Jojo's Birthday

Belated happy birthday, Ni! It’s been two days since your birthday but we’ve been so busy celebrating (among other things) that I have not had the chance to greet you via my blog. Just wanted to say, hope you had a great birthday and that we did justice to celebrating your special day. This year you specifically asked me NOT to throw you a surprise party and NOT to make “too big” a deal on your birthday. I had to really hold back because you do know how much I love surprising you and how I think birthdays should be a big deal. :)

I wish you the very best. You deserve that and so much more—especially since you have to live with someone who is an eternal worrywart, a reforming pessimist, a “makes mountains out of molehills” kind of wife who staunchly refuses to do laundry.

To my best friend, my partner, my ally and my love: Thanks for knowing when I need you to take the lead and show me the way, when I simply need your presence by my side, and when I need your support as I try to do my own thing.

Here are some pictures of Jojo’s birthday dinner at Shanghai Palace last Saturday.

The first table of 12 guests ... family and friends ...

Second table of 12 ... my hubby and I are in the background ... surrounded by my 3 nieces.

We had to have another mini-table for Mikey, Joe & Jay since there was no space in the 2 main tables. This was the bachelor's table.

The next day, we also celebrated by having lunch at Pacific Fish restaurant at the Redondo Pier. Now that Jojo has officially outgrown his allergy to crab ... he's been making up for all the years he's had to pass up on crab ...

Here's my hubby with his parents ... by the Redondo Beach Pier.

Just about ready to start our crab feast ... jackets off ... bags cleared off the table ... bibs secured around our necks ... mallets ready to start pounding ... looks like we're ready!

Here are our Dungeness crabs! I know they look like giant bugs ... but they are really very good once you get started. One crab per person is plenty - these things are huge and packed with so much meat.

Jojo also had a mini-party with his co-workers on the day of his birthday and another get-together here at home on the eve of his birthday.

Yes, I did try to "hold back" on making "too big a deal" on his birthday ... just like he told me to =)