Party Boys

Last Saturday, Liam and Joergen were invited to a party at BounceU to celebrate the 6th and 4th birthdays of their good buddies/ fellow sibling pair at Miss Doreen's, Raleigh and Kaelyn.  Liam was invited to their party last year too, and I had responded to the invitation that he would be there as long as "I'm not in the hospital or anything," and lo and behold, Joergen was in fact born that morning!  Not to let anything stand in the way, though, Liam went to that party anyway.  Because really... there is only so long a 2-year-old can sit around a hospital room and stare at a newborn... but I digress!

So walking into this party was like walking into a preschool version of Animal House.  Liam could not get his shoes off fast enough and was gone in the blink of an eye to join in the festivities, laughing and hugging his friends as he saw them and ready to conquer every inflatable in the room.  I would catch glimpses of him here or there (at one point, I saw him chucking balls at some kid's dad dodgeball-style in what was basically an inflatable cage...) but otherwise had a hard time tracking him down.  I just knew he was happy! 

Joergen, on the other hand, joined the circle of little ones in a quiet(er) side of the room where he could gnaw on baby toys and steer clear of the rumpus.  He got some QT with Raleigh and Kaelyn's mom (who was an awesome extra set of hands when I needed them!), and it was so cute to see how the "big kids" he knows from Miss Doreen's would come over to sit and play with him.


Joergen with Allie and Mrs. W.


I found these three little giggle-pots getting ready to head up the climbing wall.  Allie (left) is Liam's age, and Emily (right) is just turning 4.  They've played together at Miss Doreen's since they were infants.

Liam was one of the younger kids at the party, and for as physical and fearless as he is, one thing became quite clear: he is s-l-o-w.  Whenever there was a line of kids stacked up on the climbing wall for the big slide, you could put your money that L was leading the pack!

What goes up must come down...

One of my absolute favorite moments of the day was when Liam and a bunch of kids piled into the Hurricane Machine, which basically simulates hurricane-force winds.  I could not stop laughing at them!  I dare you to watch this with a straight face...

Towards the end of the day, we all gathered into a party room to eat cake, or in Liam's case, a vegan chocolate cupcake that I brought him from home.  It always breaks my heart a little whenever Liam has to be singled out like that and can't have something as simple as a piece of birthday cake at a kids party... but I have to say that I am so incredibly proud of him for the way he handles it.  I realize he almost doesn't know any different anymore, but he really is a champ and has never once complained. I'm amazed by his resiliency.

Before everyone left, Mrs. W. brought in huge bags filled with these giant playground balls as party favors for each of the kids.  Um, awesome!  Joergen was in heaven!  He would have played "catch" with Emily, Kaelyn, and Allie all night if I'd let him.

We left that party exhausted and happy and ready to celebrate another very special birthday...