TMNT: One Small Turtle: Happy 1st Birthday Mikey

The calendar read September 20th, nine days to Mikey’s first birthday. Mikey had been in their lives a very short five months. Donnie wanted Mikey’s first birthday to be special, it was frivolous and Mikey would never remember. It’s would be a small gather since they only knew April. Donnie smiled, April could get them a cake! No algae cake! A real birthday cake! He started to write down everything they would need for a perfect birthday party.

Splinter just laid Mikey down to take a nap, he was growing fast. He gently stroked the turtle’s head, Mikey was blissfully sucking on his pacifier. Splinter raised three turtle sons already, but with Michelangelo it was different. He felt like he knew what he was doing and he had three sons to help him. In a short nine days the smallest turtle would be one. Six moths ago raising another infant turtle would not have crossed their mind, now they would not change it for anything.
----
Donnie gathered the family so they could plan the party for Mikey.

“He won’t remember it,” Raph said, “I’m surprised you of all people want to do this.”

“Raphael a birthday is a symbol, and an excellent idea. I remember our first mutation day very well. It is a special day.”

“Aw come on Raph! It will be fun, we will have cake and ice cream, oh and balloon! party hats, and games, maybe a piñata and pres----!”

“Whoa cool it, you know the only person will will be there is April right?” Raph said whacking Donnie causing the younger turtle to shoot him and angry look.

“Sorry,” Donnie said rubbing his head, “I just looked up how humans celebrate birthdays and it looked liked fun.”

“I have to agree with Donnie,” Leo said, “it should be a big celebration. Not only is he one, but it can be like a welcome to the family too.”

“So we can have the party?” Donnie asked.

“Yes, Donatello,” Splinter said pacing a paw on the youngest of three older turtle’s shoulder.

Leo and Raph went off, but Donnie stayed behind with Splinter, “I would like to get Mikey something special,” Donnie said, “he’s the only little brother I have.”
---
April and Donnie were sitting in his lab going over the plans. April was very excited to help plan a birthday party for Mikey.

“This is going to be so much fun!” April said, “I can even get him a little cake for himself he can eat, it’s a popular thing to do for babies first birthdays.”April smiled, “streamers and balloons everywhere! I’ve never helped plan a birthday party before. This is exciting! I cannot wait to start getting things for him, is there a theme you want?”

Donnie thought for a minute, “well I like orange for him, what themes are there for Mikey? I want something special.”

“I will find something.”
----
April was walking around the party store. The turtles were very important to her, and Mikey was becoming like a brother to her. The tree older turtles had their signature color, and Donnie told her he liked the color orange for Mikey. Everything for a boy’s first birthday was blue, she was starting to doubt she would find the perfect theme for Mikey, it had a turtle on it. There was no orange it was light blue and green, but she knew where she was going to get the orange in Donnie requested.

April’s next stop was the bakery. She knew exactly what she wanted. She was going to have the cake air brushed orange, with a blue top boarder, purple bottom boarder, red swags on the edge with frosting red and purple sting on top. There was also going to be a balloon in each color and ‘Happy 1st Birthday Mikey’ written in a lighter shade of green.
----
It was late on the 28th, Mikey was sleeping and the others just came back from their patrol. April stood waiting to decorate the lair for Mikey’s birthday.

Leo and Splinter hung streamers from the ceiling wile Raph and Donnie fills some balloons and April decorated Mikey’s high chair with a banner and some more balloons.

April took a step back and looked at the decorations, right now it did not look like they were in the sewers.
----
Mikey was like an alarm clock he woke up at six o’clock every morning. Donnie could hear his little brother crying, he glanced at the clock 6:15am he got out of bed and walked into Mikey’s room and scooped his little brother into his arms bouncing him lightly, “Happy Birthday!” he said, but Mikey was more interested in chewing on the tails of his mask. Donnie sighed, “alright birthday boy let’s get you in a clean diaper.” Donnie changed Mikey’s diaper and tugged on a shirt April got for him the read  “I’m 1 today.”

Donnie carried Mikey into the kitchen. The small turtle was looking around at the balloons and streamers. Mikey pointed to a balloon, “that’s a balloon,” Donnie said setting Mikey into his high chair. Donnie went to get some of Mikey’s favorite cereal. Donnie took a handful of Cheerios on the high chair table top for Mikey to eat, he was getting pretty good at eating with his fingers.

