Celebrating Double Digits

Aidan turned 10 on April 30.

One of my random thoughts: This might be the last year he can say he's taller than his sister (she's 7).

We asked him to write in his journal what he wanted to do for his birthday. His response:

I want to invite Ethan, Jamie, Sam, Luke, John and I want to go to Chuckie's or a restaurant or both and then we could go home and do stuff. We could go play "sports" and real sports outside. Then we could do presents and cake. It would be on a Saturday and the Friday before, we could play Starcraft. maybe would be an ice-cream sandwich cake like the one I had the other year. For a present, I want something that I really like. Then we will play games and do fun things.

Ginger and I are happy to say, three days later, Aidan got his wish.

Act I. Friday, Aidan and I went to the Sears home so Aidan could play Magic The Gathering. It was Aidan, Rosina and Tauailelagi (they're Samoan) versus Samanu, Philip and Ytzak. With the exception of learning that our deck was stacked (too many rare creatures), we felt good knowing that our understanding of the rules was solid. 

Act II. The second act is always the meatiest. You delight in the appetizer (Act I), but you feast on the main course (Act II). Aidan invited 7 friends to a sports-themed party we held in the gym at 402 Longwood Drive, 5 of whom came: Jamie, Luke, Sam, Ethan, and Kevin. A few highlights:

• Being such a small guy, I was surprised Aidan held his own in a reverse tug of war with a cage ball. He & Ethan teamed up against Sam & Jamie. (Ethan believed in Aidan so much that he took a break from the action in the picture below.) They also played a cage ball game where they laid on their backs in a circle and kicked the ball around; kickball (4-4 tie); and the crowd favorite, pivot ball -- a variant of dodge ball where one player wins by getting everyone else out.

• My mom and dad didn't just come to the party, they brought along a vortex cannon to help Aidan blow out the candles on his cake.

•  My biggest surprise was the kids didn't eat their tots. Bullies in Idaho beg for tots! Yes, I know they wanted to get back to pivot ball, but we're talking about tiny, crispy chunks of heaven here. (also: hot dogs and root beer)

Act III. Aidan and daddy got to play Starcraft. And he (and an AI) beat me for the first time!

P.S. To make this more like one of my diary entries when I was in sixth grade, I have to tell you what we ate. Japanese hibachi on Friday night. No, it was not this place. Chinese buffet in Orland Park on Saturday. We still owe a meal at Wendy's for Aubrie.