The Festival of Birth started on Thursday at school. Both got to wear the ceremonial headgear of the five-year-old, and participate in the ritual extinguishing of the felt candles:



The next day we had Birthday Party Number One: Bumper Bowling. When we arrived Claire led Cameron in an interpretive dance, using mylar balloons as props:



Then came the actual bowling. When you don't roll the ball all that hard you have plenty of time to sit down and chat with your friends.



Unless of course you're Jake. Check out the form on this kid - you can tell that both his parents are from Buffalo, New York.



Cameron and I both check to make sure that people are watching while he bowls:



Cameron celebrates and Claire waits patiently for the ball to get all the way to the pins:



Birthday Cake Number One: The Bowling Cake. A vision in white frosting, complete with miniature bowling ball and pins:



I refuse to put my children on a pedestal, but putting them on a folding table is no big deal.



In a move that would surely please Miss Manners, Cameron opens the card first.





Birthday Party Number Two was the next day at home.

Claire is all dressed up and ready to greet her guests:



Grandaddy Rupert checks out the bounce house



We convinced a friend who does magic as a hobby to come and perform for the kids. He was very good - the kids were all totally entranced with his tricks.



Here's Birthday Cake Number Two (a): A heart-shaped strawberry cake with white icing. Katy baked and decorated this one.



And Bifthday Cake Number Two (b): A sheet cake decorated with Hot Wheels construction equipment and a fire boat. Katy "only" decorated this one. The "dirt" on the cake is ground-up Thin Mints. Oh the humanity!





And then, the Actual Birthday. The kids requested coffee cake for breakfast, so I suppose this counts as Birthday Cake Number Three:



I told you we spoiled them.



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