Happy Birthday Jack!

Friday was Jack's birthday and we all had a great day. Grace was very excited about Jack's birthday and told him "Happy Birthday" a million times. She was excited to give him the gift she had picked out all by herself- a bubble gun. She had told me for weeks her Daddy wanted bubbles for his birthday.

It started with a visit to the Chattanooga Zoo. The zoo was a little smaller than we expected but still had a great time. The animals were a little unusual- not the usual lions and tigers. Once cage/display we found was the raccoons. I don't believe I've ever seen raccoons in a zoo so we stopped to look. Grace announced to us and everyone standing around "Oh, those raccoons, I have those in my house..." The people around us gave us some weird looks....(and either Monster and Mitch are doing their job or the raccoons have decided to move on because we don't anymore..;o)).

We did have a major break-through- Grace actually spent time in the petting zoo and did pet the animals. After the zoo, we went out to lunch and home for afternoon naps.

Craig and Laura joined us for dinner at a great rib place in Chattanooga- Sticky Fingers. Grace more than enjoyed the meat. She ate quite a bit of meat off the ribs, then started asking for "the bone" and then when we were out of ribs, asked for her Uncle Craig's remaining chicken wing. Grace told us she was leaving the restaurant with her Daddy by herself. We asked her what they were going to do and she said "My daddy like golf, we golf." Which was interesting because it's exactly the surprise we had planned for Jack after dinner and we did not tell her at all.

Miniature golfing is one of Jack and my favorite activities. It was lots of fun with Craig and Laura- and even Grace. She did great. We weren't quite sure what to expect but she knew her ball was the pink one and she really didn't touch ours. She loved running up and putting the ball in the "obstacle" and watching it roll towards the hole. She was always very proud of herself when she threw the ball hard enough to land in the hole.
We took pictures on the first game of all the "holes in one." One of us did a little better than the rest.... (for the record- I had a hole in one on the second game, after we had already put the camera in the car... )

At the end of the two games we played- there was a "19th hole." It was one of those one shot- impossible holes that you win a free game if you can get it with a hole in one. Jack, Craig and Laura all missed- and I got it! Then Jack had Grace's ball and he made it! The sirens and bells were going off and told you to proceed inside for your prize. Grace was so excited at the prospect of a prize. She was not satisfied with the ticket we received for our free game. The park was not cooperating with us when we offered to buy one of the 5 cent prizes they had for the arcade- we would have paid anything but they wouldn't budge. Luckily I had a book in the diaper bag that she hadn't seen so we gave her that. She was so proud. She told us it was for her "good golfing." She found that book again today, almost a week later, and she said "Oh, this my prize for good golfing"....

We (the adults) ended the evening with some great cake Laura made for Jack.