Snort...Giggle...Valentines with the preschooler...

Preschool Valentine Party

Circa 2002-2013….A compare and contrast….Ali style.

            I just experienced my 15^th Valentine’s Day preschool party. As it came to a close, I left the building in a state of such outward giggles and snorts that I knew these thoughts must be documented for history. Mostly because I’m not sure I will remember them tomorrow and well, yeah…..here goes…

Ali’s Valentine Preschool party “to do” list circa 2002. :

1. Two months before purchase outfit for child to wear to the party.

2. One month before party email all of the parents in the class reminding them about the upcoming party.

3. Call my mom three weeks before to ask her to watch my younger children so I am not distracted from the party festivities.

4. Two weeks before hand make all of the gifts for the children in the class and make my kid sign his name to each one perfectly.

5. One week prior gather all of the games and materials needed to use for the two hour shin dig.

6. The night before lay everything out and look at it to make sure I don’t forget anything.

7. Day of party!!!!!!! Make sure I wear red.

8. Arrive one hour early to organize the room with the teacher.

9. As room mom….work the party until a giant sweat forms on my brow. Read, dance, take pictures, and smile…smile…smile!!!!!

10. Enjoy a job well done as I look through the 125 pictures taken and developed from Walgreens. (one hour developing……Duh.)

11. Hide the candy/treats and tell child he can have a couple of pieces that day because his tummy will get sick if he eats all of the chocolate.

 Ali’s Valentine Preschool party “to do” list circa 2013. :

1. Night before the party realize I haven’t purchased anything for the party.

2. Head out to Wal Mart at 10:00 pm to look through the leftover cards and grab cheap cups to throw treats into instead.

3. At 11:30 pm throw gummys and some Hershey kisses in each cup and write each child’s name on the outside.

4. Rack my brain trying to figure out which kid I can’t remember.

5. Wake up on party morning and take older sibling to orthodontist. Accidentally leave youngest kid in the classroom and luckily catch snafoo before I leave the premises. Race back to Valentine Party with youngest sibling in tow because….ummm….babysitter?.....HAHA.

6. Sit on the outside of the door of the party room because it measures 4 feet by 6 feet and there are 45 parents in there. (I’m allowed exaggeration.)

7. Oh….wait…Coop made me something? Cool. Oh…. You want me to take a picture with him Ms. Barb? But its 4,000 degrees in here and I feel faint.

8. Chase Scarlett into the other classroom where there is no one. (AHHHHHH….Serenity now).

9. Ask friend if she will please take a picture of Cooper and send it to me. Document the moment…right?

10. Leave as soon as Coop can grab his Valentine bag and say thank you to his teacher. “Dank you Ms. Barb!”

11. Realize no one wore anything close to pink or red.

12. Arrive home …throw the 16 month old in the bed…and tell Coop to eat his bag of treats and candy for lunch.

Momma needs some solitude.

~Dedicated to Melinda Goode and Barb Sells…... the two best preschool teachers in the world. I love you both. You two must talk and compare notes……I promise I am the same person. Well…..maybe. :)