Morning's Light

Please note: no cleaner was added to the cake or the ice cream at said birthday celebration.

We celebrated my niece Mimo's birthday on New Years Eve.  Her older brother Caleb taunted her with, "You're not really four until 11:30 tonight."  So when people would ask her age, she'd look a bit sad and say "It's not my birthday until really really late!"  (I stopped Caleb's comments by telling him there was a leap year in there since Mimo was born, so wasn't she really already four years old?!)

We gathered at Chipotle for burritos and chips, and when the manager found out the birthday girl in the birthday crown (she made it herself) chose Chipotle out of all restaurants, he gave us our entire meal (for seven people) free.   It was as if we were the Customers of the Day.  After the meal, I walked Mimo up to the register so she could thank the staff, and they were delighted and proceeded to sing happy birthday to her. Even the employees taking a dinner break joined in the singing.  A beaming Mimo asked if she could have the pretty gift card featuring a foil-wrapped burrito with a red bow around it and the manager said "It's yours!!". 

What could top this?  How about special drinks at Starbucks, games and a ride on the ferris wheel at Fun World, then home for cake and ice cream.  Gramma made Mimo a doll cake – but unfortunately had to cut the legs off the doll to get a correct fit with the cake.  All was well until Mimo pulled the doll out of the cake; we all gasped!  (OH NO!! A NAKED DOLL WITH SAWED OFF LEGS!!) But Mimo had eyes only for the frosting covering the doll.

When order was restored, we settled in to watch The Best Birthday Gift EVER….. a personalized Dora DVD with Mimo's photo in the episode as well as Dora saying "MEE-mo" every minute or so as she addressed the birthday girl.  The best part for me was at the end when all the characters were singing Happy Birthday and I waited for this part:…"Happy Birthday, dear _________"  and all the characters stopped singing so that the recorded voice (singular) could say "MEE-mo"….. then the group continued on to the big finish,  "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUU!!!!"

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A morning was then spent at the YMCA – at the family pool.  Kathy brought her four kids – including two year old twins, Meghan and Luke.   They lasted less than an hour in the pool, as Catherine (age 8) decided it would be a good idea to force her brother Sam (age 6)'s head under the water despite my protests.  Sam was understandably freaked out and that ended the swimming for our group. 

We dressed and trooped out to the snack bar area which is where the following took place:

Luke enjoyed a nacho or two and is waiting for an icee to arrive.

The icee arrives!

Nachos + Icee = heaven.

Catherine demonstrates the ideal way to enjoy a chip: dunk the chip into the container and take half the cheese before putting the chip in the mouth – without getting cheese on your face…then smile for the camera.  Note some people are more successful at cheese-less faces than others.

We can't wait to return to the family pool again!   When Luke wants to go to the pool, he'll either dress in his swimsuit and wear it all day – or he'll take his swimsuit to daycare with him – in anticipation of such a great event as swimming in the POOL!!!