A big party!

We don't typically have huge birthday parties but five stands out as a pretty big birthday to me.  You're moving on from "little" kid to "little-big" kid.  I've already started seeing so many changes in Alex's face, just about the same age I saw the changes in Ajay. 
Ajay had a big pirate themed 5th birthday party and since we still had all the set up for it (thanks to a previous neighbor gifting us a whole box full of goodies years ago) we asked Alex if he would like a big pirate themed party, too.
Alex knows a lot of kids and I would've loved to invite so many more to help us celebrate.  However, we kept it to inviting the new neighbors and a few others.  We still ended up with 20 children and their parents. 
I usually try to make the cakes for the boys but this year I gave the responsibility to a professional.

The inside was marble flavored.  Alex's choice :)

Biju set up the outside decorations while I worked on the inside.  We had 4 "stations" for the kids to rotate around.  A sand table, a pirate ship ring toss game, checkers and an "arts and crafts" area.  I went to a parent/teacher resource center and used their die press to cut out paper ships and let the kids use their imaginations as to how to use them.  We threw in some chips, pop and a cake and called it a party!

PHOTO BOMB!

Sand Station:

Kyleigh with her sand castle, a flag standing up in the center, and a shield to guard it.

Alex with some party goers.

Aren wearing the sand.

Ring Toss Station:

Okay, this looks more like the pop station, but all of those people - except the little kid eating chips - were gathered around the ring toss game.

Checkers Station:

This is actually a combination checkers station plus the ship craft.

Arts and Crafts Station:

A few of the finished projects.

Then cake, gifts and more playing - this time with the opened presents!  (Alex got a lot of sports themed/outside toys - perfect for him!)

Did I mention we surprised Alex by inviting his favorite friend from his old pre-school class??

Aren chatting up the neighbors.

I crocheted (20) pirate eye patches as part of Alex's thank-you-for-coming gift bags.  They also all got a Tootsie Pop and some pirate tattoos.

All that was left of the cake after the party. 

Alex and cousin Logan conked out solid that night!  Ajay had gone across the street to enjoy his first sleepover.

This one slept pretty good, too! Notice he's got one sock on, one sock off?  That seems like it's becoming a habit of his.

Bright eyed and bushy tailed the next day!