Elliott assembling the birthday lego setOn Elliott's 9th birthday, between breakfast and the school bus, he opened his new Lego set (a Star Wars Ship...which I ordered at home and brought with us). He went to school, where he and a girl named Anabelle who also had a birthday were both sung to, the Bolivian way, which is first in English then in Spanish--don´t ask me why. He even got a present from a thoughtful member of his class. Afterschool, he did nothing but put legos together til bedtime, save for a pause to have a birthday dinner with the family: Susan made tacos & burritos and a homemade, hand-beaten Angelfood cake with chocolate pudding filling. Elliott got lots of birthday emails, some illicit Bolivian-made Indiana Jones DVDs and Wii games to play with the cousins, a new watch to replace the lost one, and a "really cool" compass to always show him which way is home.
In Elliott´s words: ¨My birthday in Bolivia was OK. It wasn't as bad as I thought.¨
Background here: When we told Elliott about our plans for going to Bolivia, the thought of having to spend his birthday here was insult to the injury of spending three months here in the first place. Nothing could equal a REAL party with his friends at home. So before we left I promised a make-up ¨unbirthday¨party after we get home, and it was in trying to assauge my parental guilt that I indulged Elliott with the Santa-calibur lego set. So ¨OK¨ is success!
Some pictures of his birthday dinner:
(l-r around the table) Alexia, Foster, Javier, Elliott, Rosi, Susan, Sergio, Lucas and Susana the blur.
Singing Happy Birthday. What´s sung here, and not just in this house: verse one in English as we know it (Hah-py Birthday to you, etc) then verse two isCumpleanos Felices, Te deseamos a ti, Cumpleanos felices, Te deseamos a ti
Here, you get to make three wishes when you blow out the candles.
Thrilled with the Wii games and an Indiana Jones movie
When Susan asked what kind of cake he wanted, Elliott said, ¨Can I see a list of the choices?¨
Happy Belated Birthday Elliot!!
ReplyDeleteI have been off line for a bit - sick computer. I look forward to hearing from you about your experiences in Bolivia. It is looking pretty good from here!
Our guest from Ecuador is here, Ayesha. She is trying to teach us to speak some Spanish - do you have any advice?
Best wishes, Rebecca Nunley