party animal

james turned 5 with vigor. it wasn't just another day. it was a whole event.
on his birthday, we went to his favorite pizza place, which also happens to be a vintage arcade.


the pizza is fine, the whole place is filthy and grimy, and it makes james so happy. he went straight to the air hockey table (also my favorite thing at rossi's),
 

had some pizza, and then loaded his pockets with quarters and headed for the arcade room. but.... he didn't get far. even though this was not his first time to rossi's, it was the first time that he noticed the small amount of KISS themed decor. he saw KISS. he froze. he stared down at his shoes, and said "i need to go home right now." david took him out the car where he told david about the KISS sighting and how he would, under no circumstances, go back into rossi's. i like his instincts.


so we went home, had cupcakes and candles,


shot glowcopters into the nighttime sky (so. much. fun),


and gave james all things ninja and pokemon. it was an asian themed gift event, to be sure. (glowcopters=made in china.)



but the party didn't end then. nope. his grandparents came on saturday to have an afternoon of together time. they brought him a bullhorn, or voice changer machine, or whatever it's called. all i know is they brought a lot of joy for that little boy. (no surprise: these are the same people that gave him a bugle last year, and he still plays it daily).

and the next day, it was school-friend party time. james invited several friends from school to join him at an indoor trampoline park, which is exactly what it sounds like. they jumped and jumped and jumped and sweated and played HARDCORE dodgeball.



david did some sweet tricks,


and then we all had cake. who is that on the cake, you ask? why, that's rainbow man. art commissioned by james, executed by me. rainbow man is a super hero with all the powers, and wears an outfit similar to the flash, but in rainbow colors.


happy fifth birthday, tiny guy.