"Simpling things down," as my 8yo dd put it - or, downsizing birthdays.

[mamabear]

I asked my dd what she wanted for her birthday. She picked out purple cotton velveteen and a pretty purple/lavender/green pre-patched fabric. She asked for a dress, pioneer-style, out of the velveteen, with the pathwork fabric for a pinafore. "Is that it? Is there anything else?" I asked, because I had planned to make her the dress anyway. "I know you guys are trying to simple things down," she said, "so I think that's it. You can surprise me with something, though."

So - the smallest, simplest birthday on record for my kids. From us, they got:
Katie - her dress (I had bought the fabric long ago and it was in my stash), one book I ordered on amazon (All of a Kind Family, which was a favorite of mine as a child), two books that I had read as a child and had in our collection (Behind the Attic Wall and The Great Brain)
Jake - a vintage Fisher Price cash register I bought on craigslist for $18, and three Dora books that he had asked for

That's it.

My mom asked, so she got Jake a brio remote control engine and a Thomas circus train (three cars and wooden animals that go in the cars). She got Katie some American Girl clothes and accessories that she had asked for. Not too much.

Now my MIL is a whole other story - she bought Katie *another* American Girl doll and clothes for it (and matching ones for Katie, including a rather hoochie-mama hot pink micromini that is in her DRESS UP BOX, thank you) - plus she inherited a gazillion AG items from her cousin, who is 15 now. I don't know where to put it all! The worst part is that was NOT her birthday present, just a gift for coming down to Florida to see her or something. The birthday present for both kids is arriving in two weeks or so - I don't even want to know what it is. I'm scared. LOL.

Anyway...then my mom bought us all tickets to see Circus Smirkus, which is this really cool European-style youth circus that is based in our teeny little town. That was really fun. We had cake afterwards. On their birthday we took them out for Thai food (Katie's request) and bought an ice-cream cake.

We are going to have a small, simple kid party on Sept 9 - another sanity saver for me, it was too much with back-to-school on Monday the 28th, for me to have the party this Saturday. So we'll have the kids over, serve up sandwiches and chips/crackers and cake, do the slip n slide if it's warm enough, and tie dye shirts with a tie dye kit I already have. Maybe do a scavenger/treasure hunt too. Simple, small, inexpensive. I will have to buy white t-shirts and goody bag items (or make them). Might do a knitting party for the older girls instead of the tiedye...we'll see.

It feels good!

[BlueRoseMama]

That sounds great! We only do one gift as well for the most part, but we plan a banging party every year. lol... So not simple like that for sure.

Sounds like your MIL is looking for validation through money and stuff. Tell her that next time you would rather have the money than the stuff.

Val

[JenTwo]

That's awesome that she's eight and didn't ask for the toy department. Show us pics of the dress!

I asked dd what she wants for Christmas and she said that she wants a wooden truck from Dad and a blanket from me. She tells me that DS wants the same. DS's second birthday is coming up and I've been drawing a blank on what to give him. He's getting a bendy family, two wool balls for the tub and a drum from A Greater Gift.

But that leaves Christmas and I'm totally clueless about what to get for the kids other than art supplies.

[maryalene]

Sounds great!