Well, we survived the 4th Birthday Party, in fact it went very well. There must have been over 20 children there, and no meltdowns!
This is David with his birthday cake, and Anthony's fire hose. He is putting out the candles. Anthony loves being a fireman - he kept coming up to David (and others) and saying "You're on fire! I have to put the fire out!" (with his hose).
David was very excited, and we agreed to open the presents at home after the party. David tried to negotiate a different result, but we held firm. Everyone was met at the gate, and asked about the present (he generally asked what it was) then he explained that "Mummy said" he had to wait until afterwards and open them at home.
Later, when Paul loaded all the presents into the car, David jumped right into his car seat to go with them. As Paul had to come back for a second load (including me), he then had to negotiate with David, who wanted to go into the house and open "all the presents" and then "just one, really quickly". David is a good negotiator - He suggests something , "How's that for an idea? It's a good idea!" (I think that he has probably got it from me.)
When the presents were opened, somehow all the cards got detatched from the respective present. I only know where a couple came from..... Boy, did he get some good stuff! Completely overwhelming in numbers and scope. Thank goodness we separated the party and presents from the actual birthday. It meant that he got a chance to appreciate his actual birthday and presents from family before the new wave.
We held the party at the local Community Centre hall. The hall has lovely polished boards, toilets, kitchen, quiet room, trestle tables, padded mats, sandpit, tiled & grassed outdoor area with climbing castle and slide and shady tree. And very importantly, LOTS of room to run.
Boy. oh boy, did they run! I put up three Spiderman banners and some streamers. We took a big bag of David's toys for the kids to play with, and some toys for the sand pit. Anthony's dad blew up balloons, but for some reason they were popping on the floor - bio-degradable, and not strong I suspect.
The party was in the afternoon from 2.00 to 4.00pm, and I got access to the hall at 1.30pm.
David was very excited, and we agreed to open the presents at home after the party. David tried to negotiate a different result, but we held firm. Everyone was met at the gate, and asked about the present (he generally asked what it was) then he explained that "Mummy said" he had to wait until afterwards and open them at home.
Later, when Paul loaded all the presents into the car, David jumped right into his car seat to go with them. As Paul had to come back for a second load (including me), he then had to negotiate with David, who wanted to go into the house and open "all the presents" and then "just one, really quickly". David is a good negotiator - He suggests something , "How's that for an idea? It's a good idea!" (I think that he has probably got it from me.)
When the presents were opened, somehow all the cards got detatched from the respective present. I only know where a couple came from..... Boy, did he get some good stuff! Completely overwhelming in numbers and scope. Thank goodness we separated the party and presents from the actual birthday. It meant that he got a chance to appreciate his actual birthday and presents from family before the new wave.
We held the party at the local Community Centre hall. The hall has lovely polished boards, toilets, kitchen, quiet room, trestle tables, padded mats, sandpit, tiled & grassed outdoor area with climbing castle and slide and shady tree. And very importantly, LOTS of room to run.
Boy. oh boy, did they run! I put up three Spiderman banners and some streamers. We took a big bag of David's toys for the kids to play with, and some toys for the sand pit. Anthony's dad blew up balloons, but for some reason they were popping on the floor - bio-degradable, and not strong I suspect.
The party was in the afternoon from 2.00 to 4.00pm, and I got access to the hall at 1.30pm.
