6th birthday

For the longest time, birthday parties were (and sometimes still are) a struggle for Thomas.  They are a recipe for sensory overload- noisy, chaotic, filled with silly games, loud music and overly excited children running around.  We love to celebrate birthdays in our family, but are very sensitive to Thomas's needs.  We have always done a family party, but last year was the first year he felt ready for a friend birthday party.  We only invited a few close friends of his and got his input on everything he wanted/did not want as far as games, activities, etc.  This year we did the same thing, but he really wanted to invite the whole class.  I was hesitant, but he has made so much progress this year, that I thought he could handle it.  We always do parties at home, because it is where he feels most comfortable.  Our goal is to plan a party that he would have fun at given his sensory limits and personality.  He is a big fan of Star Wars, so that was our theme this year.  Being a former event planner, I love to plan parties, and had a great time coming up with birthday games with Thomas.  My husband was even able to borrow a Darth Vader costume from a guy he works with, which was such a fun surprise for Thomas and his friends.  He was a little nervous when guests first showed up, because he was getting a lot of attention and questions thrown at him, but he warmed up rather quick.  He was talking and playing within a few minutes.  Such a fun day!