NINE!

Here is Catherine - nine years old - after Mass.  She said her best birthday present was going to be receiving Jesus.

My parents visited the week before her birthday and left her this card with $9 for her 9th birthday, which she read all by herself.  Sister Loretta has helped her so much with her reading, but it is still a struggle and she does not enjoy it, yet.  They took her out to eat and went bowling - for the first time - when they were here.  She had fun, even though she had to two-hand the lightest ball they had.

Our friend, Kristi stuffed this Mermaid Ariel costume in my diaper bag last time we were visiting because her daughter had outgrown it and we knew Catherine would love it...she does!

Teresa and I went to the store on Saturday and she picked out this Mermaid Barbie because she knew it is what Catherine would want the most.  It was a little more than she had to spend so I helped out.  She loves that, too.  I also downloaded and printed out about 30 coloring pages of Rapunzel from the movie Tangled for her.

Catherine's 9th birthday coincided with Father's Day and we decided to go to the zoo.  She wanted to see the flamingos, first:

Catherine by the PINK flamingos

All the kids at the zoo

...and then she wanted to go to the Wild Kingdom Pavilion, which she discovered on her school field trip to the zoo a few months ago.  It wasn't too crowded, so Adam and I got to sit and rest a bit as the kids explored. 

Driving the jeep in the Wild Kingdom Pavilion

Since it was Father's Day, too, dad had picked the Scott Aquarium as the exhibit he wanted to visit.  This is also Teresa's favorite exhibit, so she was happy, too. 

Catherine and Adam

Michaela

We walked through the Gorilla Valley and Orangutan Forest on the way (mom's favorite), where we had to stop and eat our fill of delicious Juneberries that grow nearby.  We have one of these trees in our yard and NEED to plant more. 

juneberry trees by the orangutans

We also went to the IMAX movie: Tornado Alley before going out for Catherine's birthday dinner (Chinese Buffet - she is my girl!).  We wanted to meet up with some friends at the pool on Monday (Adam won't go to the pool - even for Catherine's birthday) but the weather outlook prevented that - it has just been too cold and rainy.