Max's birthday party was a great success. It's all in the planning... at least that is how I have decided to tell it, because Max did all the planning. He reminded us daily about the order of things, sometimes rearranging activities. In the end he chose to serve pizza first, and to finish with the pinata. In between he opened presents from Nicholas, and Adam and Jacob, and we ate the cake he planned and decorated. The cake had to be home baked chocolate in a rectangle shape, with whipped cream on top and sliced strawberries around the edges. It was a very good cake, and he did a very good job of spreading the cream and arranging the strawberries.

We blew bubbles, and tried our hand at making balloon animals. I also created a game we called the Crabby Grabby... remember our theme was Sponge Bob. In honor of Mister Crabs' greedy ways, we filled a box with sand and plastic sea creatures, then added lots of coins from our change box. The object of the game was to grab as much of "Mister Crabs' money" as possible, using a plastic grabbing claw. You may not follow any of this, but trust me, had you been there you would have wanted a turn as much as Grandma and Grandma Boo Boo, and Rich and Geoff did. Yes, the kids liked it too.

Max has new toys and new memories, and a proud and contented feeling from a happy day. He put a lot of thought in to his theme, and the activities. He was very concerned about his guests' pizza preferences, and offering yellow forks to go with the yellow streamers he hung himself. He even wanted to be sure that the Sponge Bob pinata was filled with the treats that other children enjoy, even if he could not have some of them himself. I had not realized that 6 could be such a generous and mature age. He's pleased to be six, and reflects on his new age with great satisfaction. He says he feels like "a nicer person, stronger and faster too."