TWELVE

Rachel

Today is Rachel's birthday!!! She is twelve, the age where you earnestly start practicing to be a teenager. And she is especially lucky since she has three examples to watch. So lucky...

Her siblings started her morning with Happy Birthday and a brownie in bed. We firmly believe breakfast in bed is never a bad way to start the day. In fact, Rachel had a pre-birthday breakfast in bed courtesy of Steve. He had to leave for the US two days before her birthday so she got breakfast in bed that day too!

Although she still had to go to school it was not a bad day. First, our school here in Germany has not banned bringing in homemade treats to share for your birthday. We have gone back to our pre-birthday-treat-ban-tradition of cupcakes in ice cream cones. The difference here is I can only find teeny, tiny ice cream cones. Just a little more than a bite, but they look pretty darn cute. Rachel started the day sharing treats with her homeroom and closest friends. Her trio of best friends decorated her locker and she was sung to six different times throughout the school day! Also? Rachel has a friend who would like to be a special friend who gave her a silver chain to go with the silver R charm she received for Valentine's Day. Where does this special friend shop? Why Tiffany & Co., of course. Really. We live in a bit of a different world here.

He who has yet to be named

I met Rachel, AJ and Stefanie after school for a big birthday surprise. As I mentioned Steve is in the US and what I didn't mention is Dominic is in London for a rugby tournament (different world!). Anyway, Rachel's surprise was her very own hamster. Yes, you read that correctly, I have caved in the furry animal pet department and have allowed her to get a hamster. She is beyond excited. We think our new little pet has a name but we will wait and see if it sticks. By the way, this purchase as well as all of the necessary pet items was taken care of in GERMAN. Between me and Stefanie I think we understood most of the information.

Rachel, Aj & Stefanie

In other news this may be a clear sign that I am losing my mind.

Once we got the hamster home, the cage (käfig) assembled and the hamster settled it was time for dinner. Rachel requested an Italian restaurant so we tried a new restaurant (to us) here in Starnberg, Simpatico. The girls both had pizza and decided it was the best they have had in Germany but still not as good as in Italy or America. Interesting.

Then it was home for birthday pie. Our kids are learning to step outside of the box and request something other than cake for their birthdays. Rachel's request was Chocolate Silk Pie. We all approved!