Birthday Wrap-Up

The birthday went well. We have a button that says, "Today Is My Birthday," which U-Kid 1 proudly wore. We started by going to the gym (her decision), where she was oooo'd and aaaahhh'd over at the KidCare place while I meandered the weight room looking for new and interesting forms of self-flagellation.

One of the employees had his guitar with him, so U-Kid 1 soon had the whole KidCare place singing Happy Birthday to her. He then proceeded to play a few more songs, thus giving a small concert in honor of her birthday.

After the gym, we went to our neighborhood candy store. We got a bunch of little bags of pretzyls covered in white chocolate with sprinkles. We got about eight little bags with five pretzyls each. U-Kid 1 chose light blue ribbons for each one. While CandyMan put it all together, he noticed her Birthday button and was very excited for her. We've known CandyMan since before U-Dad and I were married, so he's seen the U-Kids grow from mere giggly ideas to the cute little people that they are today. So oooo'ing and aaaaah'ing there, too.

Later in the afternoon, I took U-Kid 1 to her 4pm Spanish class, which ends at 5:30. After dropping her off, U-Kid 2 & I zipped up to Great Big Urban High School to pick up U-Dad. From there, we threw together a plan for feeding the U-Kids and still meeting her godparents and their kids here by 6:30.

So we settled on here for dinner:

Oh yea, smoothies for dinner before cupcakes. 'Cause that's not too much sugar..... It is, however, extraordinarily portable as we maneuver Chicago traffic.

However, we were running almost late. Spanish class is now in a new location, and I'm still learning the in's and out's of the area. And traffic at almost 5:30.....oh, Lord let this light stay greeeen!!!! Well, you get the picture. I was nervous that her class would end and that her classmates would take off before I could get there with her treats. Oh God, imagine the heartbreak! Not to mention, how looooong I would hear about it!

But alas, I did get there, with barely a minute to spare. And she did get to pass out the treats. And they had sung Feliz Cumpleanos to her there, as well.

So into the car. And off to Jamba Juice. And at Jamba Juice, the clerk saw her button and gave her a Free Smoothie card for her next visit (score!). So each U-Kid had a cute, little Orange Dream Machine with a VitaBoost, while U-Dad and I split a big one in the front. And U-Kid 2 was soon wearing some of hers on the front of her shirt. And we were almost to the cupcake joint, when the godparents called and..... cancelled. Their kids were swamped with a ridiculous stack of homework. Three hours at least looming ahead.

Hmmm. Ok, change of plans.

We turned the car around and headed downtown to here:

The really big McDonald's on LaSalle Street -- takes up a block, two floors, escalators, neat views of the city, designer furniture. If ya gotta go McD, this is the one to do. So yeah, sugary smoothies followed by hot grease! I'm Lovin' It!

It was getting close to U-Kid 2's bedtime, so I dropped off U-Dad and U-Kid 1 for one of these:



They did a 30-minute trip around the city. (we did this last year for her 4th b-day and are going to try to make it a b-day tradition for her)

Then they went to the top of the John Hancock building to see the city:


After that, they meandered Michigan Avenue and Oak Street for a while. Then they hopped into one of these to come home:

U-Kid 1 loves taking a taxi. She can't explain why. She just does.

She can't stop beaming over being five. It's beyond cute. And she wants to know how old she has to be to do everything. How old to go to the Grown Up Side of the Gym by herself? How old to vote? How old to go to college? How old to drive? How old to fly on a plane by herself? How old to become a mommy? How old before she loses her baby teeth? She's so excited to be growing up. And I'm realizing that she is going to grow up, and it'll be fast, and then she'll be gone. So I'm beaming over five too. And just five for now, thank you very much!!!!

PS: Took down the picture of the U-Kid 1 with the Starbucks cup. After spending time this evening gleeping images from all over with Google's help, I started to get nervous that someone might do that with this particular picture. And as much as I love it and want to show it to everyone, I don't necessarily want to give it to everyone. Yeah, I'm a hypocrite. And I own it too. So what. Enjoy the quiz instead. I think I first saw it over at Blessed Existence. So thanks, Tiffany!

Happy Weekend!!!

(hey, eye update! saw the doc on monday -- still 20/20 in the left eye and now 20/25 in the right -- was 20/40 a few months ago. i am so happyhappyhappyhappyhappy!)