[Palooka]

Originally Posted by stevensmom we always do at least the 1st bday party. Can you do it at a family members place? Tell them that you can't have a party for him at your house because of the neighbors and the stairs. See if anyone will step up. If they truely want you to have a bday party for your son they will step up

Our extended family would jump at the chance to have his party at their home. I'm not worried about that. But frankly I don't like the parties I've seen there... I don't like forcing everyone to watch as the parents unwrap the gifts one at a time for an hour. I don't like everyone staring as the kid picks at a piece of cake for 20 minutes. I don't like the food that gets served. And by having it at someone else's home their desires will get pushed on me. This is what always happens.
I wasn't crazy about having a baby shower and this same family member insisted on planning it for me, then she planned it around her own pregnancy and ended up going into labor at my baby shower! It was fun and all, but it definitely wasn't about me or my pregnancy. So I feel like I would have to put my foot down hard (and I hate doing that) in order to avoid letting my son's birthday party become what everyone else wants.