Celebrations

birthdays have always been a big deal to me. i remember as a kid planning months in advance what i would do on my special day, who i would invite, where we would go, if there was going to be a theme and on and on. i probably drove my mom crazy. and even as an adult i have liked celebrating birthdays. so before we moved to africa i wondered what it would be like celebrating birthdays there. however, after experiencing our first birthday celebration "in country" last week, myles' 4th, i have revamped my ideas of a great birthday!

the morning of the 11th started out as any other as i got rian ready for school. but as a sentimental/emotional mom i was deep in thought about how i birthed this crazy boy four years ago and now he was missing out on an "american" birthday. rian told myles he could only open one present before she left and then had to wait to open the rest after she got home later that day. don't ask me how she got him to agree to that but she did. he opened the one present we bought here, which was a scooter made out of tin cans and various other metal objects. he loved it! after sending rian on her way we lavished love on myles, read him books, played games, showed him the birth video, ok just kidding, we didn't do that. i haven't even watched that one! and then i asked if he wanted to bake his own cake. he was beyond excited!

so we spent the next hour and a half attempting and in the end succeeding at baking our first cake from scratch. it was great fun. not only did myles get to help mommy in the kitchen but he got to drink Fanta and lick the bowl clean of batter! according to him, who could ask for more? but he got more. he got to open the few little treats i had brought from the states

when his sister arrived from school. he blew up balloons and played with those (in fact i am still finding them around the house and he is still playing with them.) and that evening we went to the "african chuck-e-cheese" as our friends the Brooks call it.

cocochou land is basically a beach (minus the water) with playground equipment, some tables to eat at and a menu that has french fries, meat, crepes and a few other things. oh, they did have a cotton candy machine! but again what more could a kid want? we enjoyed the evening with the Brooks, ending it with a rousing rendition of happy birthday in english and french (thanks to maggie!)

my fears that my son would have a lousy birthday were set aside when someone asked him if he had fun and he said, "it was the best birthday ever!" ok, so he didn't say those exact words but that is what i heard amongst the contented sighs, coming to the conclusion that birthdays can be wonderfully celebrated no matter where you are, as long as you have family and/or friends around that love you (and maybe a fanta!)