Anderson's birthday adventure

Anderson turned four a month and a half ago, yet I am only now just getting around to uploading the pictures. Seriously with the time passing so quickly. It needs to stop already.

When Anderson celebrated his first birthday we started a tradition of birthday adventures. The boys may never remember what they received for any particular birthday, but the hope is that they carry with them always the memories that were created and (hopefully) captured. It's certainly not an original idea, but it makes for a special day. I have learned over the years that the best plan is to not have any at all and this year was no exception. Perhaps in the future entire birthdays will be spent at Disneyland or some other attraction, but for now just just hitting up a few favorite places for fun and treats all in one day seems to be just our speed.

This year began as all the others, with balloons and presents before the sun even thought about coming up. Anderson received his very own light-up light saber as all good jedis should. (Jedis? Ewoks? Stormtroopers? I have no idea, but he does and that's all that matters.)

After saving the planet (really, I have no idea what Star Wars is about, but I think they live in space, right?) all morning the boys and I (Gabe was working for  a few hours) hit up the bagel shop and Jamba Juice for a late breakfast/early lunch. Anderson was sure to tell every single person that crossed his path that it was his birthday. That's my boy.

After bagels we realized we had just enough time to get to Shipley Nature Center before they closed for the day. Why they close at 1:00 I will never understand, but at least it makes it more of a treat, I suppose.

They held hands as they walked around and I swear my heart was about to burst. That just doesn't happen everyday with these two.

Beck learned how to spear a fish and Anderson learned how to throw a boomarang thanks to some handy guides.

 We identified bugs and spotted lizards

 and got entirely too close to the edge of the pond.

 Inside, we identified leaves and trees

 and matched bird calls to their taxidermied bodies.

 Beck played with bugs

 and Anderson read us a story and put on a puppet show.

 and I tried, unsuccessfully, to to get them to sit still just long enough to get just one picture where they were facing the same direction.

 I'm not sure it will ever happen.

 Anderson had taken off at this point.

We went home for a dinosaur break

and wouldn't you know the ice cream man came down our street.

After a sugar re-fuel we went to the park to burn it off.

And then we went for birthday burgers and sundaes on the pier



It was another perfect birthday adventure for a perfect little birthday boy. Beck's adventure was just two weeks later and was strikingly similar! Don't mess with a good thing, right?!