I Really Screwed That Up

Sasha (like any red blooded American kid) LOVES going to Birthday parties. It seems like all the parents of her classmates love to have friend parties for their kids. Dave and I are not this way, so it's nice that all these other people do it so that we don't have to. Well, as these things often go, she gets an invitation about once a month or every 6 weeks or so. I rarely tell her about them until the day before because I get tired of her pestering me about how many hours/ minutes she has to wait until party time. Oh, and if the party is at the Treehouse, we don't go because I secretly believe that place is the "RSV house" because Sasha picked up a nasty case of RSV (a horrible cold that makes asthma even worse) last time we went there.... Okay, let me get to the point. Missing a birthday party is at the very top of Sasha's worst nightmare list! Sooooooooo, we went to my cousins wedding shower last weekend and the plan was to rush home after the shower, pick up Dave and Lyla and then head to Layton for a birthday party that was starting at 5:30. Sasha and I got back to the house at 5:25, grabbed the other two Jensen's and hauled ass toward Layton for the party. I wasn't exactly sure of the precise party location, but I had the address and I was almost certain I knew where we were going. We are driving fast and I'm using every trick up my sleeve to make up some time so we aren't going to be super late. I have Dave grab the invitation so I can double check the address, it's nearly 6:00 at this point. I read the address and also notice that the party started at 5:00, NOT 5:30. So now I am freaking out because I am officially LOST in West Layton and the kid gym that the party is at is no where in sight. I am starting to see that we are nearly going to miss the party because it ends at 6:30. Dave is now suggesting that we turn around and go home and I am thinking of the HELL I will have to pay if Sasha doesn't get to at least hand the party girl her present. I finally call the girls mom and she tells me very specifically where I should be heading and now I at least have a clue as to where I am going. Meanwhile, I am mentally slapping myself in the brain for not map questing the party location ahead of time. We finally get to the kid gym at 6:10. All the kids had been doing gymnastic stuff and climbing and playing on the equipment until the very second we arrived. The gym owners were ushering all the kids out of the play area for cake time. For most kids, cake time would be the best time to get there, but not for my egg allergic child. She just watched the kids eat their cake and looked at me with the saddest face I have ever seen. I asked the gym owner if she could just run out and get in some play time since should couldn't eat cake and I was so miserably late getting there. Sasha is now sobbing hysterically and the owner politely tells me NO! I offer to pay the regular fee for Sasha to just get five minutes of play time and again she says NO! Other kids are randomly playing on the equipment and she is very focused on my child telling her NO! Then this idiot woman hands me the price sheet and class schedule and suggests that I might bring my daughter back some other time (I am mentally screaming obscenities at this woman while I am also mentally kicking her and pulling her hair out "Jersey Shore" style)..... but I say "Um, no thanks". The place is called My Gym and it is located near Famous Dave's in Layton. Don't go there, it stinks and the owner is my new worst enemy.
Drama aside, I felt pretty low after that one. The birthday girl is the adorable, sweet daughter of one of Sasha's teachers and Sasha really loves this girl. I love her mom and I see her 5 days a week. I was mortified that Sasha missed the party because of MY mistakes. I was also feeling so stupid that I had to call her in the middle of her daughters birthday party to ask for directions. I have learned my lesson for sure. I will plan ahead next time.