I. Messed. Up.

I'm a slow girl, but I mean well.

And I seldom repeat a huge mistake.

Hopefully I can fix this.

Last year for Abbie's birthday, we went to the zoo. There was no way I could afford to take everyone she knows, much less transport them there. And I try very, very hard not to be exclusionary, so I had to make a call. We invited the soccer team, her two best friends from school, and Hannah from across the street.

Abbie had a wonderful time. ALL the kids had a wonderful time.

But it was the wrong move.

Until this weekend, I didn't realize Abbie had been knocked out of the birthday party circuit for her class. It didn't dawn on me that there have most likely been birthday parties going on that she hasn't been invited to.

But last night, there was a slumber party for a girl in her class who lives one street over from us. She sits next to Abbie on the bus and many times partners with her at school.

And Abbie wasn't invited.

And the list of who was invited included most of the girls in the class.

Abbie being Abbie, she asked this little girl why she wasn't invited. The girl said she didn't have room for Abbie.

I realize not everyone has the same philosophy I do -- that if you're going to invite most of the girls in a class, you should take the leap and invite all of them. And I don't blame them at all -- the Mom probably said the daughter could invite X-number of friends, and she made the pick. And if Abbie didn't include her, the reciprocation clause was null and void.

I do blame myself. I should have been more aware of the impact that Abbie's own personal birthday party would have.

Her birthday is November 9. I've got six months to figure this out.

I'm not making the same mistake twice!

p.s. Don't worry about my Abbie. We had a time last night! We had a sleepover of our own with Boomer at Pa & Mimi's house. I wanted to make sure Abs had something great to talk about on Monday. And she and I have talked about the party. She's okay.