Birthday party cheesecake jelly beans BOOM

Here is an insight into my personality:

I have been thinking about Marlo's first birthday party for, oh, probably six weeks now. I wouldn't go so far as to say planning, because that to me indicates there is some sort of notebook or checklist involved. I rarely if ever go that far with anything. I am more of what a nice person trying to build up my self esteem would call "free-spirited," or what a detractor might call "flaky." At any rate, I have been looking up cupcakes decorated to look like owls, trying to decide if I want an owl piñata, figuring out who is going to be offended by which additions to the guest list, et cetera, since she was like eight months old.

But. Then. Today I got an email from one distribution list or another with the subject line "43 Weeks: Plan the Best First Birthday!" and I totally balked. How outrageous that with nine weeks to go they want me thinking about her birthday party! How dare they put that pressure on me to make it The Best. What do these people want from mothers, anyway? Don't we do enough? Now we have to throw a party to demonstrate our undying love and affection and if we don't do it well enough, well then throw all that nurturing and, what's it called - the keeping the baby ALIVE - out the window?

Anyway. Just a peek inside the old noggin for ya.