Bennett's Fireman Birthday Party

Our good friend Mike is a fireman. I have had this idea for a couple of years to have a fireman birthday party, with Mike as the guest of honor. I wanted to do it last year, but Mike was out of town for Bennett's birthday. So, I scheduled Mike weeks in advance this year, and was able to have the fireman birthday party of my dreams. True, Bennett kept telling me that he wanted a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles party (can you believe they are making a comeback?), but I just told him that it was too bad, he was having a fireman party. And he did. And it was fun. Atleast, I thought it was fun.

I kept the decor simple, just a yellow and red theme.





Fireman Mike started us off with a demonstration of fireman gear and a little fire safety instruction.




Mike asked for a volunteer to get dressed up in his extra set of gear. Bennett wanted nothing to do with it. So Ellery volunteered.



Then we took the kids to the backyard for some firefighting training. First there was the water brigade:




And then the Fireman Relay. It took some convincing to get the kids to put on the hat and coat. Most kids just went for one of the other. And some kids went for neither:






Once the kids had completed their training, they earned their fireman hats and badges. Then we headed back to the front to play Musical Firetrucks on the driveway. It was a little strange that I hadn't found a great song to play to ahead of time, so we played to the first song on the CD that was in the CD player, which just happened to be "Called to Serve." But the kids didn't seem to mind.



Then we played Pin the Balloon on the Firetruck. They kids may have been able to see through the blindfold. They all did really well.



Then we took a break from the sun and went inside to open presents. Bennett got way too much stuff. He did get some Ninja Turtle stuff, so it was sortof a Ninja Turtle party.



After presents, it was back outside for lunch -- hotdogs (get it, fire=hot, hot dogs), chips, and juice pouches. Total choas, even with the help of 8 other adults. Trying to feed 15 2-5 year olds in 10 minutes was a bit crazy.



Then we sang to Bennett and he pretended to blow out the candle, since we couldn't get it to stay lit.





Then we fed 15 kids cake and ice cream in 10 minutes.




For the last five minutes of the party, I distributed goody bags, and then the kids took turns hitting the firetruck pinata. After everyone had gone once, we let Bennett have at it.




He wasn't having much luck breaking it, and the crowd was getting restless, so I ended up just turning it over and dumping out the contents. The children swarmed.




And then we sent them on their way. I think the party was a success, largely due to Mike. He was so cute with the kids and such a big help the entire party. He brought all the fireman gear and the hats and badges for the kids. He brought over his grill, and cooked all the hotdogs for us. And he did all of this for a couple of Brats and some rootbeer. What a friend!

I still have a fully intact firetruck pinata if anyone wants to use it and throw their own Fireman Birthday party.

ps -- Reagan was up in her bed sleeping the entire party. I felt a little bad that she missed the party, but can't imagine doing all we did, and trying to keep track of her also. So it was a blessing that she slept.