Hard to believe (I know I keep saying that but it IS!) that our first born is now officially 3. And even though the plans for the day fell through we managed to have a wonderful time.
Yesterday’s party was a complete blast! I cannot get over how awesome it felt to see our 2 boys playing outside with friends and family. And it means the world to me and to Andy that people we love and enjoy, and our children love too, could be there. Everyone was way more generous with the gifts then I had expected too! Really, I was just so relieved to have the whole thing be so successful.
I spent a total of probably 3 hours yesterday with the baking of cakes and cupcakes and making frosting and decorating and all that. Then the whole party was such a blur! Like nonstop, “where’s Paul T?” So funny! He was all about the exploring.
As soon as we unpacked the van and got the table set up, it poured rain for like 10-15 minutes. Just enough time for the boys to open the gifts we got them, which was mostly toys for the day. Like a box of balloons with a bouncy ball in it. They each got their own box. Then Andy also got them a Tball set to share, which all the kids enjoyed and did well taking turns.
So anyway, I had initially been like, no big deal about the whole rain thing. I was glad it was cool! But then as I looked around the nicely covered, concreted, table area we were in, I saw all the lovely dirt turning in to even lovelier mud. And I knew we were in for a messy afternoon! Paul loves to play in the dirt and for some reason, part of being a boy I guess, the mud is all that much more inviting. Literally, it was minutes after the storm passed that Paul’s whole booty was caked in a wonderful layer of mucky mud! But the joy on his face made it all worth it. Kids bodies wash so easily. Thank GOD!!
The afternoon stayed gray and slightly drizzly on and off from there on out. The park we were at had tons of places for mud and even a sand pit set up for volleyball that became a favorite spot to play for the kids as well. So all were good and dirty.
The day of the party was the day before Andrew’s actual birthday. Our original plan for the actual day was to take him to Gainesville, about 30 minutes north of Denton, to a little taco joint he loves and then to the small zoo there. But Daddy had a super idea a few days ago to drive out to Fort Worth after the party, stay in a hotel, which Andrew has also been asking to do again, and then go to the much grander Fort Worth zoo.
Of course with the mud covering the little ones, and Andrew had no shoes on most of the time, we had to hit the showers back at home before trekking out to Fort Worth. But by the time we got home Andrew was so tired he seriously passed straight out on the couch while the rest of us got cleaned up and ready, only waking, covered in drool, when I started to dress him in fresh warm clothes.
Andrew gave us a bit of a scare on the way out too. He had a fever! Like 103 even. High enough to raise an eyebrow but not high enough to jump to meds or over react without trying to get it down ourselves first. So we analyzed the situation as best we could. He had been out playing for 3 hours straight and hadn’t eaten anything since before we left for the park, despite my best efforts to keep foods he likes available he was far too busy to waste time with the burden of eating, AND as a matter of fact neither of us could remember him drinking anything at the park. So the answer was dehydration. We got some food on our way out and a water for Andrew and I started feeding him sips every minute or so. He looked like he was ready to pass out, so lethargic, and said his tummy hurt but he didn’t fall back asleep again, just looked zoned. He did take sips every time i offered it and after 15-20 minutes started taking 2 sips at a time or bigger gulps as if the thirst was kicking in. And by the time we arrived in FW an hour or so later, he was all better and merely hungry!
Honestly there was a moment or 2 of panic for me. With all the flu scares out there, it’s hard to control the initial fears, but when Andy suggested the dehydration thing, it really set my mind at ease because it made sense and he was showing symptoms of it. And it is easily remedied!
The night was super fun. What is it about hotel rooms that just make them more fun than home? Plus we left all our new toys at home so there was an anticipation to get back home which is important because Andrew really loved it at the hotel.
Sadly, the zoo plan did not happen. We were all looking forward to it too. We see animals on lots of our shows and in books and to be able to show him an actual elephant was something I was quite excited about. But hey, next time right? The rain did not go away. It even got very chilly and I did not bring jackets. I had brought them to the park and when we changed at home, they were dirty, and I did not think to replace them. but even if we had had jackets, the animals would probably have been staying in their shelters today.
The cool thing was on the way home we started chatting about our original plans and how it was too bad we couldn’t hit up that taco place. It was so far away! But they have other locations, right, and thanks to the power of technology (Thank you iPhone!) we managed to find another one on the way home in a round about way and Andrew got to have his Taco Casa he’s been asking for so much!
Then we came home and spent hours sorting toys and playing new Wii games and Meemaw came over with more presents and played for a while. For dinner Andrew wanted cheese pizza. Sure, I could have made one but I didn’t want to spend his birthday in the kitchen when I’d been in there so long just yesterday, so Andy got some delivered and a dessert pizza too. We put 3 candles in his piece of dessert pizza and had him blow them out again since it was actual birthday day! He did better than he did at the park too.
Now he’s back to playing Wii after our second excursion outdoors to get bad guys. I think he’s had a great day! Well, weekend really!
Though I will tell you this morning he wasn’t all too sure about this whole turning 3 thing. When he first sat up in bed in the hotel I told him happy birthday. Andy and I explained to him though we’d had their party yesterday and though we’ve been telling him he was about to be 3, this is the day that he is actually not 2 anymore and is now 3. After breakfast in the hotel and some time to think about it, he tells us he does not want to be 3! My feeling, and I think I am right, is that he has worked so long at saying he’s 2 and gotten so good at it! He could tell you in a heartbeat “I’m 2!” As a matter of fact if you asked how he was doing today he’d tell you he’s 2. So the idea of having to let go of something he’s gotten very good at and change it to something new, learn a whole new phrase to say, I think it sounded scary. But now he’s already practiced it a few times and has already gotten good, so I hope he is feeling better about it. Plus we pointed out to him how so many of his close friends are already 3 and I think that helps. I’ll ask him again at bed time snack.
I have a couple of videos to post soon, maybe even tonight but probably not till tomorrow 
and Andy took tons of pics at the party with his phone so hopefully those will go up soon too!
Thank you again to everyone for all the birthday wishes and loving support and for being there to play on their special day!! We are truly blessed.
Now Paul T’s actual birthday will be so much easier! Just a day of being outdoors as much as possible and zero time in the carseat cause he hates that thing!!