Birthday adventures

In the past couple weeks, a lot has happened. Sara Beth and I both celebrated our birthdays. Heather went on a trip by her self to Florida for a wedding. Heather's mom and step dad took a brief vacation to see us, and Heather's car has been in the shop for most of the past two weeks.

We went to a Japanese hibachi grill for my birthday. Sara Beth and Hudson were both fascinated watching the chef cook the food right in front of us. Hudson was leaning so far forward in his high-chair, to get a good look at the action, that I was concerned he would tip it over. When we got home, both Hudson and Sara Beth helped me unwrap my presents.

That Thursday, Heather flew down to Florida. It was the first time she had taken a vacation without the kids since Hudson was born. The kids and I survived. I tried to get the house all cleaned up before Heather returned. Sara Beth helped by vacuuming the car all by herself.

Shortly after Heather got back, her van died on the side of the road with a bad alternator and a dead battery. It took two tries before we got an alternator in the car that worked reliably, and in the process, the shop broke the radiator and something else in the car. And then the driver's side window stopped working. Hopefully, everything is now working as it ought to.

Heather's mom and step dad came in town. We all enjoyed them coming to visit, but I think Sara Beth liked it most of all. Sara Beth played with Memaw from the moment they arrived till the moment they left. They played with toys, played pretend, cleaned up the kitchen together after dinner, and read books before bed.

When Hudson saw that Memaw reading to Sara Beth, he knew he was missing out on something great. So at the next opportunity, he picked up one of his books and brought it over to her and very clearly asked to be in on the reading too.

On Saturday, we went to play at a splash park at the local mall. Hudson kept wanting to investigate every water fountain as they turned off and on. Papaw and I were convinced that he would end up getting splashed with a face full of water, but it never happened.

We gave Sara Beth an option for her birthday: we could throw a party for her with kids her age, or we could have a family birthday party and spend the party money on presents instead. Fortunately for us, she chose the family party, so on her birthday, she woke up to a table full of presents. She has been talking about "Littlest Pet Shop" ever since she discovered the "Littlest Pet Shop" game for the iPad, so almost all the presents were pet shop related.

Sara Beth also got to pick her birthday dinner. She chose to go to China Town for shrimp lo-mein then got a chocolate cake with a horse printed on it for dessert.

It is crazy to think that is has already been five years since she was born.