So my little girl just turned 2 and we celebrated with a bit of a shin dig out our home. Let me tell you lots of work went into preparing for said party... Just a small party with a few of her friends... 40 people later... oh well.  Won't be doing another one like that for her until her 5th birthday I have been informed! Anyway... wonderful husband spent days preparing the outside, mowing, edging, weeding, washing, sweeping, you name it. I spent days planning food (just finger food as it was after lunch), kids activities and the before mentioned goodie bags.  Got Nanna involved also.  She makes the best, and I mean the best sausage rolls ever!  Oh and this amazing bread dip, so bad for you but oh soooooo good. Saturday was planned to be Mummy and Nanna in the kitchen, Daddy with Miss 2 and Master 2 months.  It instead went Nanna with Miss 2 at the park, playing dolls, playing kitchen, just playing playing playing.  Don't worry I did put her to work.  She folded clothes and vaccumed the floor. Mummy and Daddy did the kitchen with Nan supervising.  Now the reason for all this help and supervision is because I am not confident in the kitchen.  Not at all.  I am good at planning and organising and delegating (just ask my mum) but cooking is a big no.  People will tell you that I do make some pretty nice food but I don't like doing it. Saturday night when little ones were sleeping Mummy and Daddy iced and decorated and assembled the cake (see lovely picture). Sunday morning saw more time in the kitchen - fairy bread, sandwiches, dips, fruit and cooking of sausage rolls and bread dip. The party was a big success (well I think so), little Miss 2 had lots of fun with all her friends and family, everyone ate and had a jolly good time.  Nanna handled the kitchen, Daddy handled the kids and guests, Poppy handled Miss 2 and I ran around the whole time like a headless chook!  Trying to having chats with all the guests, passing out food, making sure the kids were playing nice etc... I totally over catered the whole event.  Have a fridge fall of food still ... and cake of course... Anyone for lunch?

I know its been more than a week since I blogged, but we have just been on our first family holiday and I am now trying to organise Miss almost 2's birthday party. And I. Am. Struggling with it. I know what your thinking, she's only 2 you just have some food and cake and the kids run wild for a couple of hours and its all over, but the food thing is the whole problem. You see we don't let Miss almost 2 eat lollies or chocolate or soft drink or any of the foods really high in sugar, which is totally the prerequisite for party food. Don't get me wrong she has sugar based foods, like cake (not chocolate though) and biscuits and lots and lots of fruit and juice, but not sweets. And this is the cause of my dilemma. Do I do lolly bags or not? if so what lollies do I do? do other parents not let their little ones have lollies? ahhhhh my head hurts.... I think I am going to make gingerbread men for the lolly bags and add a lolly pop and be done with it. Now the party has a range of kids ages from 6 down to 2 months old as well as the adults, all with different eating requirements / desires.  Take this as a good example my dad (aka Poppy) will want chocolate crackles because he loves them and only gets them at kids parties, but I hate them! I love rice bubbles and coco pops like everyone else, but I don't really like chocolate crackles.  Do I make them to keep the old man happy or just say nah didn't have time?.... Plus what happens if its going to be really hot like it has for last week, the food will melt as soon as it served which won't look that great, do I serve hot weather friendly food? And if so, what the hell is it? And the drinks, do I do juice and water for the kids and soft drink for the adults? What if the kids drink the soft drink, will the parents think I am a terrible host because I had soft drink out at a kids party?  Do the adults expect to have alcohol? oh the dramas... I think I need some Nutella!