“Good morning Donatello,” Splinter said watching the former fill a bottle for Mikey. He was still hesitant to give him milk even though he was eating human food regularly, but the found Mikey had a fondness for the algae the tried to give him juice once and he cried.

“Morning sensei,” Donnie responded handing Mikey the bottle.

Splinter then turned to his youngest son, “Happy Birthday Michelangelo,” rubbed Mikey head causing the small turtle to giggle. Leo and Raph joined them as well wishing Mikey happy birthday. Both boys placed a wrapped package on the table, it joined the single gift that were already there.

Mikey was fascinated by the balloons suspended on the ceiling. Once everyone had eaten Splinter picked Mikey up and carrie him to the dojo where his older there sons were going to train. Splinter set Mikey into the playpen that they had set up so he could be in the room while he trained his older sons.
----
Two hours later practice was over. Splinter began to cook a small meal, he hardly cooked anything fancy, but it was Mikey’s birthday he wanted to make something special. He was going to make something that he has not made since he was human, okonomiyaki. It was like a pancake and Mikey liked pancakes he hoped he would like this. He was also going to make ramen, Mikey had a fondness for noodles. Splinter was cooking off the small amount of ground meat April got for him and some vegetables. Then he added the batter to a pan and cooked it. April was going to coming over at noon time for Mikey’s party.

April came into the lair holding two cake boxes. “Happy Birthday Mikey!” she said handing the cakes to Leo and kissing the top of Mikey’s head. Mikey smiled and clapped, “who’s birthday is it?” she asked, “I think it’s Mikey’s birthday!” she tickled his plastron making the little turtle laugh.

It was time for the small party to start. Splinter light the single candle and held the cake in front of Mikey as they sang. Splinter had to blow it out because Mikey wanted to play with the cake so April quickly gave him his small cake. It took Mikey off of two seconds before he realized he would not get in trouble for eating it with his hand. He reached out a pudgy three fingered hand and grabbed a fistful of cake and stuck it in his mouth covering half his face with cake. After taking pictures and removing what was left of the cake, Donnie leaned over to pick Mikey up. That was not he best idea. Mikey got a hold of the tail of Donnie’s mask and thought it would taste good covered in cake.

Once Mikey was bathed, and Donnie’s mask washed it was present time. The first gift was from April, she got him a new sweatshirt since he was growing more and more everyday. It was orange and fleas and very warm for up coming winter months.

Next was Donnie’s gift, his was a long narrow box, and it held his old purple mask. The past few Mikey weeks had needed the mask to sleep or he would cry. Donnie looped the mask around Mikey’s neck and Mikey stuck it in his mouth, he was very happy.

Next was Raph’s gift. When Raph was younger he had this panda bear he could not sleep without, he saved it, not that he was terribly sentimental, it was just special to him, he never knew why. Raph finally found out why he was meant to save the stuffed panda, to give it to Mikey. Mikey took the stuffed toy into his arms and hugged it.

Now it was Leo’s gift. Ever since he was young Leo had collected bottle caps and can tabs. Leo used part of his collection to make a photo frame out of them. In the frame he put in their first ever family picture April took for them.

Finally was Splinter’s gift. His was not on the table, his with the help of Leo, Raph, and April set it up while Donnie was bathing Mikey. Now only Donnie did not know the gift. Splinter had been working on it since they found Mikey. It was like meditating to him folding all the cranes. It took a long time, but it was very peace full for him. He had strung up, they were very colorful since Splinter made them from old magazines or book pages.

Splinter lead the way while holding Mikey, the others behind him. He opened the door. Donnie gasped, Mikey’s eyes looked around the ceiling. “One thousand paper cranes,” Splinter said, “it is an old Japanese tradition, wishing one thousand years of happiness.”

“Sensei,” Donnie said, “you folded all of these?”

“Yes, Donatello I did.”

“Amazing!”

Mikey was looking up at his now colorful ceiling, he was in wonder, he even stopped chewing in the purple mask to look, “do you like it my son?” Splinter asked.

“Nh-Nh,” Mikey babbled.

Splinter stoked Mikey’s cheek, “I hope you have one thousand years of happiness my son. Happy Birthday Michelangelo.”