Happy Birthday, Icho

Fri. was Icho's 35th birthday and we celebrated it in style.  First thing, at breakfast, he got his present from us all: his own ipad, complete with a blue cover.  Now, if only the girls give him a turn at using it...!
Then, at lunch we had a Carvel ice cream cake- you Americans will now how delicious they are- complete with candles.  And dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, a very enjoyable restaurant, where dessert was a tiramisu cheesecake that the waiters brought out while singing "Happy Birthday"- talk about "americanadas!".

We took Maria to the beach for the first time and she also got into the pool, though she was a bit apprehensive.  But she is getting more confident about walking, and cleaning her pins is a much easier chore now.  She has the ipad while it is being done, and she likes to see Mr. Bean videos, or play Angry Birds, so it is a cultural experience as well!
She has been throwing her weight around lately with her sisters (a pain, but a good sign of her feist!)  and finally Patty had to say to her, "Maria, just because you had a leg operation doesn't mean you can boss us around"!  Back to normal...

Today, Sat.  has been a stay-at-home day, basically in the pool and now we will be going out for a while, probably to the library.  I'll write again soon.