Monday, April 19, 2010

Happy (?) 1st Birthday Sabrina


As a parent, you want to make your child's first birthday a memorable event.  I've heard of some over the top Happy One Year Birthday Events, complete with circus animals, magicians, and the cast of American Idol on hand to entertain the guest of honor.  This wasn't the party we planned. 

We decided to spend Saturday, the day before her birthday, at the Phoenix Zoo.  It was a little warm but still enjoyable, and she had a good time.  She was a little quieter then normal, but had fun and was her normal playful self when we got home.  We should have suspected something...

Calm before the storm

Birthday Sunday started off a little strange.  She woke up around 8 AM.  Strange, she never gets up until 9 on weekends... Well she must know today's the big day...turning one!  Downstairs to open presents.

Hmm, she seemed more into opening gifts on Christmas...  She had two big boxes to open, and with some help from the Daddies, got her gifts.  We let her play with them for a bit while we set about the final preparations for the party.  Since she got up early, we thought maybe an early nap was in order.  Perfect, since the party starts at 2 PM.  It took a little longer then normal to get her to go down but she finally drifted off to sleep.  Is it hot in here, or does she seem a little warm?  Well she's acting happy.

So here's the plan.  We reserved a ramada at Red Moutain Park.  I was going to go over around 1:15 and set up and decorate, Gregg would show up with Sabrina and most of the food at 2 when our guests started arriving.  While setting up, my phone rang.  It was Gregg.  "She's screaming uncontrollably, and she's got a fever of 102.5.  I don't think we're coming.  You'll have to come get the food". 
"Well it's nice and cool over here, we can put her in her play pen, I'm sure she'll be fine once her cousins and friends get here."
"No, I can't even dress her.  She's crying so bad.  Something's wrong."

I wasn't getting it.  By this point the guests started arriving, some from the north valley, some from as far as Tucson.  OK, deep breath.  I told everyone I was leaving to go get the food and the guest of honor isn't coming.  Now I know alot of you don't know each other.  Mingle.  Luckily, the park is just down the street from our house.

When I walked in, I got it.  I have not heard her scream like that since she was a newborn.  Usually picking her up will console her, but not today.  Teeth or earache, or both, she wasn't going to the party.  OK, we can make this work...  Since Gregg's car was already loaded up, I took that one back to the park and unloaded the food.  All the guests were very understanding, but I was completely stressed out.  I knew I was when I squirted ketchup on my burger and missed, spraying it all over my white shorts instead.  Great.  Where are the napkins?  Right in my truck...the one that's back home.  Ugh.  Enter my sister.  "Bobby, we need some napkins for the kids.  Where did you put them?".  Uggnnhhh...

Somehow we got through it.  Gregg and Sabrina did show up for the last 15 minutes.  Sabrina wore a sad sack look, cried some, but her fever was gone at least.  We took her home to open her gifts, which she half heartedly played with.  She would laugh and play, then start a crying binge.  Poor girl.

I kept her home this morning, and we're headed to the doctor later.  I gave her a morning bath, and she played in the tub for a bit, but went right back to sleep after, and she never does that.

This was the first party I ever planned that did not include alcohol.  I'll never do that again!

16 comments:

Leah said...

Oh no. I hope your baby girl feels better. What a major bummer. And good call on never hosting a party without alcohol again. Ha! ;-)

cfoxes33 said...

Poor thing. Best laid plans...never go the way you think.

Anonymous said...

Awww! Poor things [all of you!]!! What a frustrating and disappointing and unpleasant day. I'm sorry.

It's a birthday you'll never forget?

I agree though, even kid parties are better with alcohol!

Daddy Times Two said...

Happy belated birthday to a beautiful little girl!
Hope she is feeling better.

s said...

poor sweet birthday girl! it's a good thing she's cute, eh? happy 1st birthday, sabrina <3 your friend, rhys and his mamas in pa :-)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to Sabrina! So sorry to hear she is sick. Hope she is on the mend quickly.

Saran said...

Happy Birthday Sabrina! So sorry it wasn't all that you guys hoped for but hey now you have the perfect excuse to spoil your little one again with another party when she feels better :-)

Oh and boy do we know the feeling of a sick kid when a party has been planned. Eoin did the exact same thing as Sabrina when we had his adoption finalization party!

shea said...

frequent readers over here. happy 1st birthday sabrina!! poor little girl get well soon!

GIsen said...

Poor darlin! Hope she is feeling better.

Happy Birthday!

frogglet said...

I hope she feel better soon. I guess you made some lasting memories for you but not the kind you invisioned or wanted.

Kristin said...

I wish your birthday was happier, silly Sabrina! But I know it was just one (albeit important) day in your very happy year.

Best wishes for good health and lots of fun in the coming year to you and your two daddies!

Tim and Louie said...

Well, Happy belated Birthday Sabrina!

Hope she's felling a little better.

Speaking of alcohol.

As a Hispanic, all of the kids parties that I've been to and was guest of honor for ALWAYS had alcohol for the adults.

Usually it was beer. Full keg or pony keg, MINIMUM!

LOL!

Get better, little one!

And our best wishes to Daddy Bobby and Daddy Gregg, hang in there guys!

Our thoughts are with all of you!

- Louie and Tim

~Katie said...

When ours get ear infections, and we have had A LOT, it is so sad! Hope she is feeling better. And dude...wth are 1 year old birthday parties WITHOUT alcohol?? The parties are for US anyway! ;) Love her little smile! And I just have to tell you...we would so be friends in real life if we lived closer!

Lucy said...

Poor baby! Cute cake though! :)

Lisa T. said...

poor sabrina! Henry had croup the day before his party, I was SO freaked about making it to the party. His fever had been gone for at least 24 hours so he made it but was decidedly subdued. I so feel for you three!

People love parties though and I'm sure they were okay having free food and that cute cake! Did she at least get to smash her face into that little duck later?

BloggerFather said...

When our boy was one, we celebrated with a few of his favorite people and an ice cream cake. We were very excited. We turned off the lights, came in with the cake, singing together. When we turned the lights on again, we realized the boy was crying hysterically.

People say the first birthday is more celebrating a successful year of parenting, which makes a lot of sense, but I also understand how stressful it could be.