Of Unrealistic Standards

As the youngest of three children, I know how it feels to be the semi-forgotten baby.  The one who doesn't have a hand-cross-stitched Christmas stocking made by Mom, who doesn't have the special quilt made by an aunt, who looked through four baby albums of her sister and yet was lucky to find three or four pictures of herself in a box, the one whose toys were never really hers and whose favorite books all had another sibling's name etched in the front.  I get it. 

It's not to say I was not loved or did not get things the others didn't as we got older, but I understand that when there are three children in the house ages four and under, someone is going to get the shaft, and it's probably going to be the one not running and screaming at the moment (or not running at the very least).

Thus, it has been my goal, since before motherhood even, that all of my children will be treated fairly.  I would not undertake a project for the oldest that I would not be able to keep up with for subsequent children.

Already I have failed miserably.

Currently Philip and I are finishing the renovation of a toy kitchen purchased at a garage sale back in May for Micaiah.  It's her birthday present.  Please don't feel the need to remind me that her birthday was a week and a half ago and I, therefore, fail as a parent for still not having given it to her.  I get it.  But there were some delays - some foreseeable (such as the birth of a new child and the follow-up care that requires), some unforeseen (weather, laziness, etc. - although I suppose I should, at this point in my life, always mark laziness under the foreseeable category) and I came to the point of deciding I'd rather it be done right than on-time - it's not like she knows the difference anyway.  Heck, she's still running around giving everyone birthday presents and singing the song to herself daily - she'll never know.

However, after the painstaking attention to detail required for the completion of this project and the time, energy, and unexpected finances expended - I'm not so sure how we'll be able to keep up the standard in the future. 

I can already see our poor fourth child on his/her birthday, "Happy Birthday, Honey!  Here's a cheaptastic toy we bought at K-Mart.  Hope you like it!  Now go play with your sister's kitchen - we worked hard on that."