A New Era in Birthdays

CE is ten now. Double digits; a decade. In the interests of evolving family traditions, we decided to tweak our birthday plans this year. Usually, I make a cake as close to the specifications of the birthday child as I can muster and then we share cake and icecream with family on the actual birthday. Then, at a separate time, we have a friend party, generally with as many friends as you are old, at home with games and cupcakes and fun. I felt like 10 was an appropriate year to begin to morph our traditions. So, this year CE chose her cake and then helped me frost it. She did a lovely job and also learned how difficult it is to transform your ideas into buttercream.

And then we had no friend party. We have decided that in our family friend parties will be held at ages 3-9 age 12 and 16. CE was initially skeptical and still tried to plan a party complete with guest list. But we hit on a better idea. On the off birthday years, the birthday child gets a special day with a parent--with no siblings. CE chose lunch and shopping with mom and then a DVD with just mom and dad that night after the siblings were in bed, complete with gourmet popcorn (purchased for pennies at Sam's Club, yeah Sam!)
So, Saturday, CE and I headed to her basketball game with no other family members in tow. After the game, she changed into her fancy clothes and we went to Claim Jumpers for lunch where the only thing not grown up was the kid menu (but we both enjoyed the word finds and dot games). After rolling out of the restaurant with our full bellies, we went shopping, focusing on H&M, Justice and Old Navy. Because there weren't younger brothers, we were able to pay greater attention to the clothing options, try more clothes on and pick a few new favorite clothes that CE instantly twirled around in and planned when and how she would wear them. It was so relaxing for me not to be hurrying, to actually spend some easy-going time with my ten year old baby and not be worrying about who was running away from me, who was screaming and how quickly we were going to be asked to leave the store.
That night after everyone else was in bed, the three of us snuggled in with our popcorn and our movie: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (not my choice, but it wasn't my birthday). Lovely, just lovely. CE might actually be converted to the idea of the alternate birthday year activity.