Ethan's 5th Birthday

The Bday Crew: Audrey, Molly, Lily, Samuel, Ethan, Daniel, and Griffin

This year was a much more successful party for Ethan. For his 4th birthday he really wanted a party so I planned an extremely informal party gathering for 2 of his only closest friends. I had a few simple games ready, yet the kids basically sat around and ate from the large bowl of Goldfish crackers I had set out. Not one of them was interested in games. Gift-opening lasted all of 5 minutes since their was only two kids and Ethan shredded the wrapping and tossed them aside so quickly...maybe it was only 3 minutes?  I mentally cancelled his next year's party.
What a difference a year makes--both for Ethan and Mom. I said yes to a party, and was brave enough to call it a party.  Still keeping it low key, I set out squirt guns and had some backyard games planned. The pinata was to be the highlight of the whole thing, barring any injuries. (Isn't their always one kid who excitedly steps into the swinging area accidentally and gets clocked?)

 I had painted and hung up targets for the kids to squirt but they squirted almost everything BUT the targets!! Nothing was safe from their sprays!

We came, we saw, we squirted

 Red light, Green light was a great game even though everyone cheated 

and they would arbitrarily change the rules.

 Ok, everybody wins.

Claire and Timmy surveying the games and observing that the rules were not being followed. (They also supervised the snack area well, I see.)

Learning from my mistakes, I set the snacks out after the games were finished 

and before the pinata candy was snatched up.

Isn't it always funny when the child wildly swings in the wrong direction of the pinata? I laughed every time one of the kids swiped the empty air with gusto, thinking they were going to collapse the pinata from their crushing blow. 

The Drum Cake

Happy Birthday Ethan!!

Ethan outside the next morning
playing with his new shooter