Getting real ducks to come to Gwyneth’s birthday party was something I thought would be a stretch. I did a little googling and didn’t find many sources for “baby ducks” around the area at the time, so I decided to post a Craigslist ad.
It was titled something like, “Baby ducks wanted to rent for daughter’s birthday party…”. I created the post at the end of March and didn’t really expect to hear anything. So when a little eleven year old girl from a town 45 minutes away called me about a month before the party, I was both shocked and ecstatic.
She informed me that she had baby ducks that she could bring to the party, and that it was okay with her parents too.
“No WAY! AWESOME!!!” I thought.
So the little girl and I stayed in contact as the birthday approached. In fact, I think I became her new best friend, for she called or texted me almost every day leading up to the big day.
Some days went like this:
Girl (I’ll call her Louise) calling me…
Me: Hello?
Louise: Hi
Me: Pause… “Oh, Hi Louise, how are you?”
Louise: Good.
Me: ….”Great! (pause) So, how was your day?”
Louise: “It was fine.”
Me: “Well that’s good. School is almost out for you, isn’t it?”
Louise: “Yeah, school is out in June.”
Me: “That will be nice.”
Louise: “Yeah.”
(Pause)
Me: “Well, the baby is crying, I’d better get going. I will talk to you later, okay?”
Louise: “Okay.”
Me: “Bye, Louise.”
Louise: “Bye.”
And another time..
Me: “Hi Louise”
Louise: “Hi, so guess what?”
Me: “What?”
Louise: “I’m getting a new bunny today!”
Me: “Oh, that’s awesome! I bet you’re excited.”
Louise: “Yeah.”
Me: “What are you going to name it?”
Louise: “I don’t know yet.”
Me: “Well that’s very exciting.”
Louise: “Yeah.”
And then I’d ask to talk to her parents, in which either the mom was busy, or the dad wasn’t home. So, I almost began to think this wasn’t going to happen.
Over the next couple of weeks I would receive random text messages saying simply “Goodnight,” “Hay” and asking if the ducks were still a surprise for my daughter, in which I would assure her they were. And her reply to almost all of my questions. Just “Ya.”
The next time she called, though, I was able to talk to her dad, who said it’d be fine to bring the ducks to the party, and we worked out the details. He did inform me though that the ducks they currently had weren’t very small anymore, but that they were expecting a batch to hatch pretty close to the party. So we decided to make things final once we heard whether or not the babies hatched.
About a week before the party I got a call from Louise telling me the babies hatched.
“HOORAY!!!” I couldn’t have been happier.
So she reassured me that they’d be at my house by 9:30, with the party starting at 11, and that they’d bring whatever the ducks needed.
Randomly, I got a FB message from a friend who happened to have two absolutely adorable baby ducks that she offered for the party. She saw a message on my FB wall of someone asking what Gwyneth’s birthday party theme was, and when she found out it was ducks, she sent me a picture of them and I found myself in a stitch. On one hand, her ducks were closer, super cute, I knew her, and she was offering them for free. On the other hand, I had already agreed to the little girl’s ducks, even though they were further away and I had to pay them for their troubles.
I just couldn’t let the little girl down though. She seemed SO excited to come to the party and surprise my daughter. So, I thanked my friend for the offer and kept my deal with Louise.
So at about 8:00 on the morning of the party, I got a call from Louise stating that they were on their way, and that she had a surprise.
Me: “You do!?”
Louise: “Yeah. I brought my bunny! And I also brought our goose and rooster!”
Me: “!!! UUuuhhhhhhhhhhh…………(pause). You did???
Louise: “Yeah.”
Me: “Ggrrreeeeaaaaaat….Um. Okay??”
Louise: “Yeah, they’re super nice and I think your daughter will like them.”
Me: “Okay, well.. that’s great. So I will see you all soon?”
Louise: “Yep!”
So at 9:15 Louise, her dad, her bunny, her goose, and her rooster arrived, as well as five of her GROWNUP DUCKS. These were NOT baby ducks as I was told!
They were Heeeeyoooge!
Hello man duck.
But what could I do with Louise staring up at me, super excited to surprise my daughter with her cornucopia of farm animals?
So, I slapped a smile on my face and showed them to the back yard. I was nervous these large animals would hurt the children, but was reassured they were all very friendly and that they grew up with people.
As soon as I got a free moment though, I was on my phone and I texted the friend with the baby ducks, and she agreed to meet someone halfway to drop them off.
Hallelujah! So nice!!!
And about 30 minutes later, the two baby ducks were in our backyard, along with the gaggle of other feathered (and furry!) friends.
Wow.
Okay! “Well this should be interesting/fun!” I thought.
In the end, it all worked out. The kids loved all of the ducks (and bunny, rooster, and goose) and Louise acted as the handler of all of the animals, making sure the little kids pet and held them properly.
Apparently her baby ducks never really hatched? I suppose she really still wanted to come to the party, so she pulled a fast one on me.
Tricked by an eleven year old. Super.
After the party the big ducks went home, but the baby ducks spent the night.
Sampson could have cared less…
Snuggled behind “Sammy.”
Cuuuuuuuute. 🙂
That is the funniest birthday party planning, and birthday party, post I think I’ve ever read!
Haha, it was quite the ordeal!!! Glad it all worked out, but oh my! Learned my lesson… Ask for pictures!! 🙂