Zander's Inside Voice

This evening is Girl’s long awaited birthday party.

I think I’m gonna need an Ativan for this thing. I am anxious about the following in no particular order:

1. Will the cake be ready on time?
2. Should I buy ice cream too?
3. Is anyone who didn’t RSVP going to be there?
4. If everyone comes, then will I be able to just pay for Boy #2 and #3 to jump or will they run out of jumping spots?
5. Open gifts there or not? I feel like not is the answer.
6. Should I really take an Ativan to get through this thing?
7. I don’t mind kids, but parents I don’t know well freak me out.
8. Will Girl’s soccer friends get along with her school friends?
9. Will the two boys from the bus who are Boy #3’s age just play with Boy #3? Or will the boys pester the younger girls?
10. Ativan now to deal with the early anxiety?
11. Maybe I should bring a big bag to contain presents?
12. Definitely don’t want to open presents just in case someone doesn’t bring one. No need to shame anyone. We can send out thank you cards/emails afterwards.
13. The reason I haven’t heard anything about the cake being ready is because I set the pick up time for 3:30. It’s probably ready by now anyhow.
14. No, seriously, can I take two Ativans in a day? One now and one right after we pull up at the party place?
15. I am somewhat regretting not trying to do party bags but still trying to stand strong in that. Do other people do party bags? Aren’t they just full of junk anyway?
16. Did I order too much cake? I was thinking about what if parents stay for the party. Everyone can have cake.
17. I can definitely take two Ativan today, if I really needed to!
18. Now Girl is home from school and reporting that some of the kids told her no, they aren’t coming today. I got a text from one of those mothers saying they WERE coming.
19. One kid didn’t even ask his parents yet. Not looking good for him to come along.
20. We are bringing one kid from the neighborhood with us, and both boys will also be there, so at a minimum we will have four kids at the party. But I trust the moms from soccer who said their children were coming. So that brings us up to 6 definitely yes, they are coming.