As much fun as they all had, I think that Janelle and I are in agreement that we don't want to do another of these types of parties for a little while. There was a great deal of preparation, and more than a little stress involved. Still, in the end, it was worth it. Rowen claimed to have a great time.
At his request, we saved a couple of presents for today--his actual birthday. For his birthday dinner, he requested pancakes, sausage, and bacon (his favorite meal). He also asked for a birthday cake--which Janelle made--despite having plenty of cupcakes left over. Most of his spare time was spent putting together LEGOs (with a bit of help when he got stuck).
I'd say that he was pretty happy to turn nine.