I'm a Terrible Hostess

Audrey's birthday is Monday and we're having a party on Sunday because my grandparents will be in town. The sad part is that I'm mainly doing the party out of obligation/guilt because I want it to be "fair" for her to have one, since I did one for Samuel. His first birthday party is the reason that I hate hosting birthday parties, which is the one thing that keeps me from wanting more kids, although it's not a good enough one.

Brad is such a social person, which I am not. I get so stressed about the details of the party that I obviously cannot enjoy one second of it, but he spends the whole time chatting with his buddies and having a good time. I also worry intensely about getting all of the memories of the party captured on film/video. At Samuel's first birthday party, I was so nervous about getting everything set up in just the right spot that I dropped our video camera and broke the battery. I'm so thankful that my Dad dug up his old camcorder and was able to get video anyway (plus he later fixed my battery!). Last year I was only able to get anything documented because Audrey slept literally the entire party. I will admit that I pretty much forgot that she even existed for about an hour due to my stress level. I realize this may take me out of the running for Mother of the Year.

Anyway, I am not at all looking forward to the actual party on Sunday, although I have been spending ample time reading about hosting parties and decorating cakes. I am making the cake myself this afternoon after I get a few z's when I get home from work. Praying it works out.

I found this humorous list that I wish I would've read before having kids:

Please, if you are the type of mother that I am, learn from my mistakes. In the interest of promoting family sanity, I offer my humble list of suggestions for surviving birthday parties:
1. Never ever have children born in the winter. Indoor parties are to be avoided at all costs.
2. Do not let any siblings within a 500 mile radius of the house. They are major party saboteurs. They have been known to blow out the birthday boy's candles.
3. Don't expect any activity to go as planned. My friend made 360 water balloons for her child's fifth birthday, invited six kids, and expected the kids to play with the balloons for an hour. The balloons were all popped ten minutes later.
4. Do as my friend Tamar does. Birthday parties make her so anxious that she tries to postpone them until the next year.
5. Buy your kid ten small presents. She'll never miss the party.