Going on a Treasure Hunt

This year for Claire's birthday we did not have a friend birthday party. This is the first year we haven't had one for Claire and it was a bit hard for me not to have one for her. So I tried to think of how we could spice up a family birthday for her and came up with a plan. Instead of putting the money into a party we put the money into Claire's gift, a new bike. Then I decided that on her birthday we'd do a scavenger hunt for her presents.

Stuart came home at 3 and made cheesy bread and pizza while we frosted cupcakes. During dinner I mentioned that Jeremiah and I had been at the mall that day and had seen Swiper there trying to swipe people's packages. (If you've never watched Dora, you won't get that.) Jeremiah, who didn't even know the "game plan" chimed in, "Yeah and we came home fast." After dinner Stuart took the kids outside to get the mail while I quickly hid the presents around the apartment with the last present having a clue that would take us to my sister's house where we had hidden the bike.

After they came back I set the cupcakes on the table and said, "Oh, I forgot the presents. Let me go upstairs and get them." I ran upstairs, came down, and tried my best to look shocked. In my hand I held a piece of paper and I said, "Oh no, oh no, this is not good." Stuart asked, "What's wrong Mommy? Where are the presents? Are they gone?" I said, "I can't find the presents. They are gone! " I tried to look forlorn and not excited about what lay ahead. Claire's eyes got wide, then narrowed as they scrutinized my face. (Guess that one 9th grade acting class wasn't enough.) "Oh, you're just trickin' me because it's my birthday." I did my best to keep that forlorn look and said, "All I could find was this piece of paper where the presents were."

Claire snatched the paper and said, "Is it a note?" Then she started reading it. The first one said, "I'm Swiper and I've swiped your stuff, because I thought you had enough..." Then it went on to give a clue about where the presents were. Claire said, "They're clues! Swiper took the presents and we have to find them." Now Jeremiah was fully into the game as he shouted, "We have to find the presents!"

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Claire and Jeremiah try to figure out where each gift was located. Jeremiah actually dechiphered the first clue. At each hiding spot Claire opened the present she found. Then she got to the last clue. It talked about needing a lift and being near a dog named Jake. This stumped Claire. She couldn't think of any dog named Jake. We definitely don't own a dog named Jake. Stuart piped in, "I think I remember a big black dog named Jake." You could see the realization hit Claire and she screamed, "There is that big dog by Aunt Sarah and Uncle Larry and his name is Jake!" I asked her what she thought we should do. She said, "We need to go see if it's there."

So Claire called Aunt Sarah who played along beautifully. Claire said, "Hi. Um, is the dog next door to you, is his name Jake?" "Why yes, yes his name is Jake." As soon as Sarah said that Claire starts talking a mile a minute into the phone. "The second to last clue said my present is near a dog named Jake so can we come and look?" I then talked to Sarah and 10 min later we were on our way. Claire was bouncing the whole time. As soon as we got there Claire started searching but unable to find it. We even saw Jake but no present. Finally with some guidance, Claire peeked under a blanket and found the bike.

I think Claire enjoyed her new bike, but I really think her favorite present was from her Aunt--a new baby doll that actually drinks and wets. She had him out of the package as soon as she could and even had him named: John. She rode her bike some and had fun but then ran back inside to play with John. When we got home she wouldn't wait and had to feed him and put him on his potty. Then she had to wrap him up in the special blanket her Grandmother had made for her babies as well as put one of the hats Grandma had made on John. I kept trying to get her in bed and she said, "I know mom, but being a mom is a lot of work." I couldn't help but smile. Don't I know it?

Finally around 10 both my pumped full of sugar, overly excited children gave up the fight and fell asleep. I wasn't too far behind them but first had to give them each a kiss and smile as I watched Jeremiah curled up with his blankie, and in Claire's case, I noticed that John had been taken from his crib and carefully placed in her bed, all swaddled up. I suddenly saw 20 years in the future a young mom tiptoeing to her newborn's crib, getting the newborn out and snuggling him next to her in bed. Precious moments.