Last weekend was full of parties.  On Saturday we held his first "kid only" party.  Because of vacations and other committments, we had 4 out of the 7 we invited, making it "five for five" year old birthday party.  S has been wanting a sleepover, but really I think they are too young at this age, so I planned a pretend indoor campout sleepover.  They came in their PJs and brought sleeping bags, pillows, blankies. 

It started out great...as they arrived they made their own baggies of trail mix from different ingredients I had out, and from there all plans went out the window.  I barely got them to sit still for 4 bites of their picnic style hot dogs, popcorn and carrot sticks.  We did cake when two of the boys fought over the same hiding spot in their own game of hide and seek.  S blew out the candles after the first line of Happy Brithday and everyone stopped singing.  Then we did presents after another mishap (I'm great at diversions). I got two boys to do the hokey pokey with me. 

I had planned a few party games, including "Musical Sleeping Bags", followed by smores, hand shadows and ghost stories (not too scary), but the kids were having a lot of fun just doing their own thing and did not want to stop whenever I would say "Time for (fill in the blank)", so I just let it happen.  Ten minutes before the parents were due to arrive for pick-up, one boy said, "when are we going to do the campout?"  I wanted to cry (lol)!

They had alreayd been playing in the tents, so I said, "OK everyone in the tents for bed!"  They wanted all the lights out and S started telling a "ghost story" which was really a bunch of rambling in the classic preschool story-telling style, but everyone loved it.  And then the parents came.

Here is a picture of my "Campout Cake" that I copied from here  I used plastic trees and did not add as much dirt.  I think my fire came out better and S help decorate the sleeping bags.

Sunday was a Cookie Cake with family and no games.  We only have two other children on either side of the family which was why I wanted to try a kid party for Samuel.  I now understand why a lot of parents go the location party route!  We still may do the at home party again, but it was a lot of work and I'm glad it's over for another year.

Today we gave him our presents and will take him out for lunch to the restaurant of his choice.

Happy Birthday to my precious baby...even when you're a grown-up I still hope you'll snuggle with your Mama.