Maggie turns NINE... & Happy New Year

One of the good things about Maggie's birthday is it's considered a holiday/party day. One of the bad things about Maggie's birthday is it's also considered a hospital "critical" day... meaning we are required to work it as part of our holiday rotation. This year was not my turn to work.

So, we planned a special day out. I had won tickets to the Atlanta Aquarium off the radio earlier this fall and with our school schedule full we hadn't had the time to go yet. We decided New Year's Eve would be a great time to take a family of 6 downtown Atlanta for a fun time.

Well, Chick-fil-A also decided New Year's Eve would be a great time to sponsor a collegiate football Bowl Game downtown Atlanta... the ATL (read A-T-L; NOT hotlanta!) We headed south early enough to get there before lunchtime, walked around, oooed and ahhed, had snacks, saw MERMAIDS, and bumped elbows, rubbed shoulders, and shared spaces with all the Florida State and South Carolina fans who were experiencing all that Atlanta has to offer. EEKS!

Those 4 little heads on the front row are mine!

Ruth and Bennett both enjoyed the perks of their sister's "party" and sat watching the Baluga whales as they gracefully swam around and around their tank.

Here are the kids as they crawled through the penguin exhibit... talk about crowded! This place was packed... and stinky. And there were people there that I didn't want in this tunnel with my children... they were rude and loud and obviously not from the south. So I hurried them through and we moved on. The kids were unaware of the craziness around them, I think.
We had to take a couple of token pictures to prove we were there. It was a good time and I think the kids really enjoyed being there... even if they were hungry and didn't get the snacks they wanted.
After we spent ample time oo-ing and ah-ing at the aquatic life we headed back home.

There were no big plans for the evening except dinner where Maggie could get a STEAK! That's all she wanted to eat. She loves steak. She wanted Texas Roadhouse but there's not one in Atlanta and we were too hungry to drive all the way back to Gainesville before eating. Plus, that would have put us having to wait for a table... and who wants to wait for food when you have hungry little people clinging to you?!?!

So we ended up at a Longhorns - the same one we were at for her birthday last year with the Roses and Grandma. She thoroughly enjoyed her entire ribeye. They made her happy by acknowledging her day and brought a bowl of ice cream and sang to her. That's really what she wanted. LOOK AT ME!  IT's MY BIRTHDAY!  :)
After dinner we tried to go over to the American Girl store to shop and look. The girls had brought their dolls along for the day and we thought it would be a fun activity... if only it weren't a holiday. The store closed at 6 and we arrived at 6:03. I think I was more disappointed than they were. We stopped a few more times on the way home looking for sparkling juice to ring in the new year. We settled for ginger ale and grape juice. I guess that's what happens when you wait.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  The kids all stayed up til midnight... not awake, just not in bed. Bennett made it til the clocked struck twelve and we went out on the porch waiting for the neighbors to shoot their guns and fireworks. We waited. Then we got Daddy to get our guns and fireworks to shoot since it seemed like everyone else was in bed. A couple booms and rockets and we were pleased to go on to bed.
Work comes early for those critical day people... and the 1st was my day.