Second birthday party

Our grandson, Liam, turned 2 on Aug. 31 and his birthday party was last Sunday. What a great celebration it was.

His first birthday party was at our house. This year some close friends of ours had offered to our daughter Meghan and her husband Terry to host the party at their place.

Meghan and Terry, who are close friends of theirs too, gladly accepted the offer.

Our friends don’t do anything half way when they offer to host a gathering.

Meghan also does everything she can to ensure her son’s birthday party is as near perfect as possible and my wife Pat is no exception to that as well.

Pat and Meghan are a lot alike in that respect. Their aim is for all those attending to have an enjoyable time and be glad they came.

Between Meghan and Terry and us we provided most of the food and one of our friends’ son-in-law did the cooking.

Last year we had 31 people at our home for Liam’s first birthday party and there was a couple and their two kids who couldn’t make it or there would have been more.

Last Sunday I counted 27.

My sister and her husband couldn’t make it because she is recovering from ankle surgery about three weeks prior to the party or they would have been there.

I didn’t ask Meghan if there were any others who didn’t come.

Represented at the party were four generations of my wife’s family. Her mother Ruth, Pat and her sister Nellie from Lone Grove, Meghan and her cousin Sarah, and little Liam who is our grandson and Ruth’s great-grandson.

The menu was simple. It was grilled hot dogs and hot links and all that goes with it. There was plenty of food. No one went hungry.

Meghan made Liam a birthday cake and she brought some cupcakes. Our friends provided the ice cream for those who wanted it.

They have a swimming pool so the kids especially enjoyed that. Liam was all about the pool and Terry is a former lifeguard so the little guy will be swimming within a few years.

Once again, little Liam had a great birthday party, thanks to our friends, also Meghan and Pat, and all those who attended.

He’s a little young to know what’s going on, but can look back at the photos and see them when he’s a little older.