Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Toddler Birthday parties don't need to suck!

      I rarely get psyched about toddler birthday parties.  Why would I?  I'm never allowed to hit the pinata anymore, I am banned from the bounce house and a certain birthday cowboy has a restraining order against me after I got his horse drunk and rode him through the rose parade while wearing a nacho hat.  I don't even get a goodie bag anymore!  Okay, some of that may have been fictional, the truth is as our toddler's birthday rapidly approaches, I am really excited.  This is going to be one kick ass Mickey Mouse party.  Besides the draw that giant anthropomorphic vermin generally bring, there are important reasons to be excited about this particular party. 


     For those of you who do not know, our toddler was born with a werido condition called Laryngomalacia.  Click the link for the full details, but the short of it is that Luna had to undergo surgery at 2-months old.  It was during this time that we learned that she also had a small tear in her trachea.  We were told that this tear wouldn't heal until she was 3.  Our idea was to hold a big birthday bash for her 3rd birthday.  From that point on up until this last summer we were frequent guests at the Ear, Nose and Throat specialist.  Then after her second surgery (This time she had tonsil surgery) we learned that the tear in the trachea was no longer a threat and we no longer had to go to the ENT.  So the big birthday bash comes one year early!
      Luna is a big fan of Mickey Mouse and his friends.  She knows the songs, dances the hot dog dance and is even a member of the Disneyilluminati.  Well, not the full fledged Disneyilluminati, but the toddler chapter.  So, my wife with her amazing Mother powers was able to whip up all of the props and goodies to make this a great Mickey Mouse party.  I even got in on the planning and started whipping up our party playlist.  We've got all the greats in there....The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme, the Hot Dog song, Mickey Mouse Club theme from the 50s and even Frank Zappa's rare Seventy minute "Mickey Battles the Phantom Blot" album that only exists in my imagination.  
     My wife Mercy has even guilt tripped her brother into being Mickey Mouse....if he doesn't do it, Tinker Bell will die!  If you don't have a toddler, you may think this is the lamest party in the world, I may have joined you a few years ago.  Now, it's a whole new ball game, I can't wait to beat all the 1-4 year olds at pin the nose on Mickey...yes, that's a real game.  I may even invent some sort of toddler tackle football game where everyone wears those giant white Mickey gloves...maybe next year.  Now if you'll excuse me I have to find a hiding place for all the goodie bags I'm going to pilfer.