My six year old son is already making plans for his birthday…in April. Now that he is settling nicely into his new school and making friends at a rapid pace his thoughts are turning to his seventh birthday and his chance at holding his very first party.

His parties in the past have basically been limited to the family so that does not really count of course; the kids in France don’t really do birthday parties as we know them – they seem to all opt for the cheap and easy McDonalds route rather than have a party at home.

James wants an outdoor ‘do’ for his big number 7 and now that we have a nice little backyard I am racking my brains for a theme to plan around. I like the idea of an evening get together around six for him and his friends lasting around two hours – the novelty of having other people’s kids on your turf wears off after about an hour anyway so two would be long enough.

I’m thinking of the sales on right now and getting some discount outdoor lighting to hang outside as well as a way to rig up the stereo so that it plays music out in the yard. As kids these days have certain musical tastes – it pays to listen to what your kids like believe me – I will have to tread carefully in this area, I doubt my 80′s Micheal Jackson CD’s will cut it. That’s how you know you are aging – when your kids don’t recognise pre-op Micheal Jackson!