Birthday Week: Choo Choo I'm Two Party

Yesterday was our big day of celebration for Zane's birthday. In reality we probably tried to fit too many things into one day, when really we should have just had the bday party. However, I think everyone had a good time, though the children were all sleep deprived/hot which at times wasn't a great combination.

We started our day early with a trip to the Transportation Museum. Usually Zane and I don't spend very much time there. We run through a couple trains then ride the little train and head home. That is really all the more of an attention span that he has, and all the more I want to be in the heat. However, yesterday we were lucky enough to have the Prance family join us for our celebrations and the older kids were very interested in all the different types of trains, reading the signs, and asking questions. Which was great, and I am so glad they enjoyed it, we just might have got a little too hot in the process of our learning. Luckily there is a building full of old restored cars that is air conditioned and has water fountains where we went to cool off. Everyone enjoyed going through the trains, looking at all the different types, and of course riding the train at the end was the highlight of the day.

Here is the whole crew at the table in the first train, before the red faces and sweat set in.

 Zane driving in his "Choo Choo I'm Two" shirt, which of course didn't make it all the way to the party.

 Clay showing Zane the trains.

 Zane and Levi, two cute in their matching shirts.

Cousins on the caboose.

 The whole family.

 Loving our train ride.

Uncle Zach and Adeline riding in the front seat of the train!

After trains we went and had amazing pizza, then everyone was beyond exhausted so we headed home for "resting." It was quite the battle to keep Zane awake on the way home, so he would nap once we got there. But we managed and he passed out the moment I laid him down. All the other kids "rested" or so I hear, in the basement. Rest time was quickly over and it was time to splash in the pool and have tons of fun with the cousins. During this time Zach was having a heat stroke, almost literally, and had to come inside to pull himself together. Some how the kids and the Great Grandmother were managing fine in the heat, but Zach had rocked over.

 Zane taking a header into the pool. He loves it!

 Zane trying to help daddy cool off with some water on his head. 

 The intense game of Rumi Cube that was going one. The nine year old won the game, way to go Clay!

Then it was time for dinner and cake. Let me start by so saying, no I did not make the cake. I had googled all sorts of cute train cakes, but then remembered that I didn't want to stress about it so I bought it at a local bakery and it was worth every penny. It was adorable, extremely tasty, and absolutely no stress involved!

 Here is our big two year old, excited about his cake!

Sing to the birthday boy!

 Blowing out the candle!

 Time to dig in!

 Yes this is my son, picking up his entire scoop of ice cream and eating it. I respect that!

After everyone was all sugared up it was present time, which is always a bit of a debacle when there are lots of cousins we are excited to help. But Zane got tons of great presents and he loves them all. Here are the highlights of his presents from yesterday. I have kept a few back for him to open Tuesday, but here is what we have so far. The dinosaur train track set. I wasn't sure how he wasn't going to like this, but the train is battery powered, so it goes on it's own, which Zane loves. It also lights up, and had cool sound effects when the train goes through the "time tunnel." This is what we have been doing all day around here.

Last nights favorite was Aunt Trina's present of a miniature push lawn mower. I thought he would enjoy this since he always wants to push the actual lawn mower around after Zach mows. He really wanted to head to the back yard and push it around endlessly, but our visitors needed to get on the road so he patiently gave hugs and waved bye bye for a while before getting to thoroughly enjoy his new lawn mower.

He also got a wonderful hand made treasure box, courtesy of Papa, his long awaited bug quilt and numbers/alphabet books from Grammi, and then a few other random things from Zach and I. He has played with and looked everything over this morning and is loving everything.
It was a long day, ending with a very tired little boy, not to mention his parents. Big thanks to Zach's family for making the trip up to celebrate Zane's special day with us. It was a great day!