Happy Birthday Thing 1

Last week we had a sleepover birthday party for Thing 1. I've decided that throwing sleepover birthday parties for your kids is like giving birth to your kids - when you're in the middle of it, it's unbelievably painful and you vow you're never going to do it again, but as time goes on, you think it wasn't that bad and you sign up for another one (No, I'm not pregnant). The party this year did contain a few gems, though. It was the first year that I heard girls discussed (in hushed tones, as though the subject was taboo), and we apparently invited a couple of pyromaniacs because I heard "Yeah, I know! Fire's awesome!" more than a few times. However, the best moment of the party came during the opening of presents. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

Thing 1 opened his gifts from the kids and then I brought out the pièce de résistance: the gift from all four grandparents and us. He started opening it, and he got this smile on his face that anyone who knows this kid well will recognize. It's like he's trying to hold it back, but you can tell that he's really pleased. It was a Nintendo DS. Every ten year old's dream. The best part, though, was the reaction from the rest of the kids. They broke into applause. They cheered for their friend. They patted him on the back and shook his hand. I swear, if this kid ever wins an Oscar or a Nobel prize, the crowd support will be a disappointment after this. I think they would have hoisted him on their shoulders if he hadn't been holding the DS. Sparky and I were both shaking with laughter. I am kicking myself now for not getting it on tape. Luckily I did manage to get a few pictures with the still camera.

Here's that smile I was talking about...




And here we are in the midst of the hand shaking and celebrating.




Happy birthday, kid. 10 is a big birthday. I hope you have many more birthdays like this, and I hope for your sake and your brothers' that I continue to forget what a pain it is to throw a sleepover for a bunch of 10 year olds.