Everett turns Two

Chugga Chugga Two Two Everett turned Two.  Leading up to Everett's birthday I was a bit worried it would be anticlimactic since we had just returned home from our amazing vacation.  But it turned out to be a three day celebration of great proportions.

Wednesday morning:  Birthday Morning

Everett woke me up happy as can be.  We made cupcakes the night before to take to Papa's work during lunch, and when Everett saw the cupcakes sitting on the counter he asked to eat a cupcake for Breakfas.  Of. course I said yes.  We put birthday candles in his cupcake and he sat and watched the candles burn for a while before blowing them out.

Then I got a text message for James saying his lunch had moved to 10am  because he had a home visit at noon he had to go to.  So we changed our morning plans got dressed and headed out the door to see Papa before it was too late.

Slight digression: Everett is a very picky dresser, he will not just wear whatever I pick out for him.  Sundays are the worst, he dislikes collar shirts and cries every time I make him wear one.  On this morning in our rush to get out the door to go see Papa, I grabbed my favorite shirt of Everett's and without thinking starting putting it on him.  Maybe he was in a sugar coma from the cupcake breakfast or maybe he was in a really good mood because he didn't fight with me at all.  He simply got dressed.  When i was done dressing him I thought, "wow, that was easy."  He made me the happiest birthday boy Mom I could ever be.  He wore my favorite outfit on his birthday and now I have cute birthday pictures that will last forever.

Okay back to the story

Since we made two dozen cupcakes we brought most of them to Papa's work.  We made the cupcakes out of pumpkins from our garden and they tasted yummy.

Sharing a cupcake with Papa

James soon had to get back to work so we said goodbye but weren't ready to go back home.  So we drove to the Tacoma Dome Train Station and took a ride on the Link.  Everett was so happy.  When we came to the last stop on the train and I told him we had to get off, he started crying.  "No Mama."  I told him we would ride the train back soon so he finally agreed to get off the train with us.

We walked to a local toy store and played for an hour.  Everett found the train set and fell in love with a little brio train.

The Toy Store couldn't sale the train because it came in a big train set that was 150.00 and since I wasn't going to buy the whole set, we said goodbye to the beloved train.

Toy Store window display.

Right next to the toy store we  found a pizza hut and and since it was lunch time we decided a pizza lunch date would be fun.  Everett so ready for his nap but he enjoyed the pizza and train ride back to our car before passing out.

When we got home we finished taking our naps, (I was tired too) and then we went on a bike ride.  This impromptu birthday day was turning out to be perfect. 

I love how Grace is getting into the big sister role.  He loves helping Everett and the two of them are becoming dear friends.

We played all afternoon.

James got home around six and i quickly made dinner.  James had to go to mutual for the first time (He got called to be the High Adventure Leading in the Young Men's Program) and he was busy trying to get an activity together.  Before Papa run out the door Everett opened his birthday presents.  One from Auntie Alisha (a Thomas the Train Sippy Cup) and one from our neighbors Jim and Jeanie (A star wars T-shirt and some candy).  

After Papa left for the evening Gwenevere remembered we had ice cream in the freezer so we ate some birthday ice cream before going to bed.

It was a perfect day for the birthday

Thursday evening when James got home I noticed we still had 5 cupcakes leftover and since I felt James wasn't truly able to enjoy Everett's birthday Celebrations we did it again.  After dinner we gave Everett another chance to blow out some birthday candles.  He still wasn't too interested in blowing them out but he did eventually and we all enjoyed another cupcake.

On Friday Gwenevere helped me design a big Thomas the Train for Everett's Birthday Party.   Everett, Grace and Gwenevere helped me paint Thomas.  We all had fun but I was excited to finish the project after they went to bed.  I stayed up till midnight adding Thomas' face to the train and attempting to make a birthday cake for Everett.  I was so worried about burning his train cake that I took it out of the over before it was done cooking and the whole inside of the cake collapsed.  To justify myself, the cake pan had a top that has to stay on the cake the entire time it is cooking so you can't really check to see if it is done.  

Saturday morning I woke up at 5:30 and went to our Stake Women's sprint Triathlon, but that will be another blog story.  

Grace was a little disappointed I painted Thomas' face without her but she soon got over it.    We spent Saturday morning making another birthday cake and cleaning and getting ready for the birthday Party.  

I'm kinda glad I had to make another birthday cake,  It was fun having Everett help me in this endeavor

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Auntie Becca brought Charlie and Miles to the birthday Party and did a fantastic job taking pictures for us.  Thank you Rebecca.

Rebecca and Gwenevere had a short piano lesson

While I was decorating a birthday cake Rebecca was being an awesome Auntie playing with all the kids.  Thank you Rebecca I don't know how we would have had it all come together without you.  Rebecca said "These boys were cracking me up, they kept taking turns pointing to the bike and saying bike! It's like they got more excited each time it was their turn to point it out!"

 

Playing with Playdough.  Gwenevere made a silly nose for Charlie.  These two are goof balls

Grace loves her LuLaRoe Dress

An hour before the party started I quickly whipped up some frosting and as fast as I could decorated Everett's birthday cake.  I had lots of frosting taste testers which was a big help.

Then it was party time.  we all ate sloppy joes and played outside till it got too cold.

Then we opened presents and ate cake.  I tried to have each friend come up and help open the present they gave Everett since he really wasn't into opening them by himself.

Best birthday picture

To be completely honest the party was more chaotic than I normally enjoy.  Having a ton of kids over to play while their parents visited leaving the kids to run wild left me stressed out to the max.  So I apologize for my short temper and stubbornness during the party.  Thanks Rebecca for being so helpful, without you I might have had a total meltdown.    If I had more time and energy I probably would have come up with some party games but that didn't happen, instead I gave up and put a movie on before my house was completely destroyed.

 Even Everett was whipped out from all the partying.

After the party was over, things calmed down again and we had a few more hours to play and visit with family.  Will and Jenni stopped by to visit too.  It was the perfect way to end the day.

Happy Happy Birthday Everett