Party Time. Excellent.

No really, the party was fairly excellent. See, part of me knows that I was stressing out for nothing, and part of me says "FUCK YOU AND YOUR SO-CALLED 'REASON,' I AM IN AGONY HERE AND I CAN'T STAND ANOTHER SECOND OF THIS IMMENSE STRESS."

So I was worried about everything from picking up the helium tank (oh, and recall, there was apparently a is a "nationwide shortage of helium," I couldn't make this shit up if I tried, what the fuck, world) so we had to drive all over the USA trying to find some. But we did.

Then I was worried about remember the motherfucking pizza cutter. Because how do you cut a pizza without a pizza cutter. I mean godsakes man. So I lost sleep thinking, "What if I forget the pizza cutter? WHAT THEN?!! THE PARTY WILL BE A DISASTER!!"

Then I was worried about remembering Maya's beautiful rainbow bracelet, because the theme, after all, was rainbow. My world would end if I forgot her rainbow bracelet.

Meanwhile, my dear loving understanding husband was like, "Fuck it, knock this shit off you fucking lunatic, we'll bring pizza, find a way to cook it, and fucking everything will be fine."

Fine and dandy, but that's not how my brain works. I was worried about the party favors. I was worried about the cake. I was worried about the got-damn DVD to bring to the movie room. Jesus Q. Public, it's not that hard to understand that I have anxiety issues. Thanks for your support, Code Red.

But all told, it went well. We picked up the ingredients (pizza, water, juice boxes, chips, salad, and champagne because you can't have a small child's birthday without booze), and we made it to the venue in plenty of time.

We set up like white demons, running frantically about, heliuming-up balloons and winding crepe paper and decorating tables with rainbow tablecloths and setting out veggie platters and bowls full of ice and champagne and cups and plates and napkins, and blowing up mini rainbow beach balls, and getting a giant bowl of party favors ready (rainbow stickers, rainbow bracelets, rainbow lollipops, rainbow crayons). Thank God I had help (my mom and aunt were there, along with the girl who lives in the apartment complex, who was am absolute GEM), but we all got it time literally seconds before guests arrived.

Everything looked very rainbow and very spectacular. Well, very rainbow anyway, and perhaps a little cheap & shoddy. But rainbow nonetheless.

The girls were decked out in rainbow tutus and rainbow striped shirts. Maya had a rainbow headband in her hair, and somewhere along the way we lost Naomi's rainbow ladybug bracelet. Bygones.

We started by greeting and mingling and snacking, then we baked the pizzas and served up. After lots of eating and champagning, we moved on to presents. Maya got a shitload of awesome stuff, for which I can't thank my guests enough. Very, very sweet.

Then finally it was time for cake. RAINBOW CAKE!! We all had a good time eating very tiny pieces of cake, since the cake was a little on the small side, but oh well.

People dwindled after that, but it was a party later in the evening, so they all had to head home.

All told, I should not have worried, but this does not mean I won't fucking PANIC next year for Maya's 6th birthday. Or in March for Naomi's 2nd birthday, for that matter. You can't reason with an anxious, OCD mind.

I was blessed and delighted to see so much family and so many friends (chesea, I'm looking at you) for making the long-assbutt drive to Kirkland just to join us for these festivities. I love you long time.

I'll also have you know that while I brought hand sani and displayed it prominently near the foodstuffs, I was remarkable calm about touching various things--moving chairs around, using the champagne glasses that the banquet room provided, opening cabinets and even the garbage door, letting people blow up balloons and letting my kid take those home, letting my kid open presents (doesn't mean I didn't disinfect a few upon arriving home), opening doors, just generally moving about the room and touching things. I only washed my hands a few times too. Before handling food, and then just randomly throughout. You'd be proud. I was very calm about germs and such. But thank God I didn't have to shake a single hand the entire time. I would have headed straight to the sink for some sudsy germ-x action.

Oh and there was even a sudden hailstorm, so we all went out and played in that for awhile. It was awesome.

OHHH!!!!222211@ And NO ONE SEEMED TO HAVE A COLD! Score! Not my kids, not any guests! Thank the sweet baby Jesus thank you.

----

Here are a few more pictures for your time.

MOVIE ROOM!!

Happy birthday, my beauty.