Tyler's Late Birthday Party...

So Tyler's birthday is actually at the end of June...Of course, we had a birthday party for him at home, but we didn't have a "friend" party...(it would have been his first by the way)

I was so so busy with school, that I just couldn't bring myself to plan another thing...so I put it off until July....THEN...next thing I new, July came and then was over, and we still had no party.

So I told Tyler that I thought it was a little too late, and we would just make sure to have one next year.
OH THOSE EYES...
They welled up with tears, and his giant blue eyes just turned so sad. He didn't say anything except..."Okay, but could we at least have all of my friends over to just play".
ARE YOU KIDDING ME......
How can a mommy deny that?

How did he get such an adorably cute demeanor? Where did he get his own personality, and his own thoughts? How did he get to be so nice?

So I knew, even though it was late, that we had to have a party for him.

I started planning right away...we sent out invites...and then we had the party last week.
It turned out SO perfect. The weather was great...the events for the party were great...almost everyone came, and it was the perfect way to get much of the class together right before school starts and play together!
His birthday is always going to be kind of forgotten at school, because here in Seattle it will always be right around the time we get out. In fact, this coming year, given no snow days, we are getting out ON his birthday.
However, for now on...I will make his birthday the priority, and not the end of school...
'CAUSE THOSE EYES WILL GET ME EVERY TIME, IF I DON'T!"

SOOOOO....a pirate party it was! Tyler was so excited. He decided everything. Whether to have a cake or cupcakes, and what the shape would be...etc.

These are some of his friends from class. We were to have 11 kids...but 2 were unable to come.

First they did a craft. I collected paper towel rolls, and toilet paper rolls, from everyone...and then I covered them with black paper mache. The kids were given stickers, and foam pirate pieces, and jewels and glitter glue to decorate them with, in order to create telescopes! They were a huge hit!

We did this while everyone arrived and then for about 5 minutes after that. Some of the kids were done really fast and just wanted to go play pirate on the playground, and others took until the very last second.

The first game was PIN THE X ON THE TREASURE MAP. I made the map with printouts that I found...and created names for all of the "places"...and then I bought wood X's and wrote each kids names on with glitter paint. We blindfolded with two eye pirate eye patches...and then each child was spun, pointed in the right direction, and they plottede their "X".

We had prizes that the winners got to choose from for each game...then when the games were all done, everyone who didn't win, got to choose a prize as well.

Here is our group picture. Gotta get my pictures. :) The kids in back are being "pirates". :)

I painted this shark on a piece of fiber board. Kevin cut out the mouth for me. This was going to be a toss game...either a beanbag type toss or water balloons, based on the weather. THEN, of course, I knew it was a great picture opportunity...so I took a picture of each of the kids behind it.

It was REALLY hot...so we did water balloon. LOTS and LOTS of water ballons. Somewhere in the vacinity of 90 I think. The kids LOVED it, and could have LITERALLY played this and NOTHING else! About half way through they got brave...and stood behind the shark in order to get wet. They had SO much fun!

This is just me with my pinata...not a great picture, but...

The last game was a hidden coin dig. We burried gold and silver pirate coins in the sand here...and the kids were given on a spoon, and a cup and they had to dig and find the coins. Whoever found the most in 5 minutes won. It was fun, but I should have bought double the coins, so that the kids were finding more as they went along, because some of them got frustrated.

In the end...they still had fun with it though.....

So then it was time for presents. Tyler has never gotten presents from friends...he really enjoyed it, and did really well...thanking everyone and not going fast etc. I was proud of him.

Then it was cake time!!!!

The kids all had the cupcakes, which were frosted to be the "jewels" from the treasure chest cake. Then they were topped with a lifesaver and had a pirate toothpick flag, from Michaels, through the hole. We also did ice cream, and we scooped it before the party, into muffin tins and re froze it. That way, come the time, all we had to do is pop out the pre-portioned cups of ice cream, instead of having to scoop, and make a mess! It worked out beautifully!

FINALLY!!!!!! PINATA time!

Like I said, the hit of the party. Between the pinata and the water balloons....

So in the pinata...we decided to equally separate the candy into bags, so that each child was guaranteed the same amount. Then all of the left over candy just went into the pinata and was up for grabs...so that way, if someone didn't get any of the loose candy, they still had the bag. It made up for the kids different abilities...size, age, and just plain maybe never doing a pinata...

We of course told all of the rules before they even started hitting.

It was all perfect, because literally as the pinata finally broke...the first parent showed up! We got to finish everything! Then we got the goodie bags together...handed them out, and everyone left with their pinata candy and their goodie bags in tow.

Pirate Tyler and Pirate Sean!

The kids all had a great time! It was a hit, and Tyler can't wait for the next one.

I had a great time too...I love, love, love these kids! We had THE most amazing group of kindergarteners!!!! I can see him being friends with all of them even if they aren't in class together this year. They really did form a bond like I don't think I have ever seen before!

I too, can't wait for the next party!

To think I was nervous...

Now, I am bitten!