A couple of years ago, AJC was obsessed with the fear of getting older. Looking for reassurance, he would say to me a hundred times a day, “I never want to grow up.” or “I’m not going to get any older, right?” However, it looks like he has gotten over this fear because he couldn’t wait to turn 8. The reason he was so excited is because his ultimate role model is 8 years old- Kevin McAllister. That’s right, the genius behind AJC’s favorite movie, Home Alone. So when it came time to plan his birthday party, he knew exactly what he wanted. In fact he became obsessed with planning his Home Alone themed party complete with the opportunity to work with his friends to draw a battle plan, set traps, and try to defend the home against the Wet Bandits (lovingly played by Papi and our dear friend).
Considering last year’s party was cancelled due to the quarantine, I had to oblige. We did try to keep it small by only inviting his classmates (and their siblings) and not their parents. The kids couldn’t wait for a parent free party. We started the party by “training” the kids to defend the house. They had to “pin the fire on Harry,” try to shoot Marv between the eyes with a air soft gun and hit Harry in the head with a paint can. When they were trained, they were given a map of the house, a box of materials, and 30 minutes to set up their traps. At the stroke of 5:30, the Wet Bandits tried to invade and dramatically fell for each one of their clever traps. The kids made their final escape from the house on our newly installed zip-line across the pool to safety.
Afterward, the kids enjoyed homemade cheese pizza and the movie. I have to say, this might have been our most epic party yet. Despite our completely trashed house, the most important thing is that AJC got to realize his vision and embody Kevin McAllister for the day.
The next day we had a second smaller party with some of our Pedasi friends. It was a simple beach gathering that involved tide pooling, cupcakes and a piñata.
Every reason to celebrate our special kiddo who somedays can still act like a toddler and other days like a teenager. Time if flying fast, but we have the privilege of supporting him as he continues to develop into a bright, curious, imaginative, loving being. Everyday with him is a challenge and a joy, and we can’t wait to see what this year brings.
Family Stoke 