To party or not to party?!

So in a matter of less then 2 months my sweet Gigi will be 5! Yes, FIVE. Part of me is stoked and part of me is so sad. I feel like 5 is the big transition from like little kid to big kid, ya know? Kinda like 2 is leaving babyhood behind and 4 is really leaving toddlerhood behind.....

My biggest decision this year is to have a party or not have a party. Originally we wanted to do a fairy themed party and I had all these great ideas about all these cute homemade goodies and decorations, etc. I started a board on Pinterest totally dedicated to finding lots of adorable ideas. But then it seems like lots of things are kinda going "against" me already.

1. My dad informed me the other day that he won't be able to come up - he's speaking somewhere and they are probably going to throw a big 80th birthday party that weekend for my grandfather (whose birthday is the day after Gianna's). So that means my whole family won't come up. Things are a bit strained with one of my siblings so I know they won't take time off to come up.....

2. I have zero help (other then B and he would do well but I kinda need a woman's help for this kinda thing!), my sister works two jobs and goes to school & I feel guilty asking her to keep Gianna for a few hours much less help with anything else, and my best bud is an hour and a half away and has three kids of her own. So not a lot in the help department.

3. Guests. Gianna has several really cute little friends at school but I kinda know them by name only. I don't know their parents at all (and to be quite honest I don't have any desire to) and one of two things would have to happen - I have to ask parents to leave their kids at a practical strangers house for a couple of hours or ask them to stay and well, that would be awkward. But other then that Gianna doesn't really have any friends that could/would come and I don't even know if her school friends would come.

So needless to say I'm torn. Her actual birthday falls on a Wednesday and they just happen to only have a half day of school that day so I figure we'll go out and take her somewhere fun to eat or something. I was thinking maybe the weekend after taking her to Monkey Joe's (big inflatable place) and having the few bits of family we have around here come and maybe have cake.

We've always done little home parties every year and I'm just nervous that she'll be bummed by not having an actual "party" and picking a theme, etc. I feel like I'm the only blogger out there considering not doing a fun, cute, DIY party for my child! Lol!