This was your first real, kid’s birthday party. In the past mom and I chose to keep your birthday small and intimate so that you could enjoy the party and actually know that the party was for you. This year you chose to invite seven kids, nine including you and Ad.
Everyone arrived at 1:00 and most parents dropped their kids off. Gavin and Owen were the first to arrive and immediately took to each other. The three of you waited for everyone else in the side yard, playing with the wagon and hitting the baseball around. Soon enough everyone arrived and you all took off to your clubhouse. All of the kids completely enjoyed playing in the clubhouse. They were climbing up the ladder to the loft, jumping off of the fence outside and hiding in the back where the horses used to sleep.
JD, you were truly in your element on this day. You did a great job showing attention equally to each of the kids at your party, but spent more time with Andrew Q toward the end. It wasn’t until this day that I realized how large our property is. We had kids at both ends at some points throughout the day. I used your walkie-talkies to keep track of Gav and Owen when the went far enough where I couldn’t see them. They spent time looking for bugs, Ethan and Harley enjoyed playing in the sandbox, Regan was shooting hoops for a while and Andrew B played baseball almost all day long.
Toward the middle of the day it was time for cake and piñata. This year for your cake you asked for vanilla cup cakes. Rather than eating them at the table outback, we had them on the steps near the driveway. You had some things in mind for this party and we stuck to your ideas pretty well. After the cupcakes, the piñata was so fun. You chose a pinata shaped like a skateboard! Mom twirled the kids in circles, blindfolded them, and sent them off to try and smash the piñata wide open! You were first and started swinging at everything in site, except for the piñata. Everyone else kind of followed suit, swinging at everything. Gavin almost hit mom’s car on the other side of the driveway.
This birthday party was a major success. All of the kids had so much fun and enjoyed all of our toys very much. I enjoyed playing with some of your friends for the first time. By the end of the day I was exhausted! I can usually hang with you guys pretty well but on this day, I was spent. Hot bath for me by night time and I fell asleep on the couch at night!
As the day wrapped up I really felt like you enjoyed yourself so much. You had all of your best buds there and it was fun to watch you interact with all of them. At one point Regan started telling a story about something that happened in your class and then you and Andrew B jumped in and added to the story. It was fun to see the little camaraderie you all have together. I couldn’t help but to think that this was foreshadowing for future things to come.
I don’t take your age for granted; at least I don’t think I do. I enjoy your age for what it is and I hope that you growing up won’t go by as fast as I think it will. On that day standing under the hoop talking to the three of you, I had one of those moments where I say to myself, “Uh oh, he is getting a little older.” Eventually the kids were gone and once again it was just you and I shooting hoops, talking like we do, the same way we started the day. I know you’re just a little guy, but you make me so proud all the time. The way you handled yourself on this day was fair and fun; I learned more about you today. Happy Birthday, James.
