Tumiso Turns 10 – and it’s a Safari Party!!!
The Mathenge August Babies — Tumiso Mathenge and Nyakio Mathenge — get into party mood; but their mom, Wahu Kagwi, has a win-win strategy up her sleeve…
August has always been a beautiful month for the Mathenges. It’s the month in which ¾ of us in the Mathenge family were born. Lots to be grateful for in the month of August that’s just gone past – good health, happiness, togetherness, and life. It’s also a good time to re-set objectives and goals (like be more consistent with my blogging!)
Yes! “Tumiso Mathenge turns 10” has come to pass. But, in as much as it was joyous and full of happiness, there was one “guy” behind the scenes whose work was, as usual, to make the joy and happiness happen. And that “guy”’s name….. is MUM (Akina mama oiyeeee!!!)
Been planning for her birthday day from the beginning of the year
It’s great when you have a 3 year old who’s happy to just have a few friends over, cut cake, blow balloons and sing happy birthday in party hats. It’s awesome when you have a stress-free hubby who’s not demanding and loves low key-ness. But when you have a young girl who’s going from single digits to double digits, and has been planning for her birthday day from the beginning of the year… it’s a different animal altogether!
I’m not going to talk much about the party that was for now, but I’m gonna say this: If I had known how particular kids get about their birthdays as they grow older, I’d have not done what I did with Tumi’s earlier parties.
Don’t over think your birthday parties at least for the first 5 years
To be sincere, her first birthday party was really about me. I went all out on that one… it was my “congratulations-you-didn’t-break-the-baby” party. So I’m not gonna ingilia myself on that story.
But from there on, with the benefit of hindsight, I should have just played it low key; because truth be told, they NEVER remember!!!! Everything is ONE BIG BLURRR!!
So, word to the wise….1st time moms….don’t over think your birthday parties at least for the first 5 years… In our case, despite Tumi’s parties being mini-events of sorts every year, she only really remembers with clarity, her last 4 parties…(the Kikuyu in me is like – what a waste of money!)
If at all, save the eventfulness for later on, like when your child turns 10.
I have never seen my Tumiso study as hard as she did
I don’t know about you guys, but my daughter’s birthday excitement always starts at the beginning of the year….despite the fact that its all the way in August! You can go nuts talking about it every other day for a whole 8 months!
So, mum’s terms for Tumi’s 10th birthday party in August 2016 were, inevitably:
1) Not a WORD about it until the month of July and;
2) If you do want that party, you better ace your end of 2nd term exams.
Trust me moms… that carrot works! I have never seen my Tumiso study as hard as she did in 2nd term! And I’m so happy to say, it paid off. I’m super proud of her for scoring 420 marks in her end of term exams! Not to mention how much of a joy it was to plan and execute her Safari Party. Yea…that’s the grand name we went with tumiso:)
Tumiso’s 10th party was thematic
Her 10th party was thematic, it was not about princesses, or makeup, or dressing up, but about dressing down, getting dirty and going into the wild…
I’ll write about it next time… it was special in so many ways.
I’m out!
Wahu Kagwi, a musician, is wife to David Mathenge a.k.a. Nameless. She loves communicating with parents and warmly welcomes comments on her blogs.