three

saturday was a gorgeous day, hot even! we lucked out for hosting an outdoor birthday party on december 10th. my best friend stephanie and i co-hosted the party for a few close friends in san diego for our sons who's birthdays are just days (and a few years) apart.  little a will be 1 and pete was looking like a big boy with his third birthday right around the corner.  just a simple little party with a train theme at old poway park - the main event at the end of the party was a ride on the train that runs every weekend. the kids chased balls and balloons (and "worked on" their sharing skills....oh man) and played with the stomp rocket and rolled in leaves and waved to the train as it passed with a new group of riders each time. a very hugs thank-you to derrick (a's daddy) for giving pete some special "man-time" attention, he soaked up every second of it as he is missing his daddy so very much.
we had sandwiches and fruit salad and hummus and veggies and homemade birthday cakes for each of the guests of honor. small and simple, spent with just a few favorite friends and a big open space to run. just a perfect day.  admittedly, an exhausting day for the preggo momma (the heat just adds a whole new element of wipes-me-out to an event that demands more business than normal). thank you to my sweet friend and her family-helpers for whipping together the lunch we shared and tending to most of the party details and assisting me to chase my littles. all reasons i am so grateful to share our san diego life with you!
happy birthday to peter and little a!

frosting taste-testers

healthy whole wheat banana blueberry cake with cream cheese frosting

little big-man learning to walk (in his all mama-made outfit, way to go steph!)

my goodness, such a difference just two years makes.

goofy cake (family recipe) and peanut butter frosting

showing his daddy his train whistle

its best not to let a 3 year old boy know you are trying to take his picture. to his credit, he was saying "cheeeeeese!" from inside the hat.

one of 9 images captured...was trying to get a cute picture of them together. this was the best one.

the ladies waiting patiently for some cake and train action.

blowing out his candles after helping us sing the birthday song.

thank you little a for the awesome train stuff ... he has been playing with it non-stop since we got home.

at the end of the party, she was running on steam but had a ball toting around this bundle of helium balloons. at one point she summer-saulted her way through the tangle of ribbons. ;)  her next attempt was not so grateful and ended in a crash landing.

finally on the train, exhausted but making the most of the two laps around the track. and then we all went home for a much-needed nap!