Starting to succeed- still struggling though

I couldn't really decide where to post this, so I put it in the newbie zone since I still think I'm a newbie. Anyway, I've had a few lucid dreams so far. Sometimes I'll have them about once a week, others will have a larger or shorter gap. They all last up to a minute and then fade out. I can't help but think about the fact that I'm really in my bed. Then I wake up. I'll have time to do one or two things before I wake up. My lucids are dilds and my reality check is counting my fingers if that is helpful to know. Also, I want to meet a book character and throw them a birthday party within the month. I have managed to find them twice (sometimes I can't find them/advice needed here too), but I immediately woke up. Any advice on how to prolong the dream long enough to have the birthday party even if I can't stop thinking about how I'm not actually there? I'll appreciate advice on how to increase my lucid count so I get more tries too. Thanks!

Sounds like what you need is a tutorial on stability: Dream Stabilization and Clarity Tutorial - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Good job on the few lucids you've had!

Have you stabilizing when you realize your dreaming? You need to stimulate all your senses at the beginning of the dream to stabilize it. Look around you taking in every detail, feel objects, taste objects, what does everything smell like, etc.

Instead of focusing on your real body, just take in the scenery around you. Be amazing your actually in a dream. If you do think about your body, don't make it a big deal and switch your attention to the dream. If you do wake up, you can always try a DEILD. Good luck!