Because our Tucker is so Tuckerish and because we know him like the backs of our hands, it did not surprise us when he asked for a Grossology-themed 6th birthday party.  OK, then.  We hosted a Mad Scientist party for Jack’s 6th birthday, so I knew the drill…thankfully.

I tracked down an appropriately mad scientist (who was also game for going gross, which to Tucker just meant a whole lot of products that either started green or wound up green) and we had the party this afternoon, the day before everyone heads back to school, which meant Russ and I had a house chock full of little people with lots of energy whose parents had done the speediest drops-and-runs you’ve ever seen.

The Mad Scientist started–as all mad scientists should–with some fire.  That’ll bring a roomful of kindergartners to attention.

Lightning was next on her list and while not technically “gross,” it was rather interesting…

Thinking outside the box on the green-theme, the evils of styrofoam were fully examined…

And what’s a good Grossology party without some solid slime making?

We did some crazy experiments with light–well, at least the photos turned out pretty crazy (and sci-fi-esque):

And even though I abhor candy, Tucker doesn’t, so we wrapped it all up with learning about the science of cotton candy (yes, Virginia, there really is some science to it!).

After wavering between a “smoke-cake” (one shaped like a beaker with a tiny container of sublimating dry ice–see that fancy term I learned from hosting science parties?) and an ice cream cake–and back–42 times, Tucker finally settled on having cupcakes.  Whew.  I can make [not so pretty, but that’s because they were pea-green upon request] cupcakes all day long.

this photo captures only a sliver of the excitement from 2/3 of our boys…

Tucker sets the ground rules on cupcake consumption…

For me, the recent tradition of the birthday party goody-bag ranks up there right next to (or possibly tied with) candy, yet I cannot find it in me to make a bold statement, buck the trend and forego it altogether. Thus, rather than a token bag of trinkets and (egads!) candy, Tucker sent his friends off with their very own homemade science kits, complete with ingredients to make all sorts of crazy experiments like Super Slime and Flubber, all while listening to his specially selected soundtrack of gross songs like “Did You See (Where the Cat Threw Up)” and “I Like Yaks” and “Mama Tooted”.  Yes, really.  (You’re only a 5-and-364/365-year old once, you know.)

All in all, the Grossology Party was a smashing success and a perfect lead-in to tomorrow, Tucker’s actual birthday.  While I’m always emotional on my boys’ birthdays (let’s be honest; what mom isn’t?), Tucker’s is always an extra meaningful one to me.

And on top of that, 6 is old, folks.  I remember turning 6.  Six seems so much bigger than 5, and the 5th birthday is a tough one for me to swallow, being all chunky and solid and definitive and whatnot.  But 6?  Another of my sons turning 6?

My stars.  How ’bout we study the science of time–particularly how the longer you experience it, the faster it seems to go and how–when viewed in retrospect–this same and obviously constant speed seems to double or even triple?

This is how my brain tends to work on the eves of the birthdays of my sons.  Crazy, no?

It’s about as crazy as having one’s second child cross the boundary of age 6.