It seems that we unintentionally set in place a tradition after Harvey’s mammoth birthday bash last year. Despite the fact that we were attempting to make up for a belated celebration (due to moving house) and a missed magnitude of parties in the past, when it came time to plan for Harvey’s big day, it remained, well, huge.

I have one rule when it comes to birthday themes – I don’t do them twice. But it seems that my youngest son is adept at getting around these rules, given that I’ve now done two Mario parties (one for Eli and one for Harvey) and somehow agreed that a Luigi party was different enough to get past the goalie.

Following the delayed birthday parties of Hudson and Ivy, Dave had the manic idea that we should host all of the events in one week in April. Hudson’s was on the Sunday, Ivy’s on the Wednesday and Harvey rounded off the insanity on the Friday. There was a moment there when I was driving the kids down to Somerville Recreation Centre and crazy-eyed ranting to anyone who would listen about the fact that ‘I just don’t think I can be nice to anyone right now, let alone host a party!’ We got into the venue and I was repeating this passionately to Dave when our first guests came wandering in. Of course, there’s nothing like a bit of social pressure to bring out the good manners so back on came the polite face and off we went.

Inviting two classes worth of kids is always just a little too much, but the younger the year level, the more bonus guests are included. There’s the parents who aren’t quite sure if they should leave their child for two hours, the younger siblings who eye the lolly table with undisguised glee and the older siblings who reservedly join in the fun, shooting daggers to their parents and wishing they were anywhere else. Our elder three helped out a little, but let’s be honest, attending a Grade 2 birthday party isn’t exactly at the top of their wishlist either.

Dave donned the invisible cloak of Party Maestro and ran a host of games with boatloads of prizes. There was also basketball for the keen, which helped to regulate the wild-eyed sugar-highs of those who grabbed fistfuls of lollies from the table. I pottered around in the silence of the kitchen while they were on the courts, marvelling at the ability to hear my own thoughts again. I prepped the hot dogs (a must for any Harvey occasion), ordered the pizzas and heated the meat pies. The Luigi cake (a recipe which I had now perfected thanks to the previous two parties) was really the only true nod to the party theme in the end. Well, that plus the colour-coded balloons.

When the kids came back in, the food disappeared in record time and they loudly sang Happy Birthday to our boy. His eyes were bright with excitement the entire time and he relished getting the chance to celebrate with a crowd again. The incredible generosity of his friends again blew us away as we hauled home the boot-full of gifts and he marvelled at each one.

On the day of Harvey’s actual birthday there was another big event – a joint bash with his 19 year old cousin at our place, plus the extended familiy Easter celebration. Everyone brought oodles of food and I made yet another cake to mark the occasion. Dave, being Dave, decided that Harvey needed yet another special outing, so he took him, along with Ivy and Eli to Legoland as one final hurrah.

I think we can safely say that we have redressed the imbalance of the birthday deficit for our 8 year old now. Although, with Harvey’s reasoning abilities, he may just sneak another one or two through. After all, what are birthdays for if not for gathering all of your favourite people and going a little crazy for a bit.

This year Harvey has relished the challenge of Grade 2 and has declared this teacher to be his favourite so far. He has a wonderful group of friends and has had a brief break from basketball to try out soccer which he turned out to be very good at, but the timing/teams didn’t quite align in the end. This year he has started officially learning the piano and has picked it up with remarkable ease, to the point where he can now sightread music and play entire pieces. His enduring love of puzzles continues and his love of Super Mario has only intensified, particularly when he was able to use his savings and birthday money to purchase the new Switch 2. We are looking forward to seeing what amazing skills and experiences Harvey collects in the coming year of his life!

…

Dear Harvey,

Your smile is like a sunrise and I can’t help but brighten at the thought of it. You beam and throw warmth on everyone you meet and hook us all in with your contagious laughter. Sometimes you can be a thunderstorm, overtaken by dark clouds of frustration, but the light of reason always breaks through after a spell.

A challenge is right up your alley, as long as it is pitched correctly, and you pick up puzzles, strategy and games with surprising speed. Your love of reading is a foundational piece that has unlocked so much for you already and will continue to glue together your learning and insight. I love having conversations with you and hearing about what you are thinking. You have uttered the most surprising statements since the beginning, the moment you could form words and sentences.

Hold fast to what is true and of God. Embrace the beauty that life has to offer and charge headfirst into growth opportunities. Even when circumstances are challenging or you don’t immediately come out on top, know that if you tread water in the deep end, your strength will build and your resilience improve. Life isn’t built to be easy, and that’s okay.

We delight in your company and marvel at what’s in store for you. May your paths be every aligned with the One who made you and equipped you with gold. Hold fast to Him and His ways and you will be made whole.

With boundless love,

Mum and Dad