Operation: Surprise Birthday Party

It has been a busy few weeks around the Perez Casa. Tony's birthday is November 25th, which means this year it falls on Thanksgiving Day. Since I feel it is unfair to have to share your birthday with a major holiday, I decided we would have a party to celebrate my favorite person a few days early.

After much planning with our family to get everyone here and get Tony out of the house for a few hours I was so excited for the big moment. Lights off...door opens... lights come on and a loud shout "SURPRISE"!!! It was perfect. We spent some time eating, chatting and having fun as a family.

You can imagine how great I was feeling about myself by the time dinner was finishing up. I couldn't believe we actually pulled this party off! As I was putting candles on the delicious looking chocolate cake with chocolate icing, I was basking in my success and couldn't help but just smile.

We gather everyone around the table as I light the candles and turn the lights off for a traditional singing of Happy Birthday. The song starts and I take approximately 2 steps toward the table, when all of a sudden the cake starts to feel a bit heavy on one end. Maybe it is because of all those push ups I did yesterday that seem to be making me weak?!? Nope, that's not it- oh yea, it is because I left the base of the cake on the plastic container bottom instead of taking it off and the cake was now falling. As if it was slow motion I see the cake start to just fling forward. I hear myself scream, try to pull back, but the inevitable happens... The whole cake, with candles flickering and all, falls right on top of a poor sweet 1st grader, Jordan.

For some reason everyone stopped singing (rude) and as the light comes on- I see half of the cake is on Jordan and the other half is on the floor. Thank goodness nobody was hurt! I look down at the mess on the floor and after working with kids for so long- We went with the 5 second rule- Tony picks up the cake and it was served to the little people.

Although some would be embarrassed by this, I was even more proud of myself. A child was almost burned in my house but ended up being safe (I think that makes me a hero) and I still managed to save a whole chocolate cake (Super Hero).

I can tell you this- it was certainly a party that will not be forgotten for some time, especially by Jordan... Who I am pretty sure is set up for therapy @ 9:00 tomorrow morning.