Angry Birds.

The morning of J. How's real birthday was fabulous!

There were balloons ... streamers ... a Happy Birthday banner ...

and presents ... that were opened right after breakfast! Fun that I bought this book Tuesday months ago ... a book with no words but crazy pictures (just perfect for How's wild imagination) and had no idea his birthday happened to fall on ... Tuesday.

We even had a bit of cake too ...

And what does every five year old need ... a new red bike ... and he LOVES it!

Now I just need to find his helmet!

And for How's birthday party. Well. How hasn't had a "real" party since he was one and I'm pretty sure he doesn't remember that one. So this year ... for the BIG FIVE ... I promised a party. And How knew what kind of party he wanted for MONTHS. And he never once changed his mind ... he wanted an Angry Birds party.

And since I searched and searched for any other child in all of creation who had an Angry Birds birthday party and had a mom who blogged about it ... and found NOTHING ... I decided to just be brave and create something on my own.

For those of you who don't know about Angry Birds ... here's the jist: The birds had eggs. The green pigs stole the eggs. Thus ... the birds are now angry. The pigs hide/place themselves in various structures and the birds sling shot themselves into the structures to take revenge on the pigs. And ... try to get the eggs back.

So ... we made pigs. We made structures. We ordered sling shots (at the last minute from the BEST company in Illinois who called me and promised they'd be here in time) ...

How waited and waited for his "customers" to arrive ... wearing his Angry Birds shirt.

My grandparents got here first and How explained the Angry Birds concept to them ... I think my grandpa looks a bit concerned ... or confused?

The party started off by giving everyone a chance to let out some steam. Or aggression.

By crushing Oreos for the dirt pudding.

Some of the kids liked it. Others were ... less than thrilled.

Then it was sling shot time.

Number one rule. Put on your hat. Number two rule. Don't poke anyone's eyeballs out. That pretty much covered it.

The dads gladly .. er ... were persuaded to assist in the marshmallow sling shot festivities ..

It was serious business.

And as a back up ... we had rockets to shoot.

And as another back up ... we had a marshmallow throwing free for all ...

I think that option went over the best.

Then it was present opening time. Think How loves these jammies just a tad?

And cake eating time. And yes. This was after the dirt pudding consumption. But in my defense ... I read an article the other day that stated sugar highs are not accurate. Children who are crazy at parties are way more likely to be wild due to the other crazies they are chasing than the sugar. So ... that made me feel better :)

Ben's mom made the cake ... complete with a birds, a slingshot, green pigs, a pig stealing an egg ... a nest ... it was AMAZING!

And delicious!

And in How's own words, "This was the bestest party I ever had!" I'll wait a little while to tell him it was the only one he's ever had. But why burst his bubble.

Happy Birthday, Joshua Howard. FIVE? Seriously? Oh. And this year. I told How the story of the day he was born. And he found it HILARIOUS that he broke a bone of mine on his way into the world. Couldn't stop laughing for ten minutes. Glad somebody thought it was funny :) My tailbone remembers it a bit differently.