PAR--TAY!!

I am about 30 minutes from the arrival of a bunch of 9 year old girls, coming for Raine's 9th birthday party. I am also currently drinking champagne. Is there a correlation between the two? You betcha.

I admit that I've never been good at kids' birthday parties. Children in any quantity scare the living beejesus out of me. When the girls were really small, the onslaught of party dress clad, gift clutching, shrieking toddlers almost sent me shooting out the back door to skulk in the alley, shuddering, sweating and chain-smoking filterless cigarettes. And I don't even smoke. Lee was always the voice of reason, and the reason I got through them. Those 2 hours always lasted a lifetime....

Those years are behind me now, and I'm oh so thankful. A group of quite sweet 9 year olds, who really want a little independence, while still a little scary, is manageable. Especially with champagne. I am feeling the fear and doing it anyway.

SO.... the cherry-chip cake is made. The movie, "The Magic Emporium of Dr. Magorium" is queued up, ready to play, the spaghetti just wants cooking, the treat bags are full and on the sideboard, the basement in balloon-filled and be-streamered and I am just ever so slightly (and necessarily) tipsy.

Let the party begin!