Bithday Surprise!

Ryan called me from work last week with a wonderful birthday surprise...we're going to the zoo!!! It might not seem much, but when your hubby misses two birthday's in a row due to deployments, it's nice to do something special. For those of you who don't know, I turn a quarter century on Feb. 13th. My dad always wanted a Valentine's Day baby but mom said she's not waiting, LOL.

We're packing up the van and taking Olivia to the Ft. Worth Zoo. She's not able to identify the more exotic animals but she knows bear, cat...lion is a cat right now, bird...parrots are birds too, duck and we're working on fish. We'll spend two days in TX and go out for a wonderful birthday dinner. This morning as Olivia is banging her fork on the kitchen table while eating her Eggo and I'm typing out my thoughts, it occured to me. We haven't really done anything special for birthdays apart from going out to dinner. If you count my trip to Japan to see Ryan in 2006, yes, I was there for his birthday, and I suppose that counts.

With Presidents Day being the 16th, the entire MarDet (Marine Detachment at Ft Sill for future reference) has Friday and Monday off. The perfect time to go to the zoo. Last time we were here in Lawton for Artillery School, Ryan and I went up to the OK City zoo, and I was not impressed. I've been to the Ft Worth Zoo as a kid but really don't remember anything. An exciting adventure...hopefully the first of many.

Today I must go out searching for a screen to place between Olivia's Pack 'N Play and our queen bed so she does not see us. Due to the traveling Ryan does for work, he's been able to save up hotel points so one of the two nights will be covered, the other covered by our check book. We're staying in a great hotel with a little kitchenette. We try to get the largest room our budget allows so Olivia is in a little corner of her own away from the TV noise and our bed. The screen is an added bonus so she thinks she alone.

I know, you're thinking we're bad parents for putting her all by herself, but you'll understand if you have kids or will have kids who are tall enough to see over the railing of a pack 'n play and won't go to sleep if they see you.

Need less to say, there's lots to do here to get ready to go. Must get ready to shop for milk...I'm going to try and make french toast for breakfast Friday morning before the zoo since the hotel doesn't have a free breakfast...then off to find a screen. Oh, must take lunch to Ryan...can't forget.

Til next time...