Bowling for Birthdays

Looks like Calli was getting a pep talk from her Dad!

This year we chose not to have Calli's birthday party at our house and opted to take the festivities to the bowling alley instead! We only invited 2 other families to come along in order to keep things under control, but only one other family could make it, so we had 7 people altogether and had a really great time!

Snap!! I'm ready to play!

Calli had been talking about a "Surprise Birthday" for weeks. Adam and I were laughing at how much of a socialite she was beginning to sound like! She kept talking about "my party," and how excited she would be for everyone to sing to her. We tried explaining that a big party isn't always in the works and surprise party isn't a surprise if you are expecting it to happen. She digressed...but before going to sleep put in her last 2 cents, saying "When I go to sleep tonight, I'm going to sleep in so that when you come and wake me up, you can tell me it's my surprise birthday!!!"

The day of her birthday, we drove to Ottawa and spent the day, as I've told you, with her Aunt, Uncle and little cousin (and Uncles parents). She thought it was a wonderful day and once the ice cream cake was presented to her she said to me, "Now, it's really my birthday party."

The following day, we knew she wouldn't be expecting anything, so we were in luck when we pretended to be going grocery shopping and while Calli complained about not wanting to go shopping and how "starving" she was, we secretly pulled into the bowling alley parking lot. There was silence. Then she said "Is this where you are going to get something for me to eat?" We told her we were going bowling as a surprise for her birthday and she was SO excited!

Adam helping Marin bowl, Calli and Gus jumping for joy, Sarah keeping her eye on the lane and Katrina in the cheering section!

Marin keeping a sly eye on the bowling balls.

Through some amazing miracle, there were no smashed fingers!!

Calli using the kids ramp to get the ball down the lane. The ramp lasted through about 4 balls and was eventually pushed to the side.

We went inside and suited up (shoed up?) and waited for our friends to arrive. We each settled into our lanes and bowled for an hour. We were then provided with hot dogs, fries and drinks for our birthday lunch. I brought some store bought cupcakes along for everyone and the kids had a blast!!

Our birthday girl with her cupcakes.

I'm not sure how we'll ever have a surprise birthday for Calli. She already expects so much. It might take a few years of really quiet birthdays first. It's all going to be in the manual some day....