Another Crammed For Event

I am such a crammer. I don't like it but I also cannot help it. Not sure why, but even when I do plan ahead and start things way ahead of time, I always seem to end up in a panic rush. However, it is in those last few hours, minutes and moments before the deadline that I am at my best. My mind and body seem to work triple overtime to bring me to my intellectual and creative peak. I think the rush of adrenalin helps me to retain concepts and pictures in my head or to immediately come up with wonderful ideas. This has helped me a lot when i needed to take exams in school and my comprehensive exams for grad school. A couple of days of cramming for the teachers licensure exam even landed me a spot for 4th highest! Lucky me, studying just before a test works best for me. I get better grades when I cram than when I study way ahead of time. I don't recommend others to be this way though. It can be quite stressful and harassing.

Now why am I talking about this? I had to cram again for my son's 2nd birthday party. Sheesh! And I thought I would be all ready days in advance. But as I said, just before an event, my mind always comes up with ideas that I just cannot pass up. So I had planned on a Thomas the Tank Engine Party for my son Paris because it's his favorite. Thomas loot bags were bought a month in advance, as well as little Thomas towels. We bought Thomas gummy candies and pencils and stamps in the Thomas store in HongKong also. I found some Thomas coloring books and pencil cases in Divisoria too. My husband Armand, finished the invitation with Thomas and Paris on it 2 weeks before the party, but being me, I was only able to email it days before the party. My mom helped plan the menu so that made it easier. I was only inviting family and a few friends, making up about 12 kids and 40 adults in all. So I had the loot bag, the menu planned and food assignments made, a few games prepared, Thomas table mat, Thomas paper plates and Thomas napkins were ready. Monday before the Sunday party, I felt there was something I was forgetting but couldn't think what. Tuesday passed then Wednesday, and oh my goodness! I totally forgot about his birthday cake! Of course, the lady who have previously made my sons birthday cake is already fully booked. Another said she can't make the cake because the rain won't dry the Thomas icing. A last desperate call to Marta's cakes 2 days before the party brings good news. They can make me a Thomas cake and cupcakes with Thomas and Friends that's within my budget. Day before the party, I realize my son doesn't have anything new to wear for his party, so off to Gingersnaps for an affordable cute polo shirt at 6pm. Right across is Fun Stuff where I decide to get a Thomas and Friends balloon. Looking at the trains on the balloon gives me an idea for a fun train making activity for the kids during the party. So at 9pm, my mom, my sister and her boyfriend who have come to help, and I are busy tracing circles and other shapes and cutting them for the pasting activity. Just before nodding off at a little past 12midnight, I come up with a question and answer activity involving the Thomas and Friends trains and remind myself to prepare it early the next morning since our party was to start at 10:30am.

Day of the party, we wake up at 6:30am and start cooking and preparing the dishes. I made salsa for chips to eat before lunch, and an apple, potato and walnut salad. My mom cooked the pasta and steamed fish. The other dishes just needed to be bought or heated. In between slicing and getting the ingredients together, I was collecting Paris' trains, tracks, and other Thomas toys that I was going to set up for the children to play with while waiting for everyone to arrive. Of course, even though I was doing my best to rush and move, we still end up being 10minutes late at our own party. Good thing my whole family are late comers. Armand's family though are always early, at least 30 minutes early most often than not. So they were there ahead of us(party was in Toddlers Unlimited Alabang) , and also Teacher Julie who made the yummy chicken lollipops for us. To make a long story short, I still was not fully ready when the guests began to arrive. The party was a success, however. The children all enjoyed the train pasting activity, and they were the ones answering during the "who's the train" game. The food was great, and the cake was delicious. Paris was happy and very tired after. Another successfully crammed for event.

But that's me. I do try my best not to cram or be late. I know it annoys my husband so bad when he sees me rushing, but I cannot seem to help it. There's just always something I think of to do at the last moment. Will I be able to change? What do you think?