I'm 8!

Today is my birthday! I am now eight years old! I didn't think I would like being eight because I liked being seven so much, but so far I like it. Mommy and Daddy came in my room this morning and sang Happy Birthday instead of saying, "Yoshi wake up!" like they usually do. We went to my favorite place for breakfast, which is the cafe around the corner. I got a toasted bagel with cream cheese. Yum! Then we went to school. My friends gave me hand made cards, hugs, and lots of happiness. At the end of the school day, Mommy came to class with the chocolate chip cookies that Daddy and I baked the night before. My friend said he gives the cookie an A+ 'cause it was so tasty. I also gave cookies to my old teachers and the principal. And the principal gave me a pretty lei!



I've been getting lots of mail these past few days. Birthday cards, a Halloween card, and stickers! I even got more mail than Mommy and Daddy. Getting mail makes me happy.

And guess what I got from Mommy and Daddy? A microscope! It's so cool! I love it so much. It's weird how it can see things that I can't see with my regular eyes. I saw my first cell. It has a dark dot in the middle. That's the nucleus. And I saw a cell that was in the middle of splitting into two cells! I like collecting things outside to put on slides, like moist leaves, dried up leaves, flower petals, dead ants. These aren't slides you slide down, like in a playground. These are flat pieces of glass that you stick stuff on to look with the microscope. Everything looks so interesting under a microscope. Even paper! And Bachan and Jichan gave me a big geode that Daddy helped me crack open, so I put the crystals under the microscope too. I love science.

And on Saturday, my best friends Z and J spent the night for my birthday sleepover. It's been a long time since the three of us played together since Z moved away. We had a lot of catching up to do. Plus it was Sunday Streets, where cars aren't allowed. It was a big party in my neighborhood! Lots of fun stuff, like...

Face painting!


Hopscotch!


Chillin' with ice cream!


Hula hooping!


This evening we ate dinner in my room, picnic style. I'm not usually allowed to have any food pin my room, so getting to eat a meal there is a very special treat. It only happens on my birthday. And sometimes on Valentine's Day. After, we drove to the beach and painted with light. I made a heart!



Finally we went home because it was dark. Bachan and Jichan wished me a happy birthday on the phone. My cousin Ellie made a super cute video singing Happy Birthday to "Yosi" and I also got to see an online card from my older cousins, Kelly, Katie, and Madison. So much birthday goodness.

Turning 8 couldn't be better.