Lies, deceit and a big surprise

Over the past few months I have been hiding a secret. A big one. It has involved sneaky skullduggery (one of my favourite words) and downright cunning. I've lied to Husband constantly and surprised myself at how good at it I am... Yes, you've guessed it - I've been planning a surprise party!

Husband turns 30 on 18th February, which is coincidently the day our second child is scheduled to be born by C section. Seven months ago we found out Bump was on the way and immediately realised a clash was probable. Husband was great and didn't make a fuss at all but I knew deep down he was a tiny bit disappointed his big birthday would pass by in a flurry of new baby joy and madness. I was adament I needed to do something special for my big child-at-heart best friend. So I hatched a plan...

I decided to throw a party exactly one month before the big day to (hopefully) avoid baby's arrival and to throw him off the scent. Being a social creature the guest list was huge, over 130 people, which made location tricky but I managed to find the perfect space at David Lloyd leisure centre who were happy to hire us their bar for the night and allow children to join in the party.

The ruse was complicated and I was sure Husband would see through it but it worked! I was dropped off at my In-laws that morning for a pre-baby 'spa day' with his sisters and Husband was scheduled to pick me up from David Lloyd that evening. In reality I spent the day baking his birthday cake whilst my sisters-in-law baked batch after batch of brownies and cookies! It sounds simple but in reality the weeks leading up involved me staying late at work to design invitations, order decorations, manage the RSVP's and make photo bunting. I've had to orchestrate fake nights out to have planning meetings with his folks, sneak clothes and baking equipment out of the house and even stage a fake argument with my mother-in-law to keep him off the scent! My phone has been surgically attached to my right hand and I nearly had a coronary when one guest sent a birthday card a month early!

On Saturday night he arrived and the look on his face when he saw everyone waiting for him was worth the months of effort and stress, hard work and deception. It was an expression I had never seen before and immediately I knew he had absolutely no idea I had been planning anything. It was such a great night and gave Husband the celebration such a special person deserves.

Now back to growing his birthday present...

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