Button's big, fat birthday party

Philadelphia Inquirer, The, March, 2006 by Dana Reddington

How do you say "Happy Birthday" to a hippo?

At Adventure Aquarium, the party for Button, one of two resident hippos, features sing-alongs, face-painting, dancing the "hippo hustle," playing pin-the-tail-on-the-hippo, and even vegetarian "birthday cake" feedings.

The 3,000-pound Button, who lives in the aquarium's West African River Experience exhibit, is celebrating her ninth birthday with activities throughout March.

"We're the only aquarium in the country to have hippos," said Adventure Aquarium spokesman Bill Larson. "She is quite a - no pun intended - big deal."

The Rugrats will make an appearance Saturday to share in the birthday celebration. Next weekend, families can enjoy Breakfast With the Hippos - enter the museum an hour early, eat breakfast, and check out the hippos as they rise for their morning swim. The members' breakfast on March 26 is sold out, but on March 25 ...