"Best birthday party ever!"

Although it's not actually Ryan's birthday until tomorrow, we had his 'party' today. After much discussion and negotiation, we agreed that he could have two friends (Nik and Lachlan), since the activities he chose were free/cheap. We headed off pretty early in the morning, first stop Old Adelaide Gaol. I've never been there before, it was pretty cool actually. It's run-down and the displays are pretty lame, but it's interesting anyway.

Photo: Child prisoners at the gaol.

We were there fairly early and there was no-one else there so the kids got to run around and work off some of their excitement. Lachlan got a little bit spooked at going into some of the cells, and was sure the people were keeping secrets and there were really prisoners still behind some of the locked doors. We learned about the only woman hanged in SA (Elizabeth Woolcock, for poisoning her husband) and stood in the hanging tower on the trapdoor that drops to hang people. Yay.
After that, we headed into Adelaide itself for a space display at the museum. Only it wasn't at all what I (and Ryan) thought it would be. Fortunately he didn't get disappointed - rather than being space artifacts it was a hands-on Investigator Science thingy. Interesting, lots of things to play with, even for Sophie. We wandered around some more of the museum as well, there is a new Edicaria display (world's oldest fossils from Flinders Ranges). It's interesting the things that hold children's interest at different ages; Ryan was very interested in the different minerals this time. Sophie loved talking and growling at all the stuffed mammals.
We had lunch at DJs food court, since the kids all decided they wanted Subway (how exciting). I talked them out of it though as the line was very long, and the thought of trying to get four different subs made was just too much for me. Lachlan then chose sushi and the others pies. Bethany waited until last and then I was feeling game enough to brave Subway, so she got it after all. Sophie had sushi too. :) Funny how kids have different tastes - Lachlan loved his (raw) salmon and avocado sushi but wouldn't even look twice at the muffins I made this morning. Oh, the muffins, I felt like such a 'good' mother this morning when I realised we didn't have any snacks, so just decided to whip up a batch of muffins before we headed out. How Supermum of me. :0 They were tasty too.
After the museum and lunch, we headed home then out to the skate park (phew, exhausting just typing it all out !). The boys had brought their scooters (Lachlan's bought especially this week just for today), and Ryan had his bike. The skate park was the best part of the day. You know they had a good day, as we were leaving each thing, they said 'that was the best thing so far!'. But the skate park really did win. The girls climbed up and slid down things (even Sophie), and the boys scooted and rode and slid. After that, home to play Ryan's new computer game (from Lachlan) then off to Hungry Jacks for dinner (all the way to Elizabeth as Munno is closed for renovations). Then home for cake, then dropping boys off.

Photo: Ryan cutting his cake. His request: chocolate mud cake with a gooey caramel centre (cake cut in half and Top N Fill added), with a yin yang on top (last minute alteration from skull).

Of course, the boys couldn't live further apart, Nik at Evanston Park and Lachlan at Hewett, but that's the way it goes. Ryan continued to thank me for the day, saying he didn't know what the strongest word was to use for how good the day was. It was brilliant, excellent, great, fantastic and terrific. So nice he had a good time. The kids were all great, the only little niggle was on the way home from town, the boys had a bit of an argument and Ryan sulked most of the way home but snapped out of it quick enough. Tomorrow Jeannie is coming for a visit, and Bethany is going to a birthday party (Claire's, at Starplex pool).
Photo: Ryan looking somewhat, um, unmasculine. The kids all swapped clothes and took photos of themselves being each other, here Ryan is dressed up as Hannah.