The Best Birthday Party Ever!

It's hard to believe, dear readers (if, indeed, I have any readers), that FBS has been with us for three years. It seems like just yesterday that we were trying to figure out how to not break this tiny little thing that had come home with us from the hospital. (Actually, we tried our best - I got into a minor car accident on the way home from the hospital with Mrs. Packman and three-day-old FBS. That was fun.) At the same time, it is hard to imagine life without him, or even remember what is was like before his arrival.

So what's a dad to do when his oldest son has a birthday? Easy. He tries to put on the Best Birthday Party Ever. Easier said than done!

However, when your three year old son is as obsessed with firetrucks as mine is, and you volunteer with the local ambulance, the solution becomes obvious:

You have a firetruck birthday party!


As is the fashion these days, we sent off invitations to all of FBS' classmates at his preschool, and about a half dozen of them came over to our house on Sunday morning. (This was, of course, preceeded by much gnashing of teeth as as Mrs. Packman and I cleaned up for the guests).

After playing in the house for about a half and hour, flashing lights could be seen through the front windows, and we lined the kids up outside.



It's at this poit that one mother showed up with her daughter and got very concerned that perhaps the birthday candles had gotten out of control:

Friend's Mom: Is everything OK?
Packman: Yes, the firetruck is here for the party.
Friend's Mom: No way! My husband is going to be so mad that he's not here!

It was a big hit with the kids, too!

Waiting their turn

Riding in the truck

Mini-man got in on the action, too!

FBS comes to visit me at the ambulance service all the time, and he's obviously very comfortable in our ambulance!

The firefighters seemed to have a great time playing with the squeeling kids, and the kids were really pumped up to get to play on the truck. I was beginning to worry about how we'd get them all back inside for the rest of the party, but mother nature helped out and it started to rain. This was actually a good thing, as we told the kids the truck had to go before it got too wet, and they believed us.

So we all went back inside for pizza, followed by the traditional (for FBS) Doald Duck cake:


So, I want to give a big shout out and thank you to the Long Beach, NY, volunteer fire department for helping to make FBS' third birthday party a great success.

He sure thougth it was the Best Birthday Party Ever!

Fire Chief