Another beautiful, snowy morning in Kobe

Second time this year!

Birthday Boy

Our baby boy turned six years old yesterday!

His big day started with his kindergarten birthday celebration.  He had really been looking forward to this.  I went to school to join the party.  It was very sweet.  I was really impressed by how special they make the birthday child feel and with how they incorporate kindergarten curriculum into the event.

Before we could get to the birthday party, however, we met for morning assembly to celebrate Setsubun, or the bean-throwing festival.  The whole lower school went out on the field to throw beans at the grade six students, who were wearing oni (demon) masks.

Back in montessori, Beaver takes his place up front as the honored child.

When he got home after school, I had filled the living room with balloons.  This has become Beaver's birthday tradition over the past couple of years.

He requested spaghetti and meatballs for his birthday dinner, but he just couldn't wait any longer after dinner to open his presents, so we took a present-opening break before birthday cake.

He asked for chocolate cake, which I made, but I thought it would be fun to surprise him with a ninjago cake.  I should have asked.  He was initially disappointed because "it's not all chocolately!"  I think he liked the cake well enough after he had some time to adjust.  

Happy happy birthday darling boy!

In lieu of a party with friends, I decided that we would do a special fun family activity the day after Beaver's birthday, since it fell on a Friday this year.  I'll try to follow up with a post about our activity today, but I'm emotionally spent, and just not up to writing about it tonight.  Suffice to say, it was a total bust!