Birthdays...

Ok, for my first rant on this blog (see Murdoch, I told you I would rant) I want to talk about restaurants in Toledo. My boys each had a birthday this week. Aidan's was last Friday and Austin's was today. We usually take our boys out to the restaurant of their choice on their birthdays. Of course, we always tell the waiter or waitress so they can prepare dessert and come marching out singing the appropriate birthday song for that particular restaurant. Practically every restaurant in Mt. Pleasant did this. Well, apparently in Toledo they are too good for the birthday song and dance. We went to Olive Garden for Aidan's birthday and got nothing, not even dessert. Needless to say, our drama king who loves attention did not appreciate this. Today we went to Applebee's for Austin and our waiter did bring dessert, but no song. Seriously, is it that hard to drag a few workers out and make my kid's day? They look really forward to it, darn it! And I'm not just trying to be some cheap parent who doesn't want to buy dessert, although that is nice! Aidan and Austin just get such a kick out of the whole thing. We always clap along for other people's birthday songs in restaurants. It's just a good time all around.

I will give props (yes Chuck, I did just use the word props - how many cool points do I lose for that?) to Red Robin. We went there to celebrate an early Father's Day for my father-in-law when he was visiting. On a whim we decided to mention the boys' birthdays (it is after all the "season" of their birthdays!). Well, thank you very much, we got the whole obnoxious song and dance and dessert, and my boys loved every single moment of it! They had to stand up on their seats, hold their sundaes over their heads, get a balloon, and a loud song that went on forever. Our waitress even took 3 seconds to learn their names and how old they were in order to announce it to everyone sitting around us. Now that's what I'm talking about. Not only did they get to enjoy the moment, but they got to annoy every person sitting nearby. And there were at least 3 other birthdays just while we were there. Gotta love Red Robin. So, thank you Red Robin for making my kids smile. And it only cost you two scoops of ice cream and thirty seconds of your workers' time.

Okay, my first official rant is now over. I know, it was a big one. Next time I'll try to tone it down a little!

Cherene