I’ve only got like 10 minutes to bang this out, so I may leave out details… Don’t be afraid to ask questions as I legit need advice on what to do here

So…

Our governor announced last night that our whole area (See the super pointy, nearly-perfect-triangle-shaped county at the middle of the bottom of the map? I live in the one directly to the right and all the things, including my job and both Walmarts are in the next one to the right) is in the “red zone”, which means our stay-at-home orders will be extended until at least June 2nd.

My kiddo turns 5 on June 8th.

I highly doubt that we’ll be permitted to eat in a restaurant then (even if we’ve moved to “yellow” by that time).
So our tradition of eating at Friendly’s every year on her birthday is out the window.

But it’s okay…
The tradition is just for her, her dad, his gf and myself. I can easily cook whatever she wants to have for dinner and I can make us all Coneheads at my apartment.
No big.
I’ll probably even grab some balloons or streamers or something and it’ll be fine.

My dilemma is with her birthday party.
It’s scheduled for June 13th.

We’ve had it at the church for the past few years, and we typically have 40-60 people/kids show up.

“Yellow zone” prohibits gatherings of over 25 people. And the church likely wouldn’t allow us to host there.
Plus, would people even feel safe enough about mingling about 11 days after the stay at home order is lifted? I know that I’d be weary about it…

So…

My Mom says I should just postpone her party.

But there’s a part of me that says “either have a 5th birthday party OR a 5.5 birthday party… Don’t throw a 5th birthday party like a month or two after her birthday cause that’s dumb.”

Or should I just open up my tiny apartment (and the area out back) and only invite family?
With just my parents and siblings + SO’s/kids, we’d be looking at 13 or 14, so I guess we could get away with like 4 friends of hers + 1 parent each.

What do you guys think?

Smaller, punctual party with just family & closest friends?
Larger party a month or two late?
“Normal” sized party in December?

I can’t just not do a party…
She’s legit been talking about her “Frozen party” since last Halloween and has already decided that she’s wearing her Elsa dress-up dress for it.

I’m hoping to get back here at some point over the weekend cause I have a total “petty Betty, rant-filled entry to write

Edit/Update

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what to do…

Apparently, you can arrange a parade and have the local police and ambulances/firetrucks participate, too. So I’ve got to figure out how exactly to do that for her… I guess I just go to the police department…? The cool thing is we have town police and township police, though I only know where the town office is. Can I go to an office with all this going on…? Maybe I’ll just start paying attention to Turkey Hill and try to catch one hanging out there…?

Anyways, I figure we’ll do that ON her birthday, from like 5pm-6pm. Our friends from church, her friends from school, and whoever else wants to participate can and we can put a large box/basket for cards and stuff away from where we’re standing.

And then after the parade, the 4 of us (me + Ev and her dad + his gf) will have dinner at our apartment. I’ll make whatever it is Ev wants (likely either grilled cheese or chicken broccoli Alfredo) and the 4 of us will have dinner and make our own sundaes or whatever.

Her party was planned for the 13th. So on that day, I’m gonna throw the best Frozen party I can in our apartment and just invite immediate family who’s already part of our daily lives…
So my parents, my sisters (+their hubby’s and daughters), and my brother (I also added his gf and her kid but he said no, so whatever). So there will be ten of us. Which is approved even if we haven’t moved into yellow by then.
But how in the hell do I cook for only ten people?!?!?!?!

Thanks for all your input guys!

Last updated May 12, 2020