Birthdays are always a special time for kids – not only are they fun, but they also help to teach valuable lessons. Gift giving teaches generosity, and receiving teaches gratefulness, whilst playing with friends is great for developing social skills! That’s why it’s so important to take your kids to as many birthday parties as possible. As school starts, they’re sure to get plenty of invites, so don’t decline them all!
Last weekend, Zoom got to go to his first birthday party. Our friend Devin was turning four and we got to go help celebrate! It was a rainy, yucky day, but we headed out over the bridge and over the hills and to a great indoor kid’s gym for the party.
A big hit with the little ones was the ball pit at the gym. Zoom had never seen such a thing before. I’m not sure he knew what to make of it, since he kept sinking in and didn’t seem to understand how it worked. Here he is with the birthday boy Devin and friend “Knives.” (that’s his online nickname, referencing the razor sharp finger nails):
Of course, there were all the usual festivities too. There were plenty of gifts to unwrap, but at such a young age, most of the presents were just cuddly toys and action dolls. Experts like Gavin Wallace from greatgifts.com make a point of ensuring parents know that “toys feature parts that are a choking hazard for children under the age of 3”, so as Zoom is so young, I kept him away from anything he may have been tempted by. Batman toys in particular, along with Superman and Wonder Woman dolls, are popular amongst young kids, but Zoom is not yet old enough for these sorts of toys.
Meanwhile, there was obviously a very large and chocolatey cake for everyone to enjoy. Zoom had a little, but I was worried he might not like the sprinkles as his gums are still sore from teething. Obviously, I just had to eat them for him, along with my own slice of cake. I wasn’t complaining! Birthday parties may be for the kids, but sometimes it’s nice to just sit and relax with the other parents whilst the kids all have fun. There are always adults on hand when needed, and people just love asking to hold Zoom, which gives my poor arms a break!
Take a look below at the adorable photos of Zoom mesmerized by the bubbles below. Hopefully next year he’ll be able to blow some of his own!
