HTT - Shower Edition

I'm throwing a baby shower for my German friend on Saturday. We won't go into my proclivity to throw parties for other people, or the fact that no one is adhering to my "red, white and blue" food request, but we will discuss baby showers for today's Hot Topic.

When I asked my friend if I could throw her a baby shower, she fretted that it might not be appropriate since she's have her third child (her third girl). I said, "P'shaw!" both because I want to bring back that word and also because it's her first baby shower as such events are very American. Moreover, I firmly believe that you can have one baby shower in each area you live. If you choose to stay in one place, that's the price you pay. If you have to pack up and go with frequency, I say you deserve a little incentive. And if you have a whole load of friends, you're totally entitled to multiple parties, as long as you don't invite someone twice.

So now I'm busy coming up with red, white and blue foods - which isn't that hard; just think of the world of possibilities using blue corn tortilla chips! - and planning the entertainment. Oh yeah, here's the entertainment: there is none because I loathe a shower game more than I loathe my callused heels, and we're not even speaking these days. (Although I recently won a sweet prize at a bridal shower in Arizona after I correctly identified 48 out of 50 celebrity photos. I'm not sure whether I should be proud or embarrassed.)

Like my friend, I also don't like passing around gifts unless there is some intricate needlework that must be examined with a magnifying glass. Otherwise, let me eat my croissant in peace.

I mean, isn't that the real purpose of a shower: gabbing with friends while you hook a sister up with some needed gifts?

But what do you think?

Is it ever OK to have more than one baby or bridal shower?

As for me, I had a huge baby shower at Glamma's house in Arizona, and a smaller gig in Illinois. The latter I missed, however, as I was giving birth. I blame Miss Dub.

HTT - Party Edition

I'm off to Arizona for a fortnight so I don't have much time to stir up controversy. But I will toss out this question for you - Which political party makes you par-tay?

Since I asked, it's only fair that I tell you I'm a ...

Um, a ...

Well ... it's a complicated situation. I've been registered as pretty much everything. I started out as an Independent because that was my uninformed way of saying, "Who freaking cares about political parties? We should be voting for candidates!" I then registered as a Republican because I had an adolescent obsession with Richard Nixon. I saw his humanity in spite of his foibles and thought I could atone for his grievances by being a Republican.

But when the time came to register in Illinois, I had to face the cold, hard facts: I almost always vote for Democrats and my political beliefs are largely reflected in D candidates, although Republicans by and large have better hair and do represent my moral stance on a few key issues. But, again, who says I can't vote against my party on occasion?

So ... I'm a card-carrying Democrat who will totally vote for a Republican if I want to. (Except probably not in this election. My friend and I agree that McCain seems to have latent rage issues.)

Also, do you like to host a party or do you prefer to attend one?

As for myself, I always think I like to host, but then the pre-party stress reminds me that I make a better guest.

HTT - Birthday Edition

Just in case you hadn't heard, Miss Dub will be turning ONE on Thursday. Feel free to send gifts, if you're so inclined. Strangely, her current shoe size is a women's size 8.5. And I loOvE shoes. I mean, she does ...

We already held a pre-birthday party last night with my parents who drove all the way from Arizona to give her a car, which they've kindly agreed to let me drive until she turns 16 and is promptly locked in a high tower. (But I'm sooo cutting her hair. That's where Rapunzel's parents went wrong!)

I'm trying not to let my enthusiasm for joining the ranks of 2-car families overshadow the excitement for her first birthday. I mean, it's a pretty big deal to turn ONE!

... except, it's kind of not.

I mean, she doesn't really get it. Last night, she alternated between excitement over her new toys and excitement about her latest trick - standing - all while opening her gifts. And while she really likes us singing the "Happy Birthday" song to her, it's no more so now than last week.

So I will probably just make a few cupcakes and invite a friend or two of ours over, if anyone, on the actual big day. And I've only purchased TWO gifts for her since the girl's toy collection is already larger than her attention span.

But does that make me a bad person?

Should I be inviting all the infants in Chicagoland to a huge soirée, complete with live animals and stunt performers? (OK, that was a slight exaggeration. The animals wouldn't be live, duh.)

I mean, when did you start having true birthday parties for your kiddies? And was the effort worth it?

Because while I do love me a good party, when we're talking cartoon-themed events with lots of screaming, sugar-stoned kids, it doesn't sound that fun.

I know some families have rules for such occasions, like limits on friends invited based on age or an every-other-year party plan. But I haven't figured yet what we'll do.

So help me out here, people. How do parties work in your family now? How did they work when you were growing up?

Of course, none of this will matter once she's locked in that tower.