirley's party advice thread part 2

[stealthsquiggle]

...can I take the liberty of starting another thread, since the other one filled up?

That's a very good idea - and much cheaper than a photo-cake - thanks!

My friend has just asked me to decorate a Costco cake for her 2 sons birthday party next month - theme is Pirates (and Princesses for the girly girls)

I'm happy to do it but the pressure of getting it right for someone else is worrying me.

I need some ideas that will look good but be relatively easy to do.

Help!!

The boys will be 5 and 2.

Treasure chest? Very easy and can look brilliant. Is that too easy iyswim?

(btw wouldnt be easy for me but everyone else seems to be so talented I thought you might be wanting something a bit more challenging?)

This link has instructions and some other ideas too. My friend did a treasure chest. It looked amazing and very popular with children because of the chocolate coins, jewels (sweeties) etc.

Looks good. The base cake will be pre-made so I've only got to decorate but I was thinking I could perhaps construct a box to fill with sweeties and maybe cover the surrounding cake with "sand" to make it look like it's just been dug up. Not sure what I'd make the box from though.

The only problem I can see is the cutting of the cake at the party. You'd end up with a big pile of sticky sweets if you took them out first.

working from a pre-made base, I would opt for a pirate island or a map, I think. I will google for ideas later.

I've been googling too. Can't find anything exciting

how about something like http://www.flickr.com/photos/42403438@N06/5062535164 this, Blathers? Ignore te sides and it is no more complicated than your picnic

bother. this

I like it. Shouldn't be too hard hopefully

Cool - first try

It's all gone very quiet. Surely one of us is organising a party somewhere?

And Shirley never did tell us her exciting news!

Im here. Sit im sorry i still havent had a chance to scan that thing again. Im huuuuugggeeee and mega uncomfy. I really dont think this baby will wait til the 6th. No parties planned here til i see who i've got in here.

I want this baby ouuuutttttt. It hurts now.

Shirley get back here with your news, you promised.

Fingers crossed that baby comes son DW were all waiting to help plan the christening

Ah stealth thank you for taking that on.

Dropped dd at my mum's as dh taking me out as it was my birthday this week. Got there and my mum laid into me saying i should change my mind and have natural birth rather than c section. Wasnt interested in my reasoning just told me that it would be fairer on my dd. Came away wanting to cry my heart out, drove an hour home feeling awful. So i'm off to bed for a rest before my first 'date' with my husband in three years!!!!

Oh DW

If it's any consolation, I think having DD by ELCS made things easier for DS.

We knew exactly when she was going to be born so didn't have to rely on someone being on call to come running when I went into labour and DS got dropped off with a kiss and a smile for a planned sleepover at Nanny's and was completely unfazed by the whole thing whereas I think waking up to find Mummy and Daddy gone to hospital and someone babysitting would have worried him.

DH knew exactly when to plan his holiday for and had taken 3 weeks off to help plus ime an ELCS is much, much easier to recover from than a EMCS, probably because they took their time and could be much more gentle, so I was up and about less than 24 hours later and a lot less battered and bruised so it was much easier to cope afterwards. I probably wasn't quite as mobile as someone who'd had a natural birth but it was certainly a lot better than I was after the EMCS. I made a Christmas dinner on day 8!

You need to do what's best for you and your family and ignore your Mum if she's not helping.

Feel free to PM me if you want to chat about it

Blathers im sorry i think i've pm'd you my spleen. Im just so so upset. Ive researched vbac and for me i just dont want to risk it. Personal choice. But my mum is hinging her whole argument that dd wont be able to climb up for a cuddle and thats not fair to her.

Have replied. Possibly got a spleen from me in there too

Oh , DW. I read your post on my 'phone and couldn't reply sooner, but I could have almost written Blathers' post. DS was EMCS after 18hours of 9lb 10oz baby with huge head and no intention of going anywhere, and since DD was on track to be bigger (she wasn't) they gave me the choice and I went for ELCS. DS was dropped off at school in the morning, and DH made it back in time to pick him up - he had 3 days of Daddy's undivided attention and then got to show his baby sister off at school. Since he would not have dealt well with the uncertainty of not knowing when LO was going to arrive, I think it worked out far better for him, TBH.

DS was NOT short of huggles. I ran his (typically OTT) 4th birthday party when DD was 3.5 weeks old . In fact, the only impact my recovery had was DH having to knock down and move the kitchen by himself because I couldn't swing a sledgehammer or wheel a wheelbarrow - so I snuggled with DS instead. Shame, that.

I was shocked by just how good I felt after my ELCS!

You'll need to take it easy obviously and you may not want to be jumped on but there is no reason why your DD should be short on cuddles.

Oh! I'll take your mind off it DrW.

(Oh and you must do what feels right for you - sod anyone else. )

RIGHT! My secretty secret? I'm taking the boys to FLORIDA baby in July and CANNOT WAIT! Aw man, it was fab surprising them on Xmas day - so I won't be throwing any parties between now and then as I have to save every single penny.

SO EXCITED! Never been to the US before.

I forsee major diversion from party planning (althought we need to drum up some more victims customers for that!) - we have "done" Florida, Shirley, although not with teenagers (yet) - loads of fun .

If anyone is desperate for a "party" to plan, I have to do something very low key indeed about Chinese New Year because DS is completely dragon-obsessed and he and all his dragons are already excited about it being Year of the Dragon. Unfortunately it falls on a Monday (23 Jan) but I think I might have to bring it forward to the Sunday for the sake of my sanity.