A good old hockey game

This year, there was really no question that we would be doing something hockey-related for Liam's birthday party. The plan fell perfectly into place after we spent a fun afternoon playing floor hockey at the Y a few months ago on a cold winter day. We decided to rent the gym for a floor hockey game as the main event at the party. After looking into the Y's birthday party packages a bit further, we also decided to rent the party room and the leisure pool for an hour apiece.
We started out playing hockey... having split the kids into two teams, Red Wings and Leafs, by virtue of dollar-store hats.
The kids were verrrry into it. Even the ones who don't play hockey. I cringed a little, because they were playing pretty aggressively and nobody was wearing pads. I don't think anyone's shins took too much of a beating, though... Mallory fell once and there were a few tears, but I think that was the extent of the injuries.
From there, with the game tied at 3-3, we moved into the party room. We originally had the party room booked after the pool, but there was a bit of a scheduling mess-up and the order of things changed. So we opened presents before we served 'dinner' at 4:30 p.m.
Liam really wanted the hats, after he saw Mallory's party hats. In some ways he is still very much a little boy. Got to hang onto that as long as we can.
Pizza, juice, fruit... and then it was time for cake. Liam had a hard time deciding exactly what kind of hockey cake he wanted. A stick? A puck? A jersey? We looked at lots of pictures on the internet but he did not like any of them - instead trying to describe what he wanted. I was worried that I wasn't 'getting it' and that he would be disappointed with what he got. But it all worked out in the end when he saw a hockey cake in a grocery store advertisement, and decided that it would be perfect. Problem very easily solved.
It tasted pretty good, too, despite the weirdo face you see here.
With full bellies and despite the fact that it is counter to everything your swimming lesson instructor ever taught you as a kid, we then hit the pool. There was a woman talking on a cell phone in the pool who didn't get out even after the lifeguard put up a sign indicating the pool was closeed for a private rental. About ten minutes in, I went over to her and told her, point blank, the pool was closed for a private event. She rolled her eyes at me and said, "I know. I am PART of the event. I am a GUEST at it." I looked her square in the eye and said, "I don't think so. I have this pool rented for my son's birthday party, and I don't know who you are." She rolled her eyes some more and gave some big sighs as she told whoever she was talking to that she had to deal with something, and she finally got out of the pool. I think I was supposed to feel bad for inconveniencing her... but I didn't.

And with that, Birthday Season 2012 is over. Well, at least until my big day rolls around in May. I wonder what is in store for me?? :)