SURPRISE!!

My baby brother turns 30 tomorrow so this past weekend I threw him a Dirty Thirty Surprise Birthday Party. It was my first time throwing a surprise party and it will be my last time. Way too stressful. I told my brother that we were having a Mix event at The Drink. Being my brother he has been to enough of my work events that he is okay if he misses one or two. Me being Type A, could not handle the uncertainty of him not guaranteeing me that he would show up. I had to enlist the help of my brother's boss to get him there.

That really didn't help the situation because the boss didn't make solid plans with my brother for Saturday night because "guys don't make plans in advance. " Hello! I am not good at not knowing. I am not good at nonchalant!

So I just had to wait and hope that he would show up. I spent a month planning this party! I sent out an evite. I ordered a cake with his baby picture on it. I ordered balloons. I bought party favors.  I had a poster made of this humiliating photo that my brother in law created (No that is not Ryan's high school photo. It is his face though :))

And it would all come down to the last moment of whether he would show up or not. I am not good at waiting. I am not good at winging it. I'm a planner!! The other stress was making sure all the guests showed up before my brother.

I love my friends, but being on time is not one of their strong suits. My poor friends, I am sure they were beyond annoyed with me and my constant reminders of showing up no later than 8. And in true fashion they all showed up literally between 7:58-8PM. I think they planned that just to freak me out. All I could envision all day was me standing in the bar, with my banner and cake, yelling Happy Birthday and just hearing the echo of my voice through out the bar.  But as always, they came through.

The place was packed. Finally my brother walks through the door, we yell Happy Birthday, he is surprised and the night is perfect! Looking back everything was flawless but I still wouldn't do it again.I lost sleep over this! I am sure I picked up a wrinkle or two along the way. Now I can relax and focus on the next big event in my life...my sister's birthday! Here we go again.......