
Isn't that what they call it when the age you turn is the same as your day of birth? We never celebrated that when I was a kid, but I thought it should be a big deal when Allan turned 3 on the 3rd. Of course when Charlie turns 21 on the 21st someday I am not sure what we will do…
We started the morning by singing with the music box and eating cake for breakfast. The highlight was when we brought the cake over to the table, Allan had the most surprised look on his face. He had asked for a dinosaur cake, but I don't think he expected it to be like the one I made. He was truly excited about it. After breakfast cake we packed up to head out for our birthday outing. Steve was home and had helped me pack a picnic lunch the night before. We ate it at the zoo soon after we got there and then headed to Dinosauria. Lorelei was worried about if there was a T. Rex, so she stayed close to me through the entire exhibit. Allan was ordering us to keep moving so he could see all the dinosaurs quickly. When did he learn to add such a stern tone to his voice? Toward the end we saw a 'eratops' (how Allan says it) and he was hurt and bleeding.
That left a big impression on Allan who would tell everyone about the hurt Triceratops if they asked about Dinosauria. Lorelei concluded that the T. Rex must be nearby and had hurt the Triceratops. She was right, around the next bend was a life-size T. Rex with bloody teeth. Glad I wasn't around in the time of dinosaurs!
We walked around some more parts of the zoo, but in no way made it through even half of the other exhibits. The Detroit Zoo is for kids who are older and don't need naps and for parents that have a ton of patience when the onset of crabbiness starts. We headed home in a thankfully peaceful silence as all the kids snoozed in their seats.
After dinner we had Allan blow out the candles, isn't that one of the best parts of the day? It is for
my kids, we often do it multiple times, I mean the big day only comes once a year, right? And then on to the big moment, opening presents.
Lorelei was so excited for Allan's birthday, she made him multiple presents. She worked really hard at drawing him dinosaurs and cutting them out to be the right shape. (You can see them on the floor in front of Allan) Allan spotted her drawing them one day and she tried to trick him and tell him they were for her cousin Ethan. Allan was really mad and was crying about wanting Lorelei to make him a dinosaur. Of course he didn't know they were all really for him. After all the drawing she wrapped them in paper and taped them shut with stickers and added other fun stickers inside. Before we left for the zoo that morning she also gave him a Madagascar t-shirt to wear. It makes me happy to see that they love each other so much!
Next on to the Mom and Dad presents. He got Animal Legos, Madagascar DVD, a Bumblebee Transformer t-shirt and a dry erase animal book. The new toys kept the two of them busy for days!
I have enjoyed watching Allan grow so much in the past year. It is unbelievable how many changes one year can bring.
Allan here is the top ten things you love at 3 years old:
1. Dinosaurs
2. Collecting sticks, stones, and pinecones.
3. Making forts in your bedroom with Lorelei.
4. The new show on PBS called Dinosaur Train.
5. Planning and inviting everyone on our trip to Disney World. (You ask me about it almost every day for the past 4 months.)
6. Being a big boy and giving up your pacifier (bubby) and being potty-trained. (Maybe I like those more than you...)
7. Talking about wild animals we have spotted in the yard or on the road. You often tell people things like, "We saw a raccoon on the road. It was dead." (Picture Allan's sad face complementing the sentence.)
8. Making up nonsense words and phrases that rhyme with what I just told you to do. It actually sounds like you said something back, I just couldn't tell what it was, "Mom I was just trickin' you."
9. Wandering in the yard and being outside.
10. Giving kisses and hugs to Charlie and Lorelei.