Alex's Birthday Week

My previous post was published on Alex's birthday but I noted from my photo library that I had not posted about our activities during his birthday week. Well, better late than never and for completeness here is the download or lowdown or whatever.

May 26th this year was on a Tuesday, the Tuesday after Memorial Day weekend - very unusual. Alex's birthday usually falls before or during Memorial Day weekend. Since May has 31 days and Memorial Day is defined as the last Monday in May, the earliest Memorial Day can ever be is May 25th, which is what it was this year. On Sunday of Memorial Day weekend we went to the Antiques Fair in Pleasanton, CA our neighboring town. We lucked out with a primo parking spot near the Pleasanton City Building Inspection offices and walked to Main Street where all the action was. Two locations about midway are noted. The Berry Patch where Alex picked out a present for himself (details later) and Alberto's Cantina where he practically inhaled the quesadilla we ordered for his lunch (after devouring the chips and salsa first, of course).

Extending far beyond these two midway points of interest, there were tented booths and street vendors as far as the eye could see looking both up Main Street toward the north...

and down Main Street toward the south.

Usually at these events the dogs are out in full force and Alex makes lots of friends and gets many a doggie kiss. For some reason this time the dogs were a bit stand-offish and there were not many photo ops when they were willing to meet and greet with Alex. Since local canine encounters were not of the close kind, Alex and I entered the Berry Patch, a local gift shop and toy store.

 

Immediately at the far end of the store on a high shelf Alex spotted Hoppity Socks Blue Bunny Plush by Baby Ganz. Apparently it was love at first sight.

Alex is usually not into stuffed toys but he reached for the rabbit, calling out "Raah", and clutched him close.

Alex hung on to Raah for the rest of the day. Even at lunch Frank and I had to be vigilant to keep white Raah (or should I say Gringo Raah) away from the salsa and melted cheese in the Mexican restaurant.

On Tuesday evening, May 26th, Alex's actual birthday, Frank and visited his home for a mini-celebration. Since Alex does not like cake and it is difficult to put a candle in chips, we brought donuts. Clients and staff joined us in singing Happy Birthday to Alex before he blew out a candle, grinning from ear to ear at all the attention. 

Afterward he opened a small puzzle gift we'd brought. It was a tray puzzle of the alphabet by Melissa and Doug and, as each letter was put back in place, a voice said what the letter was and what is stood for. Alex can do 100-piece puzzles but we thought the novelty of added sound would spark interest.

St. Denis is a lively place. With all the clients in the family room at once, it was quite cacophonous. Alex's new roommate Chase was playing his music (not all that softly). Wheel of Fortune was echoing from the TV in competition with the Chase's music. Jamie was calling out letters at the top of her voice so we could be sure to hear that she had picked the "right" ones. Becky and Jacqueline were verbally vying with each other to bend our ear telling us story after story. We thought Alex was so clever and learned so fast since he put each letter of the alphabet in place lickety-split, as fast as he picked each of them up. We could barely hear the sounds emanating from the puzzle as Frank and I struggled listening to figure out what each letter stood for, but Alex did not seem to mind. He added his cheering each time the puzzle voice announced a successful piece placement. What a zoo! But surely a happy zoo! Alex's official birthday bash at St. Denis was scheduled for Friday night. Clients from the sister home would be there as well. Just think. We could do this all again with twice the partiers and at even greater volume!

Birthdays with Alex also have a more mundane aspect. His natal anniversary is the trigger for annual evaluations at his home, his day program, and the regional center that monitors his care. Friday was three of those meetings back to back at the facility for Mission Hope Day Program. It is kind of neat though to walk in and see Alex's name up on the bulletin board for a May birthdays. I snapped a quick cell phone shot.

Friday night was Alex's official birthday bash. St. Denis sure makes him feel special and loved. Head staff member, Baby, cooks Alex's favorite foods for the party. The menu was Spaghetti, pizza, and Lumpia, Filipino eggrolls that she makes by hand and Alex positively inhales. Knowing Alex does not like cake, they tried a cheesecake instead. I love their novel way of protecting it from Alex's fallout when he vigorously extinguishes his candles. They buy a cake with a plastic dome cover, melt the base of each candle, and meld them to the dome.

When you think of it, the practice of blowing across a cake that everyone shares is not very hygienic for anyone. This is a great solution. The cheesecake noted that Alex turned 29.

After singing Happy Birthday, Alex insists everyone count to three, "1 – 2 – 3", multiple times before he relishes blowing out those candles. The lightly sprinkled (ok – maybe mildly splattered) dome can then be removed and the cake devoured by all, safe and unscathed. By the way, cheesecake was an excellent alternative. Alex loved it!

Alex opened two gifts afterward, a new light weight jacket from St. Denis...

... and a new bowling ball bag from Frank and me.

The box is quite large but that is how Amazon shipped it. It made for a lot of curiosity and anticipation among Alex's housemates as they awaited Alex's opening it. He needed a bit of convincing to abandon his old bowling bag but it had literally falling apart at the seams. So ends the celebratory week for Alex's 29th birthday.

So now I am officially caught up. Next year, Alex turns the big Three-Oh. Oh, my!

  30!!!