twelve days, two brothers, two birthdays, two parties, one [totally normal] momma

We are preparing to host the second birthday party in our home in two weeks.  The first was for my three-year-old Bug, the next will be for my one-year-old Squish.

When I was pregnant, the potential proximity of my boys' birthdays became a pretty big source of concern.  Any time I met someone who mentioned a birthday within the same week or two of a sibling's birthday, the following conversation usually ensued:


Totally Normal Person: "Oh yeah.  My [sibling]'s birthday is [a week or two before or after] mine."

Me: "Oh really?!?"

[Be cool, Momma.  Do not freak out. This is your chance to get them to relate their feelings about their birthday.  Be subtle.  Be gentle.  Provide a forum for straightforward honesty and sharing.  Remember: act casual.]

Me: "I am totally freaked out about my kids' birthdays being really close together!  Was it okay with you and your [sibling]? You seem fine.  Are you fine?  Was it always fine?  How was it?  You're okay, right??????"

Totally Normal Person Now In The So-Called Honesty Forum: "Sure.  It's fine.  Nothing to worry about."

Me: "Oh good, good, good."  

[Did I just say good too many times to that totally normal person?  I hope they don't think I am freaking out about my kids' birthdays being close together.]

As it turns out, Squish was born twelve days after Bug's second birthday, and this year is the first year of the Birthday Extravaganza that will happen every Fall in our family.

For those of you interested in how I plan to plan two birthday parties every year, I offer the following:

• Plan one party - not two.  Combine the celebrations, if you can.  This year that didn't work for us because I wanted Squish to have his first birthday party to himself.  I imagine that there will be some years when one or both boys will ask to have a separate party, but in general, I am hoping to keep it simple and combine them.

As one Totally Normal Person who has two kids with birthdays two weeks apart said, "It's nice actually.  The birthdays happen and then there is the rest of the year to relax..."