Misha turns 10!

Happy birthday, Misha! On April 6, our not-so-little boy turned 10. And we're pretty sure he's the best 10-year-old around. 

For his birthday, we decided on a classic party in our apartment park with hot dogs, cake, lemonade, and old-school games like a water-balloon toss, an egg race and a three-legged race. On the evening of the party, we were greeted with swarms of kids. Misha had invited several kids from school, but only two of them were able to make it (Allison and Denise). We could hardly turn away the eager faces of all the kids who watched us setting up, so we welcomed everyone. It was chaotic and loud and crazy - but it turned out quite well, especially considering we hadn't been counting on a group of 15-plus.

We started with an Easter egg hunt, and moved along to a water-balloon toss:

Then the egg and spoon race, using big soup spoons first, then normal spoons:

And then the three-legged race, thanks to some masking tape:

Bubble-blowing:

And onto the food! Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and cake...

Somehow during the course of the all the events, someone had fallen into the cake and left their handprint. 

Singing, cake and presents!

By the time the party was over, it was already quite dark, and we went home to give Misha our own presents: a real Newton's Cradle and a plasma ball. He loved them.

A few other random pictures:

Owning a snake means we get to play with cute little mice, if only for a short time.

Like an ancient Greek play, I will show you only the effects of the violence, not the violence itself: Slither the snake, after fitting the mouse all the way into his mouth with only the tail sticking out.

Here are a few cute ukulele videos. We have really been enjoying it, and Misha has improved greatly since these first clips:

"Happy Birthday, Dear Grandpa" - the first song Misha learned so he could sing it for Grandpa's birthday.

Misha performing "May There Always Be Sunshine" in Russian and English.

Sebby knows some chords too!