Well, yesterday my oldest was eight years old. I can remember having him like it wasyesterday. I always seem to get swamped in memories around their birthdays, even down to smells and colours. I wonder if that will always be?
He was up at the crack of dawn, typical kid!, and practically dragged everyone out of bed so he could open his pressies. He seemed quite chuffed with the difts he received, and he played well with them.
His friends started turning up for his party around 1.30 and we piled 10 kids and three adults into two cars for the hour drive ino Aberdeen, and The Boardwalk.
They played on the machines for a wee while, waiting for their shot in the Laser Tag. One of the staff was dressed up in The Scream mask, and he went in and chased them about, givin them scares with the luminous mask.
Half an hour and three injuries later (a twisted ankle, a scared of the dark/mask and an almost heat-stroke) and they started their 10-pin bowling; another half hour and they hit the meal-room where they were filled up with junk food and soft drinks.
The meal-room was excellent - all done up like the inside of a space ship with flashing lights and those electric things - you touch the glass and the electricity comes to your fingertips. Dunno what they're called.
Most of the staff were fantastic and really helpful - excellent with the kids and they seemed (on the whole) to be enjoying themselves as well.
At the end of it, they all were given a voucher and allowed to go to the shop to choose a 'gift'. Most of them chose a gun 
and a couple chose Slinkies.
Drove back to mine and they all piled out, only to pile back in one or two at a time so I could run them home, clutching party bags and still hyper on the afternoon.
Overheard comments:
"This was the best party I've ever been to - I never get good parties like this!"
"I'm having loads of fun with this gun. My Mum doesn't let me have guns" 
Anyway - the boy had fun, and it was worth every penny 
