A fish named Bread
It was Aden's birthday today. Everyone asked him how old he was. "I'm 4 now," he would reply. "How old are you?" Then he would offer to count as high as their age--until my FIL told him that he was 52, at which point Aden said, "I can't count that high. That's almost to 100." Way to make Poppy feel old, LOL!
We had yet another "Thomas the Train" themed birthday party today, but to my relief he chose "Madagascar" for his family party on Saturday. We're branching out! First there was a short obsession with "The Incredibles" this spring, now he's becoming very fond of "Madagascar"... Nevertheless, his wish-list was still loaded with trains and train track, and his grandparents gladly obliged.
We surprised him though. We got him a fish tank! It's been so fun setting it up. First Derek built a sturdy table for the triangular area of space in the corner behind our couch--ostensibly so Lily wouldn't climb up onto the couch and fall off the back. Gotta be smarter than your 4-year-old, LOL. They want to know the reason for everything you do!
Then I bought the aquarium and basic supplies on Monday night after the kids went to bed. We wanted to go ahead and set it up so the water could be conditioned and ready for him to get decorations, plants, and the first fish on his birthday, so we stayed up until midnight setting up the equipment, rinsing the gravel, filling the tank, etc. But how to cover it so he would be surprised? Aha! We turned the box upside down, gift wrapped it, set it over the tank, and piled presents and cards (pretty much any items that had come in the mail from family) around it. I thought the slight sound of water running through the filter would give it away but luckily his eagle-ears didn't notice it on Tuesday morning. ;)
The pile of presents drove him crazy though. I don't know how many times he asked when he could open something. Finally I told him he might be able to open one when Dad came home... I knew he would choose the big one. So Derek came home, and we told Aden he could open ONE present early. And he chose... a tiny little one from Lily! By that time we couldn't wait to see his face when he opened the aquarium, so we talked him out of the little one and he chose the big one next.
He was funny. He started ripping the paper off, and didn't quite get it when he saw the picture of the aquarium on the box. So Derek helped him lift the box up and he started giggling. He was excited. He wanted his pretend fish to live in it--they have previously lived in the tub and in bowls in the kitchen sink ;)--and wanted to get a snail to put "right here" in a particular corner. When we started talking about picking out a real fish on his birthday he loved it.
So that's what we did tonight after dinner. The owner of our local aquarium store has been so helpful, and was very nice to Aden. He showed us to a tank of platys, assured us that they were very hardy, and pointed out the Mickey Mouse and Sunburst platys. Aden chose a Sunburst platy with a golden yellow belly that radiates into bright orange on the head, tail and fins. We took him home and put him into our tank and thank goodness the fish didn't immediately keel over! Really, that would have been a horrible birthday gift, eh? But he seems very happy in there amongst the plants, rock, and sunken boat that Aden picked out.
Of course, the fish needed a name. First he was Fisheater, which I thought was odd, and then he was Banana--"because he is smooth like a banana"--and now he is named Bread. I can't help but chuckle when I think of this fish called Bread! Aden announced his name while we sat at the table eating birthday cake, and Derek, my mom, and I all laughed so hard we nearly choked.
So there you go, the story of the fish named Bread--the only Bread that doesn't get soggy in water. :)
