December 16, 2005 - Friday
Tomorrow we will have a party for Harry's sixth birthday at our house with 10 little 5-6 year-olds running around, 12 if you count Harry and Jeremy. Tonight, however, for Harry's real birthday celebration it was just the four of us, with cupcakes and a few presents from family. Still, Harry knew it was his special day and acted like an excited and silly six-year-old (shown right reacting to being called a great grandson in a birthday card). He is at an age for making faces and acting goofy, much of which is certainly inspired by public kindergarten and the much larger variety of kids, personalities, and types of humor and silliness to which he is now being exposed. That's OK. He seems to be a happy boy who's been able to make friends at school and that's the most important thing.

Indeed, the silliness is wonderfully healthy and a pleasure to see, even if it can be quite trying for his parents at times; like when he's suppposed to be brushing teeth or setting the table. He's growing into being a boy and he's finding his own self, his humor, and is way to express himself. Underneath the silliness, Harry remains a thoughtful, often introspective boy, who is (usually) kind to his brother and classmates (according to all the information we get). And for that I am both glad and proud. I do wish, from time to time, that he were more forthcoming with his thoughts and feelings, particularly with any anxieties he might have at school, but who am I to talk about that? He is my son.

At six Harry's is his dinosaur phase, something which I believe is quite universal. I remember hearing once that for most people knowledge of dinosaurs peaks at two distinctly different points in life. The first is around age 6 or so, after which it is more often than not tucked away in the brain. The second heightened dinosaur awareness statistically occurs in the thirties, but it really has to do with when most adults have young children who, in turn, are enthralled by the idea of the ancient giant beasts. It's a stereotype that's working perfectly for Harry and me, albeit that I'm in my forties. I love this present (pictured right and left): this block on glued sand. Ideal for such aspiring paleontologists, it comes complete with those protective goggles, a pick and hammer, and a brush for delicately clearing away at the quite hard sand. After this evening's initial effort, I suspect it will take Harry a few sessions to uncover the "dinosaur fossil" buried inside. It's kind of a miniature, personal kid version of the dig at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, that will require, perhaps even teach, patience and persistence.

But more than dinosaurs, these days Harry is really obsessed by Star Wars and all things Star Wars. So, the party tomorrow will have a "Stars Wars" theme. I suppose it used to be trains that he was just as single-minded about a couple of years ago. Now, it's Star Wars and this is the hand-carved Darth Vader cake for the party (I think it came out pretty well, if I do say so myself). It's chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, of course. The eyes are peppermint patties and the mouth grill is pieces of a chocolate bar. The mouth corners are inside bits of peppermint. The contours are just re-purposed pieces of cake that I cut off the edges. I suppose there's probably a better way to do it, but it's want I came up with.


Comments, Opinions?