Bob the Builder Birthday Bash

Saturday was Bobby's 32 birthday and his sister Melanie's 29th birthday (weird, isn't it?), a momentous day that was overtaken by Jameson's huge Bob the Builder Birthday bash. I was having a tough time planning his party and, after weeks and weeks of procrastinating, settled on the 26th...and sent out e-vites on the 22nd. Saturday afternoon, we had 45 people over to celebrate three years with our little man. Not bad for four days' notice, eh?

Days later, Jameson is still talking about his party and wondering when we will do it again. I'm so drained I can't even think about what I'll do when Madelyn's second birthday rolls around. I've been saying for a while that the birthday party circuit is getting out of hand, and I believe that it's just that: you throw one big party, attend a few others, and you think to yourself: top that. (In the past few months, we've attended a party with a bounce house and popcorn machine, a cowgirl party with a real pony that the kids got to ride, and a firetruck party with--you guessed it--a firetruck!) I think that that was part of my hold up with planning this shindig, but I'm also quite certain that Jameson would have been thrilled to have his friends over for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a splash in the kiddie pool.

Well, thanks to a few hours' research on the internet and the help of some wonderful friends, I was able to plan a pretty cool day. We filled up two kiddie pools and rented a pretty sizable bounce house, chairs, and tables. The new backhoe was displayed with pride in the side yard so the kids could crawl up there and check it out. When all the kids had arrived, I passed out child-sized aprons (donated by Lowes) and each child got a toolbox to decorate with paint, stickers, and foam letters. I later filled them with candy and sent them home as a party favor. Then, we enjoyed a nice lunch of hot dogs, potato salad, pasta salad (with "tractor wheel" pasta), tortellini salad, fruit salad, watermelon, strawberries and midori dip, and seafood salad. Next, the kids got to paint and "fix up" a cardboard house that Bob and Chad constructed of 8' x 6' panels earlier in the day. They loved it! I gave them all brushes and their aprons and they had a blast painting the house and later, each other. After a quick dip in the pool, they were cleaned up and ready for cake. The cake was gorgeous; a Bob the Builder look-alike made with love and hours of dedication by my wonderful friend Amy. Jameson opened up his presents (which he finally enjoys doing...last year, this activity was an absolute disaster!) and the kids all spent some free time running around the yard, playing with toys, and jumping in the bounce house. That thing was a huge hit. I think next year we'll have to get a larger one that the adults can jump in after hours. Emily did get a few minutes' jump time in, but I'm certain that I exceeded the weight limit. As my Grandma said, it was an awesome day. Bodhi was quick to point out that there was no pinata and that we forgot to take pictures in the backhoe, but I think I'll save that for the next time we host playgroup. Perhaps a touch a truck event? I think I'll go schedule that right now...