Third Birthday Celebration!! A Train Ride at Hermann Park Conservancy!!!

Tate celebrated his 3rd birthday on Saturday, July 21, 2012 by riding the train with several of our friends at Hermann Park.  It was a gorgeous, albeit an incredibly warm (104 degrees) day.


We spent the morning hanging out at home.  My dad was wonderful and came over around 10:30 to entertain Tate while I did some last minute preparations.  Tate had some lunch with his beloved Papa while I loaded up the car with decorations, water, milk and the food.  Aunt Lindsey and Grandmommy picked up the balloons for us to meet us at the train!


The 3 of us got dressed and loaded up our 2 cars.  I told Tate he needed to take a nap, so we could go have cake at the party.  Mind you we had picked the cake up at Whole Foods earlier in the morning, and he had been clamoring for cake for HOURS!!  He fell asleep almost before I was out of the driveway.  One stop for some ice and we were on our way.  Tate napped a good hour and then we got ready for the festivities.  Our staff person at the train was fabulous and had most everything set up for us.  I was very impressed.  Here's our room all ready for the party goers!!!

We had 11 kids join us, an absolutely perfect number.  And most importantly for Tate, his BFF, Leo was there.  As soon as he saw Leo all was right in Tate's world.  Those two are just the cutest together.


First up were a couple of crafts.  Tanya, our birthday leader, had the kids make trains!!!  Tate's was more of the abstract variety, but everyone had fun (once I stopped trying to convince Tate to make his 'right.')  Tanya was great and held up the pieces to the train and had the kids answer her questions regarding the shapes of the pieces and the colors as well as what part of the train they were.










Here are our artists hard at work...

What shape is this??

Then they did the craft I provided!!  Yes, I figured out a craft!!  Yay Jennifer!!  Another train to put stickers on and then piece together...such fun!!!

Then it was time to ride the train!!!  (which Tate aptly named Edward!)

Not so patiently waiting!

BFFs

And we're off!

I won't go into here how sweet Tate fell off the train towards the end of the ride, since I did on a previous post.  He's absolutely fine and ready to go for another ride real soon (this weekend if I would let him).   

Some video from the awesome ride...

My parents and sisters stayed back and helped Tanya ready the room for our return for cake.  They took some lovely pictures of the beautiful day.

My cool daddy! 

Listening to his tunes!

 My mommy and sister, Lindsey.  Aren't they beautiful?

We made it back to our party room and it was time for CAKE!!  And thank goodness!  Tate was beside himself almost the entire party wanting cake.  For the first time ever I had to convince him to ride the train.  Nothing I or anyone else said or offered worked until I said "Leo is going to ride the train."


Poof!!!!  Tate took off for the train clutching Leo's hand!

Come on Leo!!!!

 CAKE TIME!!

Is this for ME?

Make a wish!

The cake was super yummy (egg free and all!!).  By the time cake was eaten everyone was a bit warm, so people started trickling out.  Alie, one of Tate's sweet friends from daycare, wanted Tate to open some of his gifts, so we decided to open those of the couple friends who were still there (I so miss opening presents in front of the people who were generous enough to give them to us.  I video Tate opening them and send them copies of the videos, so they can see his excitement and joy).  Alie's gift was a fabulous train set that she actually gave to Tate the next day as it was forgotten in the car, but she was just as thrilled for Tate to open the gifts that he did.


Here he is opening his gift from one of his daycare friends, Christian...a super sweet, soft t-shirt from a great boutique store in my favorite Houston neighborhood.

Cute Christian watches as Tate 'reads' his card.

And here he is opening his new LeapPad from my sweet friend Kelly whose daughter came with her father, Sasha cause Kelly had to work.  Kelly and I met 11 years ago doing a marathon with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Bermuda (trained here in Houston).  

That's sweet Sophia looking on with the pink hat! :)

Sweet Alie helping Tate figure out what it is!!!

And then it was time to head home.  We loaded up the car and Tate skipped out to get in to head home.  It was an absolutely beautiful day full of love, happiness, joy and amazing family and friends.  We are so blessed by everyone who shares their lives with us.  And I so love seeing Tate interact with his friends and how much he loves them and enjoys spending time with them.  All of them.  Even though a few of the sweet kids who were there were children of my friends, the kids all enjoyed one another.  I have such amazing friends, and it's one of my greatest wishes for Tate...that he be surrounded by people who love and care for him like I do.  We don't have alot of family here in Houston, so my friends have become my second family.  I hope to help him cultivate these friendships as he grows all the while knowing that family is most important, yet friendship feeds the soul.


But most of all, Tate and I are a family.  A beautiful family.  Three years together.  They have flown by, just flown by.  I so look forward to this next year and all the years to come together.  My sweet sweet Baby Tate.