So this is what I look like the morning after Maggie’s 2nd birthday.
I’m prepared to eat birthday cake for breakfast to rectify the situation.
Here are a few highlights from the celebration:
We opened presents!
We went to the zoo!
And then we went to see the cutest month-old grizzly bears I’ve ever in my life encountered. They were also the only month-old grizzly bears I’ve ever in my life encountered. These little guys were playing non-stop and they were incredibly fun to watch. They tumbled all over their environment and rolled around and played in water. It was precious!
And then my husband pointed out a little cub who he referred to as, “the Mary Susan bear.”
Yep. He’s the doofus twiddling his thumbs and eating mulch while full-fledged bear-fight carnage goes on behind him. Even I cannot deny the similarities.
And then we saw a polar bear who looked just like our dog, Banjo!
If you’re ever in Cleveland, please, please promise me that you’ll visit the zoo. It’s really wonderful and very well-done. There’s also a whole rain forest section that’s great, too! If you don’t live in Cleveland, please, please promise me that you’ll visit the closest zoo to you. Zoos are good for the spirit, I say!
After the zoo, we went home and played on the brand new “slide ground” that Nana and Papa had installed in the backyard! (And by “had installed”, I mean that my sweet husband spent hours and hours cursing, changing drill bits, cursing, and hammering. Then he spent hours and hours with his father, presumably cursing and changing more drill bits. Bless their hearts, the person who wrote those instructions obviously doesn’t live a life based on logic. Or chronological order.)
And, later, we went to eat noodles, the Birthday Girl’s favorite dinner!
Then we sang and ate cake!
It was pretty much the best birthday I could have requested for my little girl. I’m very much enjoying being on the giving side of the birthday magic. My own parents always gave us the best birthdays and I have a lot of really special birthday memories: slumber parties, trips to exotic Amarillo to spend the weekend with my big sis, my surprise 16th party that wasn’t supposed to happen because I had a C in algebra (still incredibly grateful for that one!). I’m really looking forward to many more years of birthdays with my girls!
So, in order to keep the birthday spirit going, I’d like to propose a question! What are your favorite birthday memories? Feel free to share your best childhood birthday or the best birthday you planned for your child. Where’d you have the best piece of cake and what was your favorite present? I’m anxiously awaiting your replies, as I plan to rip off your good ideas and claim them for my own. In the meantime, I’ll just be eating cake…
ohblessyourheart 
Oh how I love these blogs…..so well written and full of great humor. Keep it up!!
Thanks, Mrs. P!
One birthday my brother, who is five years older than I, gave me a piece of board, maybe about 2×2, on which he had used his wood burning set to put my name on one side and his name on the other side. Older siblings are not noted for their nurturing skills so this gift was unexpected. And, because it took time and planning and because it was so unexpected, it was one of the most cherished gifts I can remember. I kept it in my underwear drawer for years and years. I think I finally parted with it, but the memory is still a sweet one.
Oh, I love this so much! Precious!
so many…
1) I never got around to planning a 12th birthday party, and as November rolled around, I figured it wouldn’t happen. One Saturday night I begged and begged to go to Chuy’s, but for some reason Mom and Dad said no. The next day, Mom and Ben went to church and Dad and I slept in. When we were ready to meet up, Dad called them and said “Chuy’s?” We got to the hostess stand and the hostess went off to ‘see where I put them’, and we were led to a back area. I was immediately bombarded by streamers and confetti! My friends were all there for a wonderful surprise party, and then we went to the Omni to see a new Imax film (I think it was the one where they climb Kilimanjaro). Top off the day with really cool party favors picked out by my parents.
2) Growing up, Ben always asked for special cakes. My mom, my grandmother and I would all work together to make the most outlandish things…multi layer power ranger battle royales, Construction scenes which left us puzzling over how to make grey icing. It was great.
3) on my 18th birthday, my two best friends and I planned a Celtic feast. We had goblets and rotisserie chicken and our versions of highland games, I made a Celtic Party Mix (and was asked to make copies of the cd, thankyouverymuch), I made invitations and sealed it with a wax seal I made myself. Not only did our friends come, play along and enjoy themselves, but they also decided not to heed the whole “You don’t need to bring a gift” thing. After that, the whole year was about topping each others’ birthday parties. Carnivals, murder mystery parties, and even home-written celebrity impersonation murder mystery parties (In which I was chosen to play none other than Michael Jackson) ensued.
Oh, my goodness…those are all so good!! Theme parties are always the best, I think. My parents had a couple of surprise parties for me, as well, and they were SO good! I’m quite gullible, though. 🙂