Second 1st Birthday Party!

Last weekend Matt, Jay and I traveled to Oregon to visit PopPop, Nana, Aunt Shawn, Uncle Mike, and cousins Alex and Joshua.

We intended to drive straight to PopPop and Nana's house, but after 5-1/2 hours in the car and still being a good hour plus drive away from their house (the first rain in about 30 days coupled with Friday traffic -- not a good combo) we were all pulling our hair out. We gave Aunt Shawn and Uncle Mike an impromptu call to see if there family was around at home Friday night (they were), so we stopped there and visited and had dinner with them. (Thanks so much for being so willing to accommodate us dropping in like that 'ya'll!) We got back on the road again two hours later after the traffic had cleared and arrived at PopPop and Nana's that evening.

Saturday we enjoyed a lazy-ish morning - Jay loved playing with "new" toys (to Jay) that PopPop and Nana have and he enjoyed exploring PopPop and Nana's first floor (now that he can crawl and cruise so well). I baked a batch of birthday cupcakes that morning for later that day.

Uncle Mike, Aunt Shawn, and the boys arrived around noon. PopPop barbecued burgers and hot dogs on the grill and Nana made a delicious side salad, served with baked beans and potato chips. Shawn brought a yummy apple crisp for dessert and the birthday cupcakes and vanilla ice cream were the other dessert options. Jay enjoyed massacring his birthday cupcake with the toy spatula. He took only a couple bites of cupcake - and only those bites because Alex hand fed him a few bites of it.


Following the candle blowing and eating the dessert for the three birthday boys, the birthday presents were opened. Alex and Josh both received Texas Longhorn t-shirts (in honor of Uncle Keith, Aunt Traci, and cousins Sam and Sydney who moved to TX earlier this year). Alex received the new favorite game - Ticket to Ride. Josh received three new Lego Bionicles, a mini skateboard, and a magnetic race car thing. Jay received a new shirt and a Thomas the Train track and train set from Mike, Shawn, Alex and Josh, and from PopPop and Nana a Fisher Price Little People ride and push car.
Jay took his afternoon nap, a round of Ticket to Ride was played, Josh built his Bionicles and played with his car and skateboard, then the boys went outside to shoot some hoops on the basketball hoop in the cul de sac while Mike worked on fixing Josh's bike's chain which had slipped off earlier that week. Mom and Shawn enjoyed a nice walk around the nearby loop, too. What a fun, relaxing afternoon we had together as a family!


After Jay woke up from his nap he enjoyed watching the boys shoot hoops outside. Then it was time for Mike, Shawn, and the boys to leave. (So sad!!)


PopPop and Nana fixed a light, simple dinner we all enjoyed and then it was time for Jay to take his bedtime bath. From the pictures below you can see he LOVES taking his bath!!
Sunday morning we packed up and left PopPop and Nana's and drove to church where Mike, Shawn, Alex and Josh attend. After church Shawn made a wonderful dinner for all of us (beef roast, roasted potatoes, yams, and onions, a yummy cauliflower "potato-like" salad, rolls, and watermelon followed by icicles for dessert). Then it was time for us to hit the road back home. It took us 3-1/2 hours to get home vs. the 5-1/2 hours it took on the way there. Much better!!

Thanks for the wonderful weekend PopPop, Nana, Mike, Shawn, Alex and Josh! We had such a great time with all of you!

I'll post again in a day or two with some video clips we took while there. The most exciting thing was that Jay took his first steps last Saturday, June 20!