Ryan's Pre-Birthday, Sunday, June 24, 2012

Being born on 4th of July weekend can greatly impact your ability to celebrate your birthday.  However, this year Ryan’s birthday week started early and continued on past his Birthday.  We decided to have Ryan’s party a week early, to beat the holiday celebrations and because we were going to be camping on his birthday.  Ryan chose to go to Chuck E Cheese for his birthday party.  Several of his friends joined him to make it a special time. 
Ryan enjoyed games, pizza, cake, and a special visit from Chuck E Cheese.



One of the new features at Chuck E Cheese is the ticket blaster.  I had watched other kids not end up with many tickets, so I had set my mind that Ryan would end up with the minimum 200 bonus tickets.  The other two birthday stars from the other parties went first.  Neither of them was able to get the special 1000 bonus ticket.  So my expectations were low as Ryan prepared to enter the ticket blaster.  Ryan on the other hand was full of confidence and bursting with excitement.

Our party host briefed Ryan on the rules and told him to make sure he followed them.  He eagerly shook his blond head and smiled with excitement.  The door shut and the countdown began to the start of the explosion of tickets around Ryan.  At first, Ryan was not able to grab anything, and then he grabbed his first ticket and put it in his left hand.  He started using his right hand to grab and put his left hand out in front of him to hold the tickets.   All of a sudden his outstretched left arm started to catch all of the large bonus tickets.  Before we knew it his hand was full of tickets. 

The excitement exploded when the 1000 bonus ticket hit his arm and he grabbed it holding on to the covenanted ticket.  It was as though he had won the golden ticket in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  We all started yelling and cheering.  I was afraid that in his effort to grab even more tickets this precious ticket would fly away.  Finally, the time ended and Ryan bounded out of the machine holding his prized ticket.  Ryan had 2225 tickets, which was a much higher number than the 200 I had planned on.  He was very excited to spend 2500 tickets once his game tickets were added to his bonus tickets. 


After a great afternoon at Chuck E Cheese we headed home to have Ryan’s family celebration.  Uncle John, Nana , Papa, Grandma Rosi, Mom, Dad and Josh all joined Ryan for his special dinner and  chocolate cake with super heroes on it.  The evening is warm and nice and the boys played with the new slip and slide as the sunset on a perfect day.

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