And in other News . . .

I am a bad mommy. I accept this and understand my limitations. But I am trying. Tuesday, while we were all still reeling over the bishopness that has overtaken our lives (when will I not be reeling? Good question.), Z turned seven. I knew this. We planned for the family celebration to happen on Sunday, while my out of town parents were still here and then, so that his actual birthday wouldn't be a total wash, we had his friend party on the precise anniversary of his birth. And, like the space cadet I sometimes am, this is one of only 2 pictures I have of Z celebrating his birthday--either day. So, I'll tell you. Summer birthdays with boys after a certain age, are fabulously easy. Water is the answer. We had pizza and cupcakes and icecream after school (well for the kids, unlike ours who are not on track break) and then I handed each boy a super soaker purchased on Target's end of summer clearance, a splat ball, some water balloons and told them to jump in the pool. And that was the end of my orchestration of said party. It was great. CE wasn't quite as jazzed about the whole thing because the boys chose to train their guns on her as resident sitting duck for about 1/2 hour and she got pelted a bit. But for everyone else, it was a delightful party and I didn't have to do a thing, which was good because I couldn't manage one more thing. Oh, and I have to tell you a beautiful thing about Z: He doesn't like big parties. Our family rule has been one guest for each year you are old, but he hasn't reached that guest list ceiling since he was 3. Three seems to be the perfect number of guests in his mind. I coaxed him up to four guests this year, but one boy didn't make it, so Z was perfectly happy with his party of three friends yet again. Beautiful, just beautiful. Oh, and in case you couldn't tell, the cake is Kung Fu Panda--at Z's request and with a label saying as much in case no one else could tell either.