Two parties, too much

I thought I might have been a little crazy when I decided to have Henry and Milly's separate birthday parties held at the same time, day and at our house. Having Michael and my mum there to help was invaluable and my next door neighbour pitched in as well. If it weren't for them the parties could have been a disaster. As it turned out, the day was a bit stressful for me but a success for the kids. Trying to divide my time equally between the parties and keep them running was a challenge. I won't be doing it again.

Henry had seven of his school chums attend and we had organised a Star Wars Jedi Training Camp party. Complete with themed food and training course games to keep the boys active and having fun.

For Milly, she had four friends over for a fairy party. She had fairy themed food, with art and craft activities to amuse the girls.

Duelling lightsabers.

Milly and her fairy friends.


The birthday fairy.

Once all the guests had arrived each party had its own pre-party food before the activities commenced. It was strawberry milkshakes and fairy cupcakes for the girls.

The Jedi party had Yoda Sodas and Star Wars themed cupcakes. The Yoda Sodas were lime spiders with a lightsaber (aka glow stick) in the cup. These were a real hit with the boys.

Then it was on to the party games. The fairies were busy making their own fairy crowns and wands. Lots of glitter and sparkly things to glue on them. It kept them busy.

The boys had four games they needed to complete to become a Jedi. The first was an obstacle course we set up in the backyard that included doing the Wookie walk (aka using stilts), climbing ladders, riding scooters, using a lightsaber to fight of Jabba the Hutt's burps (aka a bubble machine) and more. The second game we called Using the Force, where we attached a hula hoop to the washing line and the boys had to throw a frisbee and Vortex ball through the hoop. For the third game Michael printed off pictures of Darth Vadar, Darth Maul, and Boba Fett and the boys had to use a Star Wars gun to practice some target shooting. The final game was Destroying the Deathstar. We couldn't find a Star Wars pinata, so bought a soccer ball one and spray painted it silver. The boys loved having a crack at smashing it down with a lightsaber.

The Deathstar destroyed and the spoils shared.

After the games it was time for the birthday cakes. Milly almost had a meltdown when her fairy friends blew out her candles for her, but a quick relight of the candles and she was happy again. I haven't posted any pictures of the birthday cakes because frankly they are the worst effort I've ever made. Making two elaborate cakes this year was too big an ask. Milly's cake was a simple pink and vanilla marble cake with pink icing and edible fairies placed on top, sitting around the letter M formed out of those silver edible balls. Henry's cake was cut into the shape of the number 6 and I placed some Star Wars figurines on top.

When all the formalities were over the world of the Jedis and fairies collided, and I'm pleased to say they played together harmoniously.

When the day was over and the kids asleep in bed, I had set aside a favourite bottle of red wine to enjoy with Michael. Only thing was I was too tired and all I really wanted was a cup of peppermint tea. So the bottle of red was put away and we took it out a few days later and enjoyed it.

Another year done and dusted.

Birthday boy

Poor Henry. It must seem like an age to him having to wait for his birthday. There is always a big build up to the birthdays and with Milly celebrating her birthdate the day before Henry, sometimes it is all a bit much emotionally for him to take. This year was different. He was happy for Milly to have her birthday first and be the centre of attention. So when her day was finally over and we wake up to his birthday he was very excited to take centre stage. Plus we had arranged for his birthday party to be on the same day (more of that in a separate blog entry still to come).

He might be now be six, but he'll always be our little mister.

At last Henry gets a lightsaber of his own. Well, two lightsabers actually, so we can fight him.

Yes, it was a very Star Wars birthday for Henry and he couldn't have been happier.

Me and my little mister.

Birthday girl

Good morning birthday girl. How old are you today?

The chance for Milly to style and tangle a head of hair other than her own. Less than 4 hours later this mission was accomplished.

Giving Suri Cruise a run for her money, Milly in her Cinderella glass slippers with matching tiara and earrings.

Out for a special birthday lunch with her new purse full of sparkling lip gloss.

"Could Mama please have a photo of my beautiful children? Now bunch together, look at the camera and smile!"

Me and my impossible princess.

Something I forgot to mention

Looking back over the blog I realised there is something I've not yet mentioned..... Buster is now walking. He toddles about everywhere much like a silverback gorilla - confident and fearless. He amuses us no end and Henry and Milly get just as much enjoyment from him as we do. Buster really believes he is king of the kids. He also thinks he can jump and when he's on one of his adventures in the backyard we can often find him climbing the ladder onto the trampoline and trying to jump up and down or just toddling about in circles laughing his head off.

Easter hat parade

To wrap up Henry's first term of school the infants department (kindergarten and years 1 and 2) had an Easter hat parade. Each class took a turn in parading their Easter themed hat creations to a crowd of proud parents and grandparents. They even sang us all a song. I'm so lucky that I am able to be a stay-at-home mum to the kids and not miss out on seeing these important events in my kid's lives.

Henry and his best friend Sawyer in their hats.

Football trial

Centre: Henry.

At the beginning of the month Henry played his first trial football match. His season starts at the end of April and this was his first time to play a game against another team before the official competition begins.

I won't lie. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Each team has four players on the field and they play two 20 minute halves. The kids swarm around the ball and just kick it. A couple of the players have an idea they need to kick it in a certain direction and then in the back of the net to score a goal. Henry was not one of these kids. In fact, all I can say is he participated in the game. Most of the time he was running around the swarm and many a time he was running back towards his goal to protect it from no one as the rest of the teams were at the other end of the field. But he had a great time and the game result was a draw in the end.

Half time oranges. Buster wore the team colours and helped himself.

Henry's team has a website that is put together by one of the mums of the boys in his team. She has taken some great photos and video of the boys in action, so if you want to look at more pictures and some video of Henry here is the link.

http://web.me.com/billsheena/U6_Hearts/Welcome.html