Monday, April 23, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Aiman!

Aahh! It's been a tiring 3 days getting things ready for my son's 7th birthday party. A week before that, I had already started preparing the party packs, and the invitation cards needed to be printed out so that my son can hand deliver them to his classmates in school.

My hubby had earlier suggested that we just have the party at McD, KFC or A&W, but I was not in favour of it because the places where parties can be held were far from home. My hubby then suggested that we cater the food and have it at home but, when we went down the menu, I realised that I am capable of cooking and preparing all the food that we wanted on the menu. It would be such a waste to spend so much on something that I know how to do. So, finally, we agreed that I would cook some of the food, and my sister-in-laws (Eina & Eli) would help prepare one or two more dishes to make up the balance of the menu that we wanted. So, the stage was set......

I took leave on Friday, 20th April, to bake the cake as I would have to frost the cake on Saturday, in between preparing the things to make up the sphagetti sauce, potato salad and garlic bread. I need only have to cook the spaghetti and the sausages come Sunday morning, 22nd April, the day of the party, and the actual date of Aiman's birthday.


Baking the cake, frosting it, and preparing the things to make up the sphagetti sauce, potato salad and garlic bread sounded pretty easy, or so I thought. I have cooked this menu numerous times before when I had a maid, and before my son came into our lives. The last time I cooked up a storm single-handedly was more than 6 years ago, and I was younger and stronger then. I thought I could do it, and I wanted to do it for my son. We did not have any celebration for his birthday last year because just three weeks prior to his birthday, we sent the maid home unexpectedly due to some problems. All plans to have a party went down the drain as we took time to adjust to the new routine without a maid. So, this year, I promised him that we will have one. He was also eager to have his newly found friends from school over for the party.

So, prepare I did for 3 whole days, most of the time on my feet.

The party was on Sunday morning, and I think most of the kids had fun. I had prepared food enough for 20 kids and their parents, making it enough for more than 60 people. Guess what? I learnt something new as a parent. When you have a birthday party for a child and invite his or her school friends, the parents take it that the invitation is only meant for the child, and not for the parents and his/her siblings as well, unless you clearly stated it in the invitation card. I did not know that. Duh!

I naturally thought that a child would definitely be accompanied by at least one adult. I, for one, wouldn't just drop off my son at someone's house and just go off shopping or something. I would want to make sure that I am there in case he wanted food or drinks or needed to go to the toilet, something like that. Who is going to keep an eye on my son while the host is busy entertaining the other guests? Okay, so you say that I am overly protective of my son? Who wouldn't, in this time of day when kids go missing within split seconds at the blink of an eye. But, more so why I wouldn't just drop off my son and go shopping is so that my son wouldn't bother the host should he needed anything.

Well, that was what had happened at my son's birthday party on Sunday. Not that I am complaining that I was suddenly put to take care of 10 of my son's school friends (the rest were cousins who came with their parents. Phew! LOL!), don't get me wrong. If I had known that the parents were just going to drop of their kids I would have better prepared myself for it (mentally and physically) and not be suddenly swarmed with kids asking for water, not that water, this water, not that food but this food, no, I gotta go to the toilet NOW!! LOL!

It was choas for a while, while I got over my shock! LOL! I could have handled the situation better if I have had time to divide the responsibilities with my hubby - who takes care of kids wanting to go to the loo, who gives out the drinks, who looks after the kids who wants to eat, but fussy about the food laid out on the table, and wants something else! LOL! It sure was an eye opening experience for me! Duh! *grin*

So, this is the trend now these days, huh? When your child is invited to a party, unless it is stated that you, the parents, are invited too, you are expected to just drop off the child and go for a much needed honeymoon! LOL!

I am glad to have my sister, Lin, to take care of the games (Musical Chair, Passing The Parcel, Maze Puzzle & Stick the Elephant Trunk), while my brother, Ayis, was the music director for the Musical Chair & Passing The Parcel. Thank you to Eina for the Mee Hoon Siam (Fried Siamese Mee) and the sandwiches, Eli for the chicken fingers, and Kak La for the lovely chicken pies. A BIG Thank You to my hubby for taking care of the kids where he can (I think he was just as flustered too, but he was more calm than I was! LOL!), and of course for organising the tables and chairs and blowing up the balloons and putting them up.

A HUGE BIG HUG to my son, AIMAN! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SAYANG! We LOVE YOU VERY VERY MUCH!!! We hope that you have had a great 7th birthday party. The next one, God wiling, is going to be at McD, KFC or A & W! LOL! *wink*

BTW, did I tell you that we have so much food left over, that we will be eating sphagetti and Mee Hoon Siam for the next ONE WEEK? LOL! *wink*

and another thing..... the kids were more eager to see who gets the car on the cake than who wants to eat the cake! LOL! *wink*

My feet is killing me........................

4 comments:

Barbara J said...

Happy Birthday Aiman!

That's a lovely cake Nik. Very creative, frosting and all! Compliments to the baker and chef :)

Lillie said...

Happy belated birthday Aiman!

Cute cake, am sure Aiman was thrilled.

Yep! Nik, these days parents don't accompanied the kids to birthday party unlesss the invitation state so..me too, wud just drop my kid/s at the front door..wave and find myself someplace to sit or walk AND RETURN ONLY when I get a call that the party is over...

Emily said...

Happy Belated Birthday Aiman! Gosh, Nik! you are just a wonderwoman! You never fail to amaze me!

Shanny Khoo said...

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY AIMAN!

Gosh Nik! Its such a beautiful cake you've made there! Ahh.. the things we do for your children.... And yet no matter how tired and worn out we are, we still do it. Superwoman-lah you!