Daycare birthdays look a little different when you're 11. About 6 months ago, as we were planning our family vacation, Max requested that we be "on vacation" during his birthday. I set it up so we would be at the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame on his birthday. That was all fine and dandy, with a side of excitement, until Elizabeth's birthday rolled around. He must have seen how much fun she had during her daycare birthday, that that evening Max requested that he have his birthday at home now.
Well, those hotel reservations I booked back in winter weren't refundable (and our vacation dates unmovable), so we settled on celebrating his birthday early. Not only did he want to celebrate his birthday with daycare friends, but he also wanted all of his gifts! No big deal because they were all things for him to use during our trip. So, Sunday night we set up his table filled with gifts (and surprise gifts from Lauren--how cute are those road trip caddys for the minis to use??!!?).
When I asked Max what he wanted to do for his birthday, he replied, "I don't care." So we did a lot of I don't caring. We watched whatever he wanted to watch, he continued to help with the younger kiddos, he played outside, played board games, and listened to his play list. He refused to play a song on the piano or violin, but he did dance to music (no pictures because he hid whenever I came into the room). All in all, it was a typical day, that featured extra sugar and carbs because, well, kids.
I was happy we had leftover cupcakes from their Birthday Bash and Max requested that his birthday "have no theme." Unlike H and Lil who had a Hollywood theme and an island theme for their days. I really wanted to make a completely white cake and put white sheets/coverings all over the walls so he could have a "no theme birthday," but I'm quite certain that would have brought him to tears.
He got a table tennis set. We spent a lot of time taking turns and teaching the younger ones how to play.
Snuggles for the birthday boy. They weren't exactly appreciated....
There's kind of this thing with all of the school age kids that goes something like, "who's in charge of baby Andrew?" That would be me, but the kids think they have a handle on it. Since it was Max's birthday he got to be "in charge" which means Andrew stood up to play at the train table and jump on Max's belly.
Pancakes and mini donuts for dinner on the living room floor. Sometimes it's the little things the minis love the most.