Alex's Birthday

Last Saturday was Alex's birthday. Since we've been in Arizona, birthday celebrations have been a bit more low-key, partly because of the heat (we're all born in the summer) and partly because our back yard is so small. Under those conditions, it's hard to have a bunch of kids over for parties like we did in Florida.

So for Alex's 8th birthday, he invited a friend over, Andy. Andy is one of Alex's best friends at school, but until now we've been unable to get them together for a playdate. So it was a special treat for Alex to get to spend the day with Andy.

It's our tradition that on someone's birthday, they get to pick whatever they want for their birthday meal. We decided to make lunch the big meal of the day. Alex wanted Papa John's pizza.


After lunch, I took the kids to Jeepers, an indoor playground kind of place that has carnival-type rides. I took Alex there last year for his birthday, and he wanted to go there again this year. They have little trains, a merry-go-round, bumper cars, and various other rides that go round and make you dizzy.



Best part is it's all indoors! Even though it's getting a little cooler as we head into September, it's still too hot to do stuff outside comfortably.

When we got home, Cristina had baked some birthday brownies and made Alex his own birthday candle.


The day was finished off with Cristina and Alex taking Andy home. And I watched the Gators beat Miami, which hasn't happened since the mid-80's!

The next day, we took Alex to Brilliant Sky and let him pick out a birthday gift. He chose an aquarium-like thing in which you raise "Aquasaurs," little shrimp-like fish. Kind of like Sea Monkeys, but different. And we also got him a Klutz book that teaches you how to fold up a dollar bill into cool shapes, like a ring, or a bow-tie.