President's Day: Birthday Boys, Benihana, and Bowling (and the dentist)

Aidan and Pops' birthdays are both in February. So, staring down the barrel of a 3-day weekend (thanks, Presidents Day!), we decided to celebrate both in style!

First, we took the birthday boys to Benihana for dinner.

We exchanged gifts and laughs and ate delicious food. Aidan, you ordered shrimp and scallops and at all of it!

Also funny, was this conversation.

A: Pops, I lost both of my front teeth. Did you lose some teeth too?

P: Yes unfortunately.

A: Which ones? A silver one? A gold one?

And this one...

J: Mimi do you like fancy restaurants?

M: Yes! Do you?

J: Yes. Have you been to one called 'Subway?"

M: <laughing> yes I have! I love it!

It was a delightful night, topped off with imaginative play where you two kids pretended to be our waiters and our chef (whose name was Mango Banana!)

Then, as our Presidents Day tradition continued, while mommy had to work, I took you two kiddos to the dentist, which you absolutely LOVE! (thank goodness!)

Then we picked up Mimi and Pops and went to lunch...at Subway (LOLZ!)

And then, we took Pops bowling for his birthday! Pops has been wanting to go bowling for a long time, and Mimi is an old pro who hasn't hit the lanes in a few decades. They were so thrilled when we asked them to come with us!

We got a ramp, we got bumpers, and we got down to business!

Through the highs and the lows, we cheered on our family, helped each other, and supported our family bowling team!

What a fun President's day weekend!

A Tale of Two Teeth

Aidan,

At the beginning of the year, whilst wrestling, we noticed that your front two teeth were loose!

"Oh yeah!" you noted. And then went back to wrestling.

Flash forward to early February. We went out to eat hamburgers. We finished the hamburgers. The waiter took our trays away. Your Mommy said "Aidan, wait a second...look at me? smile? Your Tooth is GONE!"

"Oh yeah!" you noted. 

We didn't see the tooth anywhere at all... so we all assume it went to the same places that the hamburger went: down the hatch and then down the drain!

But look at that smile!

You wrote a note to the Tooth Fairy, and she still gave you a shiny coin!

As this partially completed writing indicates, you have teeth on the brain!

And so it went for a few weeks, with a handsome-looking gap in the front.

Until...TACO TUESDAY! You were eating the taco...plucked this bad boy out of your mouth...and then went back to eating the Taco!

And now look at THIS handsome face!

The tooth fairy took the tooth this time, and still gave you a lovely present: a shiny gold coin!

You are growing up so fast, and sometimes the changes are clear as the hole in your smile!

But don't worry...it looks like even more changes are coming soon!

Here come your permanent teeth!

Sweetheart Dance

Julia,

I asked you to go to a dance with me...

...and you said 'YES!'

It was our first Daddy-Daughter sweetheart dance!

You had your mind set on what you wanted to wear, and you looked absolutely lovely!

The dress was one of mommy's old maternity dresses which you and she had converted to a dress for you.

The shoes were red ruby slippers, given to you by Mimi and Pops.

The flower wristlet was given to you ... by me!

I picked you up at 5, and we went to Chili's to have dinner with the Rainbow Pizza gals!

Then we went to the Arboretum and picked up our flowers...

...and danced for two whole songs- including "I'm a Gummy Bear!"

We ate some cookies...

...had a professional picture taken...

and then - at that point- you missed your Mama, it was way past your bedtime, and you were ready to go home.

So, I swooped you up in my arms and carried you home.

We didn't quite dance the night away, but the next night we made up for it with a living room dance party, which was a lot less crowded!

Thank you for being my sweetheart, Julia!

I will treasure this memory forever!

Gymnasts

Bouncing, Tumbling, Hanging, Climbing, Gymnastics are oh-so-fascinating!

Ever since school started in the fall, both of you have been taking gymnastics class at a new gymnastics studio called "ASI."

Aidan you've been particularly fond of your uniform, and for a while you wore it whenever you could!

Julia, you adjusted really quickly to your new gymnastics teacher, and really like her!

You both have been working really hard in class, and get so excited and animated when telling us about all you are doing!

But, nothing is cooler than when you do something super special and your coach lets you run across the room and ring the bell!

You both get so proud whenever you get to ring the bell for a new accomplishment!

And that is music to me and your mom's ears!