My baby is nine years old....don't let him hear that I called him my baby!

So, my first born turned 9 and I am shocked and stunned and amazed. 

Everyone always says "they grow up so quick", "before you know it they are off to college" and things like that.  I would always look at my little babies and try and understand but time always seemed to go slowly as I watched each milestone, sitting up, crawling, walking, etc.  Now, I have a 9 year old little man who wants to be treated like the big kid that he is.  It's hard.  Extra hard when you show up at school to surprise him with a special lunch with his Mom and he walks toward you with a look of horror on his face.  WHAT happened to my little baby who wouldn't leave my side and told me that "I never want a wife when I get older, just you mommy!!!"?  Ok, so I am getting over it slowly that he is growing up.  I will be ok.  This is what they are supposed to do.  This is what all that hard work is for.  One day they grow up and feel good about going out on their own.  They are supposed to get older, independent and closer to you in height.  It's ok.  I'm ok.  I will be ok.

ANYWAY, so it was birthday party time last week.  I love parties and I can't have a small party.  BUT I have never had to plan a big "BIG kid" party.  It's a different type of party.  It should be "cool" and fun and ALWAYS something active.  Again, if you know me and my boys then you know it's always about GO GO GO.....and always "the more the merrier"!

So, my son wanted a pool party and wanted to invite everyone so we used our local pool and we did what he asked....pool party.  You don't have to do a lot for a pool party as the kids are swimming and having fun on their own so I didn't plan a lot of games.  I must interject here and say that my Mom is awesome at planning kids parties and kids games and knowing what kids like to do.  She gave that gift to me and I just realized it at this last party.  Thanks Mom! 


My Mommy doing what she loves...reading a book and sitting under her umbrella at the beach!

 Anyway, I had two organized games and even got to borrow the lifeguards bullhorn.  The first game was a boogie board relay race.  I had two teams and each team had about 6 two person racers.  The way it worked was two kids hung onto the board and kicked back and forth across the pool and the first team to have all their people race and back to the wall won.  I grouped the kids boys and girls so that there wasn't any "I like him", "I don't like her", "she's too slow", "he's too short", etc.  I think it worked out well and the kids really got into cheering their team on.  And the kids that weren't strong swimmers didn't have to feel uncomfortable about swimming because they had a teamate and they were hanging onto a board.  And I gave out prizes of water guns to the winning team.

The second game was a money dive.   My husband and I got about $30 in change, mostly pennnies but there was a little silver in there, too.  I spray painted 12 pennies in red paint and had "pool" related prizes for those 12 pennies.    We spread the money all over the shallow end and then gave the kids zip lock bags and let them lose.  It was lots of fun and the kids were allowed to keep the money they found.  We didn't have any injuries just one person who got out of the water crying so I guess it went well. 

I see Aggie from http://www.aggieskitchen.com/

Candy, Candy, Candy!

The last thing about the party that my son loved was the Candy Bar.  It was a bar set up with all his favorite candy.  Each child came up to the bar and filled their goody bags (chinese takout containers) with candy. 

In addition to the fun size candy bars, I made personalized candy bars with my son's pictures on them and some cute words.  They were so easy to make and everyone just loved them.....particulary my son. 

Who wouldn't want a candy bar that was named after you?  I made enough so each child could have one.  Here is the site to download the template.  Candy Bar Wrapper FREE Template  And I made sure the candy bar happened when it was time to go home so those sugar crazed kids went home to their parents!!!  : )

Anyway, my son said it was the best birthday ever and one of his classmates even told me that it was the "best day of their life".  Whoa.  Success!

I always prided myself on planning my little boys parties.  But I guess I can now say that I am good at planning big kids parties, too!  Happy Birthday to my lovey Christian!  Don't tell him I said that!