I Think the Kid Party Subculture Is Out to Get Me!

Why is it that whatever party theme I choose is the one theme for which invitations, cupcake decorations, balloons, and party favors cannot be found?

For example, at Susanna’s third Cinderella party, I couldn’t find Cinderella. (Now she’s everywhere.) This year, the lack of Jasmine cupcake toppers nearly sent me into a crying meltdown in the Publix bakery. (Thankfully, said cupcake toppers were excavated from the bottom of the bakery cupcake decoration box just 2 hours prior to the party. I was gleefully jumping up and down in the same spot where I’d almost had a breakdown 48 hours earlier.)

Now, today, I run into Target–Target! the place where one can find anything, right?–to pick up Thomas the Train party invitations. They are already late. The boys’ party is on the 19th, and I still don’t have the invitations in the mail.

Guess what? No Thomas invitations! None. Nada. Zip. They have Spongebob, Dora, and pirates. No Thomas.

Not exactly sure where to go next.

Oh, Thomas invitations… where are you????

(And sometimes, I’m still taken aback that this is where my world revolves now.)