Miles turned eight on 2/22/23, which was over three weeks ago. Between my busy schedule, often leaving me little time to write, and his protracted celebration (which left a slew of photos to edit in its wake) I am only now publishing his birthday blog. My apologies, Miles, However, what do you expect when your birthday turns into an all-out marathon of celebrating?
Miles takes his birthdays quite seriously, often talking about the next one, 364 days in advance. That's right, the day after his birthday, he starts planning the next one, much to our dismay. Don't get me wrong, I like birthday celebrations just as much as anyone, but I don't need to start planning for the next a year in advance. Miles, on the other hand, does.
Miles' birthday always falls right around President's Day weekend, so he takes full advantage and stretches out the celebration for as long as possible. He runs us ragged if I'm being honest.
Luckily you only have to experience the festivities virtually, so you shouldn't be too exhausted, other than out of empathy for me. So grab something to drink, find somewhere comfortable to sit, and prepare yourself for a voyage, otherwise known as Miles' birthday.
We started the marathon of festivities on Saturday morning with an outing to the LA Zoo. Miles' birthday brought us much luck that day with fabulous sightings of Reggie the crocodile (up close), the majestic elephants, and one of our favorite species of monkeys, who had just welcomed a brand new orange baby into the family, If you look closely, you can see her being held by her mom. We had to tear ourselves away from that exhibit, after more than thirty minutes. The cuteness quotient was off the charts.
After the zoo, we headed to see Granny (and Great Granny) at the cemetery so we could spend time celebrating with her and she could wish Miles a happy birthday. It was on Miles' birthday, three years ago, in 2020, that we last saw her before she passed away six months later. It's an ironic anniversary.
Our day ended with dinner at Miles' favorite restaurant, the iconic Tam O'Shanter,
where we dined by a cozy fire and he feasted on prime rib.
No rest for the weary. We were up at the crack of dawn (actually it was still dark out) on Sunday morning so that we could make it to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach (about 45 miles away, on LA freeways, need I say more) when they opened at 9 AM. Our plan to beat the traffic worked and we arrived at 8:45, putting us first in line.
Then and now. The last time we visited the aquarium was for Miles' 4th birthday, in February 2019. We never thought it would take us four years to return to one of his most beloved spots, but that's Covid for you. My, how the kids have grown!
The sea life was a veritable feast for the eyes. The aquarium had gone through an extensive remodel during the pandemic, so it was fun to see all the changes and new exhibits.
This was Miles in 2019, at our last visit. On this day, he chose Sealy Sealy, from the gift shop, as his birthday present. To this day, Sealy Sealy remains his favorite stuffed animal, which says a lot given the massive size of his collection. This year, he chose a Sea Lion to add to his vast collection, who he aptly named, Sea Liony, Sea Liony.
After the aquarium, we found an authentic Vietnamese noodle shop in Long Beach to dine at. The ramen was delicious and warmed us up on a cold day.
Miles fell asleep quite peacefully (and quickly) that evening with all his favorite sea creatures, including Sealy Sealy, baby Sealy Sealy and his newest addition, Sea Liony, Sea Liony.
On Monday, President's day, we were back at it again, with another one of his favorite activities, ice skating. Miles and Catherine, in particular, could stay on the ice all day. Miles worked up quite an appetite after hours of skating and requested we have seafood on the way home, from another one of his favorite haunts in Westlake, Lure Fish House.
The twin's half-birthday fell on President's Day, so we couldn't very well miss squeezing in yet another celebration. Homemade lemon cake was on the menu that night.
With one day off to recuperate after the long weekend, Miles's birthday fell on a Wednesday. It was a school day, but that didn't slow him down one bit. He requested homemade french toast for breakfast, which I made with thick-sliced brioche bread and a side of fruit salad. I was up at the crack of dawn preparing it before school.
For his in-class celebration, Miles requested Krispy Creme donuts for his classmates. They were a big hit!
After school, the partying resumed. Miles chose a zoo animal theme for his celebration this year. It was befitting, given all of our animal-related outings.
For dinner, the birthday boy requested homemade chili, cornbread, and salad, which was perfect for a cold winter night. Toppings included grated cheese; chopped green onions and cilantro; and sour cream.
The cake of choice this year was Black Forest with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
Happy Birthday to You, Miles:
Miles turned 8 on 2/22/23, which was over three weeks ago. Between my busy schedule, often leaving me little time to write, and his protracted celebration (which left a slew of photos to edit in its wake) I am only now publishing his birthday blog. My apologies, Miles, However, what do you expect when your birthday turns into an all-out marathon of celebrating?atic, Miles was over the moon with our choice.
Watch this adorable video of the kids experiencing a record player for the first time. You would think an alien had landed in our kitchen: