Monday, August 22, 2011

A "summer" party for a double digit milestone

Another kid has left his "green" years behind and is barreling fast toward the teenage years. Yes folks, the magic "double digit" birthday befell another nephew of mine this past weekend.

Some Vital Stats about the boy:
Likes: Baseball and Football, Legos, building mini bikes and skateboards, and bike riding.
Clothing of choice: long sport shorts and a t-shirt
Dislikes: the usual suspects - vegetables, cleaning up his room, boring car drives to LA
Nicknames: Con-Dog
Deals daily with: three sisters

Here is the newest member of the double digit club, in all his birthday glory!
Amidst foggy skies and cold wind (dang it!! will we ever get a summer?) I arrived at "Casa de Weekend Parties" to see this:
Video game playing! This was probably the only way I'd get a photo of all of them looking in the same direction though, so I took advantage of it. As soon as the game ended, the birthday boy was all about seeing the long awaited "Ten Tower".

Several of my niece and nephews have already been recipients of Auntie's "Ten Tower" - a gifting of ten presents all stacked and ready to be torn into - here is the birthday boy embracing his:
To his great relief, there was no underwear inside any of the boxes - a threat I constantly deliver to the kids as their birthdays approach. He enjoyed the box of gum, legos, sunglasses, bike models, and other assorted small gifts.

But the BIGGER gift was looming just outside....the parents were arranging their discreet delivery of a much lusted after bike while the the kid was distracted by other gifts:
He was totally surprised and totally happy. This smile lasted for more than 10 minutes!
Some people, I WON'T SAY WHO, were a little envious of such a fine gift and kept trying to get a spin on it:
So, while lunch simmered and kids ran around creating havoc, I snapped away to pass the time:

Yes, she's right! Time for the cake and wishes and candle blowing and a sudden chorus of kid voices all requesting "that piece" and "the bigger one" and "the one with the blue frosting" and so on:

Meanwhile, Harley the dog escaped the mayhem and went outside for some air. Please note, that peaceful expression is only there because she smells BBQ...
while off in another corner...some light political conversation between Grandma and the soon to be two year old:
...and then some entertainment - as one of the ten tower presents, I bought the Mentos/Coke science experiment kit. Knowing full well how much my sister would not appreciate it and how much the nephew would, mind you!

The kids could hardly wait to let it rip. The birthday boy showed no fear:
Please note...in deference to DP, no Dr Pepper was harmed in the experiment. Had I used Dr Pepper, I have no doubt the kids would have all rushed forward to lick the ground once the foam settled!

A measly liter of Diet Coke was sacrificed instead:
After the foam settled, the kids riled up again:
I managed to get one still photo of the smaller crew:

and here is a final image of the birthday boy with his best bud and his new bike:
After this photo I attempted to call it a day and go home....
easier said than done...