It’s 9:30 p.m., just two days before my little one’s third birthday. After a chaotic evening, I finally got all four kids settled in bed—though not necessarily asleep. I open my laptop, my mind racing. What can I possibly get for my youngest? Our toy collection is already overflowing.
With only a few hours left to order, I know I’m cutting it close to the two-day shipping deadline. Even if I act fast, her gifts won’t show up until the night of her birthday. Oops.
To clarify, I adore birthdays. Growing up, my mom made every celebration special. Each year, we had a uniquely themed party, followed by a family gathering where we could request any meal—no matter how unusual the combination. The day was filled with presents, new outfits, and homemade treats to take to school. It was truly enchanting, and I’ve aimed to pass that love of birthdays onto my children. Until now.
With four kids, my household is officially a big family. Two kids are manageable. Three can be a bit overwhelming. But four? We’re a whirlwind of noise and emotion, celebrating six birthdays annually. That’s a lot of planning!
I can’t believe my daughter’s birthday came up so fast. It’s the same date every year, but somehow it snuck up on me. Having a birthday so close to the start of school, during that awkward transition between summer and fall, doesn’t help either. It feels like she’s getting the short end of the stick.
Am I guilty that her presents include strawberry toothpaste, a board book, and a Daniel Tiger t-shirt? A little. But honestly, I was more worried about them arriving on time, so I spent two days obsessively tracking the shipment. As if checking the status would speed things up.
The night before her birthday, my husband made a quick trip to the store for her requested watermelon popsicles. Out of guilt and lack of planning, he also grabbed a brownie mix and some ice cream. After all, birthdays are meant for treats, right?
On her special day, we greeted her with hugs and kisses. When she asked, “Can I open presents?” I had to tell her to wait—again checking my phone for the delivery status. The app assured me her gifts were out for delivery.
Later that day, my daughter and two of her siblings attended a friend’s birthday party. Yes, my child went to someone else’s celebration on her own birthday. They had a blast at the indoor playground until my daughter returned home.
While my tween and I whipped up the brownies, we heard her coming in. She was crying inconsolably, clutching her ear. After checking her temperature and discovering a low fever, I quickly changed clothes and took her to urgent care. Thankfully, there was no wait—call it birthday magic—and within 45 minutes, we learned she had a severe ear infection. We left with antibiotics in hand.
By the time we got home, the pain medication had kicked in, and she was feeling a bit better. Is it time for presents yet? My husband texted me that the packages had finally arrived.
As soon as we got home, I handed my now three-year-old daughter to my husband, dashed to my closet to wrap her gifts, and reemerged with a mismatched assortment of wrapped items. She squealed with delight!
Despite my feelings of inadequacy, she adored her gifts. Who knew toothpaste could bring so much joy? She cheered for her t-shirt, identifying all the characters, and tucked the board book into her bed, eager to read it that night.
For dinner, we had leftovers from the previous night, but she wasn’t interested. So, we gave her one of her popsicles. It counts as a fruit serving, right? Plus, on your birthday, you should enjoy what you want.
As the evening wore on, she became more tired and cranky, so we gave her a quick bath, dressed her in pajamas, promised to wash her new shirt for the next day, and tucked her in. My other kids complained about missing the brownies and ice cream. I told them it wasn’t their birthday.
The dessert made its appearance the following evening after dinner. Might as well call it a birthday weekend! We found three dollar-store candles stashed away and shoved them into the brownies. After singing and cheering, we dove into the treats.
Two days later, she returned from preschool wearing a paper birthday crown. For days, she paraded around the house with it. When she accidentally misplaced it, she wailed, “Where is my crown?!?” This simple crown made from shiny cardstock was what brought her the most joy.
I realized that I had been stressing over nothing. Her birthday was special not just because of the day but because it spanned several days. She received plenty of attention, which I believe is her love language. The gifts, though inexpensive, meant the world to her.
Parents often feel pressure to create extravagant birthday celebrations. There’s the Pinterest-worthy party, the classroom celebration, and the family gathering. We think we need to check every box for our child to feel cherished. However, I learned that what children truly want is to feel special. Their birthday doesn’t need to be over-the-top or meticulously planned. Sometimes the best surprises are those that happen spontaneously.
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In summary, I learned that the essence of birthdays lies in the love and attention we give our children, rather than extravagant gifts or elaborate parties.