The Big Birthday Bash

Andrew Balor's favorite day of the year is August 16.

Every year on this day, Andrew has a huge birthday 

party. And this year is special because it's Andrew's 8th birthday. He 

has no idea what his parents have planned, and he can't wait to find out.

Every year, Andrew searches around the house and tries to figure out what
theme his parents have decided to do for the party. He knows that this year
it will be harder because he's getting older, and his mom and dad have made
an extra effort to make sure he doesn't find out. But it's never worked
before. Andrew has figured out every birthday theme since his parents
started the birthday parties when he was four. That year, it was a train
theme. They had a model train going around the table, and all the children
wore engineer hats. Everyone got a toy train to take home with them. That
was a great party. For his 5th birthday, the theme was the circus. There
were clowns and dogs dressed as circus animals. One clown even made

balloon animals, and made a giraffe for Andrew. That was his favorite party.

But he knows the party this year is going to be extra special because he had

seen his parents whispering to each other, and they are really trying to keep 

him from finding out.

"Okay, the first place I need to look is in the kitchen. Maybe Mom left out
a piece of paper with the theme written down on it," Andrew says to himself
as he walks into the living room. He quietly creeps past his mother's office
into the kitchen. Next to the phone were the messages. Nothing about a party
was written down on them. "I bet there's something in the recipe card box."
He looks in the box through all the recipes but finds nothing.

Andrew's mom walks into the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, um."

"I think I have a good idea. You're trying to find out

what the theme of your party is. Well, you can just 

stop looking now because you are not going
to find out. Your dad and I are keeping it a secret."

"Okay, Mom. I'm going to my room to play video games."

"I'll call you when it's time for dinner."

Andrew heads to the stairs but stops just outside the door of the kitchen
because he hears his dad walk in. "Liz, I found the. . ." His dad begins,
but Andrew's mom stops him because she knows that Andrew might be listening
at the door.

"Mike, Andrew was just in here snooping around, trying to figure out what
we're doing for his birthday this year. Let me make sure he's up in his room
before we start talking about the party."

Andrew takes off up the stairs and rushes into his room.  He turns on his 
television and begins playing one of his games.  His mom calls him from the 
bottom of the staircase. "Andrew!"

"What, Mom?"

"Are you having fun playing your game?"

"Yes."

His mom turns and walks back into the kitchen. "Okay, we can talk about it
now, but we have to be quiet because Andrew may come down here and

try to listen." She and Andrew's dad sit at the table and talk quietly. Andrew 

is trying to listen at the door, but he can't hear a word they're saying.

"Andrew, I know you're listening!" 

Andrew laughs and heads back to his room. He knows he'll find out before the
party. Meanwhile, his parents continue talking about the theme, the decorations,
and the food. 

"Did you order the cake, Mike?"

"Yes. Gene's Bakery will be fixing the best chocolate cake ever. And Gene is
decorating it just how we want it. I told him to put 'Happy 8th Birthday' on
it."

"Great! I can't wait for him to see the cake. He's going to be so surprised
when he finds out what we're doing."

Andrew's parents smile at each other, and his mom stands

and begins preparing dinner. His dad walks to the garage 

to hide the special present they have for him. "I think he'll

really like this," Andrew's dad says to himself as he puts

 the present in the storage closet. He locks the closet door

and turns around. Standing just inside the garage is Andrew.

"What are you doing out here? Are you trying to see what 

we got you this year?"

"Come on, Dad. You know I would never do anything like that. By the way,
what did you just put in the closet?"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know," his dad replied. "I think you need to stop
sneaking around, trying to find out what the party theme is, and what you're
getting, before your mom and I decide that we're not going to give you a
party."

"Ah, Dad!"

"Go inside now and wash up for dinner. I'm sure it's almost ready." Andrew
and his dad walk back into the kitchen, and Andrew runs upstairs to the
bathroom to wash his hands. "Do you know that he was out in the garage? I
hope he didn't see what we're getting him."

"Mike, he needs to learn to be patient. I know it's fun for him to try to
find out the theme and the gifts, but I just wish he would let it be a
surprise for once."

Andrew hears his parents as he walks down the stairs. He realizes all the
hard work his parents have put into planning the party and decides to stop
trying to figure out what the theme and the gifts will be. This year, he'll
let everything be a surprise.

Three days later, Andrew wakes up quickly and heads down the stairs for
breakfast. He checks the clock. 8:00 a.m. He wonders why no one else is up.
His family always has a great breakfast on his birthday. He walks to the
pantry and looks for a box of cereal. When he turns around, his parents are
standing there, dressed and ready to leave.

"Andrew, you better get ready. Your dad and I are ready to leave."

"Where are we going?"

"Get dressed and you'll see."

Andrew rushes upstairs to his bedroom and puts on his clothes and shoes. He
brushes his teeth and combs his hair and heads back downstairs to where his
parents are waiting in the living room. "Okay, I'm ready."

They get in the car and Andrew's dad takes them to a great restaurant for
breakfast. Andrew has pancakes and sausage smothered in maple syrup. He
thinks it's great that his parents are taking him out to eat on his birthday.

"Thanks for the breakfast. It was great."

"Well, Andrew, that's not all. Your birthday has only 

begun," his dad says. They get back in the car and head

to the zoo where Andrew sees his favorite animal, the 

elephant. The zookeeper knows it's Andrew's birthday

and lets him help take care of the elephants. He feeds them and washes them.

He can't think of anything better than this. After the elephants go to sleep, 

Andrew walks around the rest of the zoo. He sees lions and birds and tigers and
kangaroos and all kinds of other animals. He and his parents have a picnic
lunch then head back home. 

As they pull into the driveway, Andrew spots a huge banner that has "Happy
Birthday" on it. He jumps out of the car and runs into the house.  No one is 
there, so he races to the backyard. All his friends are waiting, and the party
has a zoo theme. His cake is an elephant holding a bag of peanuts.  He and his
friends play different games and pretend to be different animals.  Andrew always
wants to be an elephant. When it's time to cut the cake, everybody sings to 
Andrew, and he blows out the candles and makes a wish.  They eat cake and
ice cream and get ready to open presents.  Andrew gets some new video games,
a model truck that he gets to put together by himself, and a lot of other cool stuff.
But the best gift of all is the one his parents give him -- a new bike.  He hops on
it and begins riding down the sidewalk.  Before he knows it, it's time for 
everyone to go home.  He passes out the gift bags of treats -- animal crackers 
and lollipops.

As he gets into bed that night, he looks at his mom and dad. "Thanks for the
best birthday ever! I'm so glad I waited and let it be a surprise."

"So are we," his mom and dad reply. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Andrew drifts off to sleep, thinking about the wonderful day he
had, and he knows exactly what he'll dream about tonight.