sad, sad excuse for a Mom

My kids pretty much got ripped off when it came to dealing out Moms.  I am quite bad at birthdays.  I will explain but first I must get on my soapbox and rant about how much I hate how extravagant some kids birthdays have become and the pressure to give your kids the same experience that everyone else is getting.  Growing up, my siblings and I each got a cake and presents after a quiet family dinner.  I do have one very vague childhood memory of myself wearing a poofy yellow dress and playing pin the tail on the donkey at a birthday party held in my honor but I am sure that was the only party for me and I don't remember any for my siblings.

Big Boy is 8 and he has had exactly one non relative party (four friends at Chuck-e-Cheese).  Lil Bit has been with us for three birthdays and she has yet to see one.  One year we moved on Big Boy's birthday so his birthday was almost ignored.  I may have said "Look son, we got you a house for your birthday"  but if I did, I am afraid one day he may remember and kick us out of "his house".

This past birthday, I bribed him $150 cash not to have a party.

Lil' Bit has a birthday that sometimes falls on Thanksgiving so I can make sure there is cake at the family dinner and she thinks all 20 relatives gathered to celebrate her.

On Lil Bit's actual birthday this year, Big Boy got an invitation to spend the day with a friend and we took advantage of the extra room in the van to go to Delaware to purchase some big ticket items tax free.  So, Lil Bit spent the whole day shopping with us or sitting int he car.  We never got around to baking her cake (we had leftover cake from the one Jim got for Thanksgiving) and I never got around to wrapping her present. 

Today (not her birthday) Big Boy found her birthday present - finally wrapped - and the two of them opened it without any fanfare.  Then, my husband took my son to the Redskins game.  My mother came over and gave Lil Bit the one thing she has been asking for, no, begging for.  A shiny red acoustic guitar "like Murry has"

I am very disappointed in myself for not giving them better birthday experiences but birthday's have never been that big a deal for me so I forget to make a fuss over them.

On a lighter note - here is Big Boy at the Redskins game.