More Birthday Fun

Thursday morning, Mitch decided we should have a BIG spaghetti dinner for RJ's 5th birthday. HE sent out a message to some of RJ's friends in the building and then got to work on cooking a lot of spaghetti. At 5:30, we gathered int eh large meeting room to celebrate the happiest 5 year old I know.

Sara, RJ and Kimi at the head of the table.
Michiko, Miho and Sohpie sitting down to enjoy some spaghetti, salad and garlic bread/
More of those who could come help celebrate.
Then it was time for cake (RJ was dying to open presents so I suggested we have cake and ice cream first.)A short clip to see RJ blowing out his candle.
the happy Hammes family!

It was finally present time.
Kimi got him a poster with the Japanese alphabet (hiragana and katakana)
and a book that sings some Japanese children songs.
Sophie and her mom got RJ a head band (it says Japan in Kanji), a koala, and a t-shirt.
Miho, made RJ a really cool 3-d card. She also gave him a piano book that sings Japanese songs and teaches to play the songs on the piano. She also made him a Anpanman backpack.
Michiko made RJ (and Sara) several candy necklaces. She also made him a chocolate cake and decorated it with Pooh's face in powered sugar.

RJ, Michiko, Miho and Merry
Marie and Trisha checking out RJ's new toys
Trisha got RJ some wooden Japanese toys.
This is harder than it looks. You stack the 4 colored wooden disks with the brown head on top and you have to knock the body pieces out from under without letting the head fall.

RJ got pretty good at it. You'll have to ask him to show you how when we get home.

Miho teaching RJ and Kimi how to play the piano book.

It was a great party!! Thank you to all those who could come help RJ celebrate his big birthday. And a special thanks to Mitch for all the cooking and prep work you did during the day.

***The day before*** RJ wanted to start his birthday early, so on Wednesday night, we went down to daddy's English class and brought some chocolate cupcakes with us in hopes that daddy's students would want to sing happy birthday.

One of his students, Keiko, presented RJ with a gift.

RJ was so excited!! He loves driving it around in the apartment. Maybe this weekend we will take it to the parking lot next door.