The entire house was decked out in Disney paraphernalia. The latest generation of stars watched as I put the final decorations up in the dining room. The doorbell rang. Josh called out that he was getting it and entered the kitchen a few minutes later with the pizzas. I took them out of the boxes and transferred them to baking sheets and set them in the oven to keep them warm.

"Do people really do this for parties now?" he asked, fingering a package of High School Musical party favors.

"Wondering how many people ate cake off your face?" I asked.

"I am now," he frowned. "That's a somewhat disturbing thought."

I chuckled. "I wonder where mine went. I don't know if it made it into the book or not."

"What?"

"The *NSYNC plate from Celine's first birthday." Josh raised an eyebrow. "Nicole and Mel thought it would be funny when I asked them to get the stuff for the party to buy *NSYNC plates to go with the Blue's Clues cups and napkins." I frowned. "That might have been the final straw in Sue's book."

Josh rolled his eyes at the mention of Scott's mother. I was saved from his retort by the doorbell ringing again.

"I'LL GET IT!" Celine yelled, bounding down the stairs and into the front hall. I followed suit, to greet the first arrival of the party.

A half hour later, the family room was full of giggling fifth graders playing a High School Musical karaoke game. Josh had taken the boys outside for a game of catch. I was setting the dining room up for presents and then cake, with the help of Jen.

I went into the family room to gently herd them into the dining room, and somehow got roped into singing a few rounds as Troy, since Celine proclaimed I could 'sing like him almost as good as C.'

After a few songs, I made them turn the game off and motioned to Josh that it was present time.Once we were all gathered, Celine started unwrapping her presents, squealing in delight as each one turned out to be something High School Musical, Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana related.

The presents on the table were all opened when Josh quietly slipped out of the room, returning as we finished cleaning up the paper. He handed one last wrapped present, about the size of a binder to her.

"Happy birthday," he said, smiling as she ripped the paper open. The resulting scream probably was heard in China. She jumped from her chair and into Josh's arms, practically hyperventilating.

"YOU'RETHEBESTDADEVER!" She squealed into his ear. He laughed, hugging her back. Her friends started to scoot in to see what would cause the mayhem.

I leaned over and picked up the script. "Bye Bye Ball?" I read off the cover of the manuscript, between the signatures that covered most of the empty space. Celine released Josh from her death grip of a hug and he shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Called in a few favors. It's completely personalized too," he added to Celine. She took the scrip from me and started reading autographs.

"Miley signed it! Mom, Miley signed it!"  She was literally bouncing in her seat.

"Awesome, honey. Want to let me put it up for now so it doesn't get covered in cake?" I asked. She sighed and begrudgingly handed it over. I put it up on a shelf in a cabinet. I listened to the chatter in the next room while I lit the candles on the cake.

Jen hit the lights as I brought the cake into the dining room, singing 'Happy Birthday'. She quickly blew out the candles. Josh sliced up the cake and we passed it out.

 

"I think you win father of the year for that," I told Josh as we cleaned up after everyone left.

"Think so?" he asked. I looked up at him in time to catch him bite the side of his lip- a habit he had definitely picked up from me.

"I do. Will your hearing ever recover?" I bit back a grin.

"What? I didn't hear you," he raised his voice and we both broke into laughter.

"You really love them, don't you?" I asked, biting my lip. 

"Hmm?" he quit pulling down a bunch of streamers and looked down at me.

"Your stepchildren," I clarified. "You really love them, don't you?"

"Like my own," he assured me. I gave him a huge grin and moved across the room to where he was standing and kissed him. 

"You are awesome," I whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek and backing away, returning to where I left the garbage bag.  "Don't forget to let Joey know how the script went over," I reminded him as I picked up the last bit of garbage and started to leave the room.

"Sam?"

I ducked back into the dining room, "It was his script, It had his name on it," I pointed out.

Josh smiled. "Will do."