Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Birthday Fun

It happened again, my birthday came and went super fast, and I guess they technically get less eventful (did I ever used to spend long weekends in Vegas with morning shots??) they sure get more fun as the girls get older and I get to spend it with them.

It was also the first time in a long time that I had a rainy birthday. I didn't mind - I had my morning birthday donuts and birthday Starbucks cozy in bed, until I met Iris at Fashion Island for hair blowouts and lunch. It was the first time in a long time we got to meet without kids and have an uninterrupted conversation. Then I got to take a nap and Gangy and Auntie KitKat came over in the evening to watch the girls so AJ and I could go out to dinner. We were having so much fun with them that evening and got to sing and do cake and presents before we went to dinner.

The best part of gifts is that Sophie now picks some out - and what great gifts! A Bluey shirt that she requests to be my pajama shirt (already started in on that last night) a cute cherry-printed hair bow that matched and I put in that night, and then some Reese's mmmm. Sophie has also started openly showcasing her French (as opposed to us prompting her) and she sang Joyeux Anniversaire for us all before AJ and I left and had a great dinner at Five Crowns in Corona del Mar. 






We then spent the weekend in San Diego and I feel like we can never go back to a 'normal' weekend trip and instead do the early Saturday morning through Monday schedule, because it was amazing how quick and painless the drive was without any traffic!

We started with brunch at Mission Beach for mine and Rafael's birthdays before taking the girls to Belmont Park.





After that we went to dinner with Aunt Judee and Uncle Doug while everyone else went whale watching (and thank God we did not go - it was rough seas and I never would have survived). It was so nice seeing them and catching up on their home turf for once! The girls struggled a bit at first after the busy day and the buzzing environment of Corvette Diner but get them a milkshake (Summer's first - she was hooked immediately!) and they loosened up and we had a nice meal together!

I think I might have collapsed asleep before the girls that night, and the next morning we got up, had breakfast at the hotel and then met everyone at the zoo.

Rafael had gotten the girls little gift bags that they were playing with at the brunch and the temporary tattoos included were wild animals so we all decided to wear them to the zoo that day.

She asked me to take pictures of her
with her tattoos

Summer fascinated with her tattoo

On the way to the elevator



Hippo!


Flamingos!


My birthday gift from Rob and Raf - a
beautiful, interior-lined kimono-style robe
with dry pocket, champagne pocket, drink
koozie, sunglasses loop and bottle opener

It was a warm day but kinda perfect for beers at the zoo. We had a great time and it's clear Summer recognized flamingos from you know, everywhere around her since they're her bedsheets and lunchbox and bed stuffy and photos and whatnot - and went crazy when she saw them! Yelling and stomping and dancing around, it was cute.

Charlie and Sophie had a great time riding in the wagon together and seeing all the animals, and we all just had so much fun together in general, it's crazy it was such a last minute arrangement (relatively I suppose).

I'm also realizing how crowded March is getting for birthdays as, among others this month, today is Enzito's 4th birthday!