Miriam (whose birthday was on Monday) opened up her gifts on Saturday since Andrew's flight was on Sunday (though his presentation was on Monday and he ordinarily teaches that day, anyway, so he is typically busy on Mondays).
Alexander chose a spot of honour next to the birthday girl:
She got a book about embroidery so she can discover new stitches and things:
She also got this lovely bag to keep her embroidery stuff in, along with an embroidery kit:
My sister Kelli sent this little xylophone, which Miriam put down and immediately started plunking out a tune on:
She was, however, perhaps most excited about getting a new office chair for her workspace downstairs. We left behind her beloved office chair when we moved and took along a smaller one that fit in the moving truck...and which has slowly been falling apart since we've moved here. She's been begging for a new chair. So here she is closing her eyes tightly while Andrew carries the chair out of its hiding place in his office:
And here she is getting very excited about a chair:
She and Andrew set it up together that very evening.
The very best gift, however, is perhaps the one she got today. Originally she and Andrew had planned on going to Costco and getting her vaccination and a smoothie for a birthday date, but that had to change a little. So instead of getting vaccinated on her birthday (with a smoothie from Costco), she got vaccinated today at CVS (and got to pick out a big chocolate bar, which she came home and shared with all of her siblings (and her father) because she's a generous soul). Andrew came home a few days ago, but has spent the last couple of days getting caught up on work stuff so today was the first day he could possibly take her.
The irony, of course, is that today is the day that the FDA approved the vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. And here Miriam has been waiting and waiting to turn 12 so that she could get it!
Not that we're upset that Benjamin and Zoë will be able to be vaccinated soon as well because we're not! We just think the timing was hilarious.
And, just for fun, here's a picture of Zoë clinging to Andrew during Miriam's gift-opening last week. She was so nervous about him going so far away for so long! (She's wearing her Pikachu hat, which is part of her Halloween costume (I'd just recently sewed the ears on so she was excited to finally have a finished hat)).
That is not a little xylophone. That is a little ranat ek, like the big one that I have in my office!
ReplyDeleteI'd argue that it's in the xylophone FAMILY, but we're glad to have its full name. :)
DeleteI concede your point, but the word "xylophone" was coined for western instruments, while the Thai people probably didn't know about xylophones when they made their ranat ek. Looks like lots of different cultures independently made instruments of wooden bars which they hit.
ReplyDelete