Paul's Birthday #2

This was our birthday-party-in-the-park take number two. Last year it rained and we had to do it in our small apartment. This year the temperature was in the upper nineties! Lucky mister Paul had both sets of grandparents there as well as aunt Reana, uncle Shawn, baby Lincoln, uncle Ethan, uncle Michael and aunt Abigail. 

Trains were the "theme" for this year. He's had an obsession with trains since he was about a year old. (I hadn't even told him what a train was, but he had lined up some blocks in a row, and while pushing it from the back, said "choo choo".  Wierd!) 

This year Paul's gifts included:

• Book or Mormon picture book (he loves reading about "Norman")
• Thomas the Tank Engine coloring book
• Bubble gun (shoots bubbles)
• Mini frisbee
• Some outfits
• Brio wooden train set (This has been his favorite gift by far! The next day he didn't want to eat, sleep or leave the house - just play with his train!)
• Helmet 
• Tricycle (Thanks mom and dad!)
• Soccer goal and ball (Thanks uncle Shawn!)
• Three wind-up motor boats for the bath (Thanks aunt Reana!)
• Sidewalk Chalk (Thanks to the Haslers? We're not too sure where this came from.)
• Four Square Ball (Thanks to the Haslers!)

We somehow found the energy and creativity to throw together a train birthday cake. Even more impressive is the fact that we somehow kept him from seeing it until we got to the park. (Thanks to the distractive skills of aunt Abigail, uncle Michael and uncle Ethan. ) When Paul did see the cake he squealed with delight and asked if he could play with the train. He thought it was a toy! I took that as a compliment.

 

Once Paul discovered the train was not only edible but delicious, he was obsessed with it even more!

Paul was much better at the whole present-opening thing this year than his first birthday. His uncle Michael was a big help and almost more excited about the gifts than Paul! 

Paul was pretty excited about getting to ride his tricycle after waiting for daddy to assemble it! Below you will see the face Paul makes when we ask him to smile.

There was baseball team having a little get-together at the park as well, and they decided to surprise the birthday boy!