a {birthday} trip to the zoo!

Mikayla's "actual" birthday was last Friday and the weather was GORGEOUS!! We had originally planned to go the beach, but I was kind of dreading the hour and a half drive (there and then back) and getting there to possibly have to endure cold, windy weather. So, one mention of the word ZOO...and she was sold! We are lucky to live just a short 45-minute (and sometimes less) drive to the Oregon Zoo.

The morning started out with the traditional birthday doughnut.

Then we told her she could open one present in the morning, and she was so excited to get a camera! She asks quite often to take pictures using our camera, which I always hesitate because all I can visualize is her dropping it or banging it into something. We have had this bright pink digital camera since before Christmas and decided to save it for her birthday. Ryan (being the "slick dealer" that he is) found it 75% off on clearance, so it ended up being like a $10 camera! It was the perfect gift to give her first as she was able to use it ALL. DAY. LONG. at the zoo.

{OUR TRIP TO THE ZOO}
**be prepared for picture overload**

On the way home from the zoo, we stopped and got Dilly Bars at Dairy Queen. This was Mikayla's {second} birthday treat for the day. The place was so jam-packed (the first "hot" day in months!!) that we ended up taking the Dilly Bars on the road. Gotta love chocolatey-icecream messes in the car! {Or not so much.}

We opted not to do the traditional Red Robin dinner, which I must say I kind of miss not having those pictures, but after a long day we decided just to stay in for the rest of the evening. Mikayla was A-OK with that decision. We ended the evening with some Wii action and a few more presents...

Happy 5th Birthday, my sweet girl!