39th and 72nd Birthdays

Monday, May 26th, the day of Alex's and my shared birthday, Frank, Alex, and I visited the Discovery Museum in San Jose, the purple building with the huge yellow duck on the roof. The last time we'd been there was August of 2022. There are many more extensive photos in that blog post even though it had been during times of COVID and a modified visit. This post just hits some highlights. To commemorate this birthday occasion, Alex and I posed for a selfie inside a full size Wells Fargo Stage Coach.

Having been to the museum several times before, we knew what Alex's favorite spots were and were sure to visit those. Shortly after entering there is an air-powered air maze which when loaded with fluffy pompoms whizzes them all around before spitting them out to do a repeat. Alex loved loading the yarn balls and laughing when they shoot out in a random location on the floor or when they actually clobber him upon ejection.

I think Alex's most favorite spot of all is the water play area. He tossed balls into the vortex and watched them spiral down, then shoot out to do again.

There are several activities he likes to do with Frank. Building with huge foam blocks is one. Walking across a bumpy moving bridge is another. Alex will go back and enjoy jumping solo on the bridge, as well.

Upstairs there are stacking and building manipulative activities in which Alex can become very engrossed. The tower stacking station has a button to press to shake, simulating an earthquake and knocking down the newly built creations. Alex liked that part, also.

Wheels vs. no wheels? Frank and Alex race in the friction test by pulling on a rope to drag a sled weighed down with a cinder block. Frank let Alex have the sled with wheels but Alex did not always win. He was too distracted gleefully pointing out to Frank what a good job he was doing pulling the rope.

The pin sensory board was also a big hit.

Outdoors, the occasional big bubble, in the rare instance when I could succeed in forming one, was good for a laugh and a pop. The notable point of this photo is that Frank took it with his new iPhone 16 Pro Max. My birthday present was that Frank finally — yes, finally — gave in, and we got the same iPhones, so doing and learning actions on the phone would be the same for both of us.

Once back home at St Denis, Alex blew out some candles on his doughnut and opened a few gifts. He is holding two more Squishy Dogs like those we got him and that had been such a hit when we went to the Stunt Dog Show two weeks earlier.

Alex did enjoy his birthday. Sometimes repeating an activity known to be a sure winner is the way to go.