Broken radios and belts and sticks, oh my!

So my little boy’s 3rd birthday is in a few weeks…I’ve been stressing about what to get him, until I remember that his favorite toy of late has been a pile of a broken portable radio with a tangled earbud, a clip-on Christmas bear, and a red cotton belt.

He straps the whole bundle around his shoulders and carries it everywhere, every once in awhile stopping to demand I untangle the earbud cord.  Yeah, he’s not picky. I love that about him. In a couple of years he’ll probably be wanting his own computer so he can play Socom online or something, but for now…a broken radio will do.

Looks like we’ll be having a party with some of his friends from his class. I’m on a budget, so we’re keeping it low-maintenance. I know that it’ll be easy, that they’d have fun chasing bubbles around the yard and such, but deep down I’m slightly petrified they’ll all start whining how bored they are. Preschoolers can be maddening little tyrants when exposed to new settings and large amounts of sugar.

I also imagine the other moms will all whisper behind their hands, “I can’t  believe she didn’t hire professional entertainment or at least 2 bounce castles or caterers or a petting zoo! She used homemade decorations and hasn’t planned every single minute?! What was she thinking?”

But not to worry, I am springing for the store bought cake with plastic superheroes plunked on top.

Wish me luck, and send me some good easy party ideas =)