Hudson lives for parties. Yet, due to the slight misfortune of being born on New Year’s Day, he rarely ends up getting to celebrate his birthday with his school friends. Sure, we tried the sneaky trick of tacking a party onto the festivities in January, but he’s old enough not to fall for that anymore.
‘I’d like a Minecraft party, Mum,’ he declares, having clearly thought about the topic for some time. We agree and suggest that near the end of Term 1, after he has gotten to know all of his new classmates, we will throw him a class party.
There’s something remarkably satisfying for me in planning and preparing an event like this. We can reel off at a moment’s notice all of the themes we’ve enjoyed over the years, and I love the creativity and execution that is involved in bringing everything together. The kids get involved in the decorating and marvel as the house begins to take shape in readiness. I don’t choose overly elaborate recipes or decorations, but delight in using simple (and budget-friendly) tools to create maximum impact. I thrive on the challenge.
The invitations are created and given out, and immediately I begin to receive status update requests from the birthday boy: ‘Have you done the shopping yet, Mum? Started on my cake?’ After reassuring him that I really do have this party thing under control, he looks at me through slightly suspicious eyes, before giving a small nod. He’s watching me.
Then we get a call from the hospital.
The exploratory hip surgery that Hudson has been on the waiting list for over a year now is ready to proceed. Can we come in? No time is ideal for surgery, but we discuss it with Hudson and he accepts that his party may need to look a little different if he’s on crutches. More gaming, we promise, and no pool. He’s disappointed, but takes it in his stride.
A plot twist leads to another path entirely, when (after completing all of the pre-surgery procedures and arriving in the dark hours of the early morning) we are informed that Hudson can undergo an MRI instead. Dave waits with Hudson for hours before being told the results are still fairly inconclusive and will need an official orthopaedic team review over the next few weeks. Hudson shrugs off the saga, simply enjoying the extra time on the Nintendo Switch and the obligatory reward of a frozen drink at McDonalds. He’s equal parts relieved and disappointed not to need crutches.
A pool party in March has the potential to flop. Yet, the morning of the party dawns balmy and warm. We scurry about the house finishing the preparations and treats – green and black balloons, a trail of vines covering the entrance, chocolate bark, jelly, ‘earth’ squares and a sword fashioned from cupcakes. A special delivery of still-warm brownies arrives from Grandma and Grandpa, and we are ready to begin.
The friends who aren’t struck down by Covid arrive and waste no time getting acquainted with the gaming area and snacks table. Hudson is torn apart with excitement that the day has finally arrived. His one non-negotiable request is centred around his favourite (and rarely allowed) beverages – Coke and Pepsi. Many glasses are filled and re-filled.
Kids dive-bomb into the pool, making the most of the warm weather, and alternating between that and the spa. They come out for snack breaks and have a round at the gaming station, and then rinse and repeat. We light the candles and sing to the birthday boy, before enjoying a chocolate cupcake or two (of the no less than 45 that were baked and iced for the occasion!).
I enjoy finally meeting the parents of Hudson’s friends after hardly getting a chance to mingle thanks to lockdowns and lingering restrictions over the past few years. Being able to gather people after recent history is a privilege and worth making time for. I love that Hudson comes alive when looking forward to these celebrations and there is an enduring sense of joy that I feel in creating the occasion for him. We’ve been blessed with a home that oozes hospitality and is custom-designed for that very purpose – indeed it was the very thing that drew us to it in the first place. To share the space with others and fling open the doors is what life is all about.
It doesn’t take long for Hudson to begin planning for the next event. I don’t think he’s ever met a party he didn’t like.
