We had planned well in advance for this birthday, and so my parents and my sister and nephew were able to come for the event. I had made the invitation to my sister somewhat jokingly -- to see if her husband would come and help with Jedi Training Camp for Oliver's birthday -- and she happily surprised me by saying they'd love to come if possible. This is the first time any of my family has been in town for one of the kid's birthdays. We usually don't make a big thing out birthdays, so it's not something worth traveling for. And none of their birthdays happen over a break of any kind. But this was fun. And exciting. And extremely well planned (I mean, my sister and I were doing, so of course). And so we were all able to come together on what turned out to be an absolutely beautiful fall day.
Oliver's actual birthday was on a Thursday. The night before he and Emmeline helped me make sugar cookies shaped like the ships in Star Wars (thank you, Williams Sonoma for the cookie cutters) for him to take for snack the next day. He also got to wear his Little Mermaid Ariel birthday shirt. On Thursday morning, Wes and I let him open one gift since Wes was not going to be home that evening. He opened his Yoda watch, which he also proudly wore to school. We measured him on the stick that shows his height at each birthday, and his growth from last year was pretty clear. (He'd been to the pediatrician the day before for his well-child checkup, and I learned there he'd grown almost 3 inches in the last year). 
That afternoon, after a huge thunderstorm that wracked the city during go-home traffic, Oliver got the Skype with aunt and uncle and cousins in Florida while he opened up their gift, a Lego Star Wars book that he now looks at every evening before bedtime. Grandma Kay came over to have dinner with us, as well as a small ice cream cake I got from Ben and Jerry's. We wore party hats, sang happy birthday, and Oliver opened his gifts from her -- two Star Wars action figures. And at the end of the night, after all the excitement was over, he went to sleep on his new Star Wars sheets. (Are you seeing the theme here?)
Friday saw the beginning of several days of beautiful weather. My parents arrived in town in the early afternoon, and Laura and Maddox arrived by plane a few hours later. A few of us took Oliver to baseball practice, followed by dinner. Laura and I sat up late into the evening making light sabers out of pool noodles and duct tape, naming our light saber moves for training camp, and coming up with ideas for the few activities and making a schedule to get ready the next day. My mom made the chocolate cupcakes and icing. And fortunately everyone fell asleep easily. Saturday was a busy day. Wes and my dad took Oliver to his baseball game while my mom baked the birthday cake and iced it, and Laura and I got the backyard ready for about a dozen of Oliver's friends and their parents. The kids had a brief rest after naptime, and we got the balloons up on the mailbox just in time for the first birthday guests to arrive. My mom made Oliver a real Jedi robe for this birthday, and he wore it during his party. (Actually, Oliver wore Emme's, which she was afraid of. The length was better for him running around. And I wore Oliver's.) When the kids arrived, they colored Star Wars pictures at the picnic table and played on the new swing set. Then Laura and I ran Jedi training camp. We taught the kids three moves -- the swing and slash, the step and stab, and the no-look toss and turn. (I included the last one because I thought it would be hilarious to see the kids trying to master it!) All of them were really into it. Some had donned their training tunics that Laura cut out of brown fabric earlier in the day, and they all looked adorable with their green light sabers.
Once camp was done, we went on our first mission around the front of the house to find Stormtroopers. Laura and I had hung black and white balloons on our trees with Stormtrooper faces on them, and the kids used their new skills to beat them into submission. When we were making the turn around the front of the house towards the back, where the balloons were hung, my dad growled at the kids from back by the trees, and two of the little guys were ready to turn back and find their moms! The second mission was an obstacle course, and at the end of the course was a basket with lots of items, including pictures of Princess Leia. So the kids had to complete the course and "save the princess." The third mission was to shoot water with a water pump through either a hula hoop or, for those skilled enough, one of our baby floats, both hanging from a tree limb. We told the kids they were practicing their X-Wing shooting skills so they could blow up the Death Star like Luke did.
The finale of the planned activities was the kids using the Jedi force to get the garage door to open. Behind it was one of our friends, dressed as a Darth Vader with his red light saber. He came out, and the kids who weren't ready to run in fear pummeled him with blows! We had to finally stop them, lest Sean suffer actual damage. They thought it was great.
Afterwards, we did cake and ice cream. The kids could choose between the dark side (chocolate cupcakes) or the light side (vanilla cake). I'd asked people not to bring presents, which meant the kids could just enjoy themselves (and he got plenty of gift anyway, including two Lego Star Wars sets from Aunt Laura). The kids all played for another 20 minutes or more before their parents hauled them off, probably good because the level of light saber play was getting a bit violent for me. Clean up was quick and easy, and everyone was excited to put their feet up and watch college football until bedtime.
It was thrilling to watch Oliver at his very first party. He was gracious, though he did start to melt down by the end, likely very tired after the baseball game, no nap, and then anticipation of the party. He can be a little socially awkward in new settings, but he does great with those he already knows. I cannot say that I'm in disbelief at having a five year old. I've seen him grow from a tiny baby to a happy toddler to a thoughtful preschooler, and I know just where the time has gone. And I cannot say I'd wish him back to babyhood. He was my easiest, for sure, but it's just too much fun getting to talk to him, see him learn, and enjoy his fresh perspective on the world. Happy birthday, Buddy Jeeps. I can't wait to see what the next year bring us!
