Age 5: The Party
I've held off for the past few years and have only had family-filled birthday parties, not yet breaking into the kid variety. This year for Martin's birthday, he asked to have his friend Jordan join him. So, after five years, I finally broke down and took a baby step toward the loud and sugar-induced kid parties I remember so well from my own childhood. Since there would only be one extra child at this party, we decided to go bowling.
Martin's invite - bowling and rock n' roll - what could be better.
Party time could not come fast enough on Saturday, and if I had let him, I think he would have slept in his clothes so that he wouldn't have had to waste any time getting ready that day. We started out the party with lunch and presents. This year is all about Power Rangers and Martin was thrilled to add another one to his collection. The only disappointment during lunch was that Sophie wouldn't let Jordan out of the booth to sit with Martin, sticking close to Martin's pal's side.
For his birthday cupcake, Martin picked out the Banana Split. It's a banana cupcake, filled with pineapple sauce and chocolate chips. But, I think that he really chose it because it is topped with frosting and chocolate ganache and sprinkles and peanuts and a cherry. After eating all the toppings, the cupcakes were quickly discarded. Next time, I think I'll skip the cupcakes and just fill the liners with the toppings.
After lunch we went to the bowling alley. None of the kids had ever been bowling before and I wasn't even sure they'd be able to lift the ball considering it is about 1/6 of their own body weight. But, outfitted in rented shoes (and after getting over the idea that OTHER PEOPLE HAVE WORN THESE SHOES), the kids hit the lanes with gusto.
Martin and Jordan did a pretty good job bowling in proper form. Sophie took a different route, kneeling down at the edge of the lane and giving the ball a push. With this method, she had enough time to go back to the table, eat a Starburst, and have some pop before her ball even reached the pins.
It was easy to pick out which kids were mine at the bowling alley. They were the ones breakdancing each time they let go of the ball.
Bowling alleys have this great invention called bumpers that can be lifted up into the gutter for young bowlers. The bumpers prevent anyone from getting a gutter ball. This definitely makes the game more enjoyable for the kids and helped my game quite a bit as well. In fact, I got a pretty decent score. Especially considering that most of my bowling experience includes downing a pitcher of beer per game. Check it out! I almost reached 100! AND I beat all the kids, although not by much.
One of the great things about going bowling with little kids is that they thought my Official Bowling Sweater was cool. Well, maybe not COOL but they didn't say it was STUPID and that's pretty much the same thing as cool.
At the end of the game, each of the kids won a trophy for ending up at the top of our league. Sure, they have a basketball player and a dog and an angel on the top, but the plates read "Let's Bowl, Let's Bowl, Let's Rock n' Roll".
And the kids thought they were COOL in a way that won't mean STUPID for at least a few years.
Martin's invite - bowling and rock n' roll - what could be better.
Party time could not come fast enough on Saturday, and if I had let him, I think he would have slept in his clothes so that he wouldn't have had to waste any time getting ready that day. We started out the party with lunch and presents. This year is all about Power Rangers and Martin was thrilled to add another one to his collection. The only disappointment during lunch was that Sophie wouldn't let Jordan out of the booth to sit with Martin, sticking close to Martin's pal's side.
For his birthday cupcake, Martin picked out the Banana Split. It's a banana cupcake, filled with pineapple sauce and chocolate chips. But, I think that he really chose it because it is topped with frosting and chocolate ganache and sprinkles and peanuts and a cherry. After eating all the toppings, the cupcakes were quickly discarded. Next time, I think I'll skip the cupcakes and just fill the liners with the toppings.
After lunch we went to the bowling alley. None of the kids had ever been bowling before and I wasn't even sure they'd be able to lift the ball considering it is about 1/6 of their own body weight. But, outfitted in rented shoes (and after getting over the idea that OTHER PEOPLE HAVE WORN THESE SHOES), the kids hit the lanes with gusto.
Martin and Jordan did a pretty good job bowling in proper form. Sophie took a different route, kneeling down at the edge of the lane and giving the ball a push. With this method, she had enough time to go back to the table, eat a Starburst, and have some pop before her ball even reached the pins.
It was easy to pick out which kids were mine at the bowling alley. They were the ones breakdancing each time they let go of the ball.
Bowling alleys have this great invention called bumpers that can be lifted up into the gutter for young bowlers. The bumpers prevent anyone from getting a gutter ball. This definitely makes the game more enjoyable for the kids and helped my game quite a bit as well. In fact, I got a pretty decent score. Especially considering that most of my bowling experience includes downing a pitcher of beer per game. Check it out! I almost reached 100! AND I beat all the kids, although not by much.
One of the great things about going bowling with little kids is that they thought my Official Bowling Sweater was cool. Well, maybe not COOL but they didn't say it was STUPID and that's pretty much the same thing as cool.
At the end of the game, each of the kids won a trophy for ending up at the top of our league. Sure, they have a basketball player and a dog and an angel on the top, but the plates read "Let's Bowl, Let's Bowl, Let's Rock n' Roll".
And the kids thought they were COOL in a way that won't mean STUPID for at least a few years.
I think Jordan has an admirer in Sophie. I can see the crazed adoration in her eyes!
Looks like a good time. And what a good use of trophies. And good use of wool making that sweater!
Reply to this
What a great birthday party. I always think Bowling is a great hit. Well done! I think the last time I was bowling was with you up at Ruttger's and I think I was on the floor just as much (or more) as Sophie and Martin.
Happy Birthday Martin!
PS shouldn't his shirt have a number 5 not 4?
Reply to this
I think the last time I was bowling was at the Aitkin Lanes too! This was a little different. For example, this time my bag had little toys, extra clothes, and handiwipes instead of a 12-pack of beer. That's what motherhood does to you.
P.S. I asked him about the shirt and he said it was okay because he GOT the shirt when he was 4.
Reply to this