A Very Tardy Christmas 2013 Recap

I am very, very late in posting the recap of our holiday.  We are so thankful to have spent so much precious time with friends and family.  It was a trip full of both great joy and sadness and thanks once again to everyone that shared their homes, food, kind words and hugs with us.   We can't wait to be home for good.

Theo showed Tyler how to work his super cool Christmas Story train when we stayed with the Chapman's in Chicago the first week.  Tyler was in awe.  

"What is all this stuff?  We don't have this in London... and why am I wearing so many layers???"

Birthday buddies Tyler and Colin, ready to go out for some fun in the snow!

We headed up to Keywaskum to give Great Grandma a visit 

"This white stuff is still coming down up here in Wisconsin!  I can't even see, Dad!" 

"Yep, I'm really putting a dent in this snow with my windshield scraper, I mean shovel...."

The trees stayed iced over for days in Michigan.

JJ and Mary Beth took Tyler ice skating for the first time.  He wasn't too happy with the little carts to hold for support.

He preferred Dad's arms (of course).  Not sure Dad's arms or back preferred this method.

First glimpse of a zamboni machine.  We realized that he's missing out on winter sports by living in London.  

Coloring with Gigi

Tyler wanted his Grandpa to open all of his presents for him.  He has a very special Christmas with Grandpa that we are so thankful for.  He will be missed so deeply.

Tyler was so excited to get all of his presents.  He has special love for all his fast cars from Grandpa.

Kern Christmas Eve

Christmas is exhausting

"Aunt Tari, if I don't get to bed soon, I'm opening fire.  I'm serious."

Storytime with Gigi

Christmas Day at Tari & Chris's.  Nana got him a Thomas roller coster for Christmas!  Weeee!

"Choo choo Nana!"

This giant box is the best!

"I'm so tired but I can't stop the choo choo... Can't stop the choo choo."

Story time with Auntie Kris & Auntie MB

Tyler always loves stopping by Tari's clinic to see the animals, especially Hercules

Tyler really started enjoying hugs after staying with the Stulls.  He sure liked hugging MacKenzie.  Here is is waiting for a hug

New Year's Eve watching the Zac Brown Band at the Joe

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to Brooke & Jenni!

"Nana, I'm ready to see what this Henry Ford place is!"

Wow!!! 

"Come on Nana, come on!  They have cars, trains and airplanes here?  This place is the best!"

Cheese!

Cars, cars, cars!

He sat at this train table watching the trains for a good 1/2 hour.

"You see Nana, just because I'm small doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing under the hood."

That's a big tree!

Back in Chicago for the Polar Vortex.  Brrrrr.....

Tyler decided the hotel entrance needed a little tidying up.

"Gosh I miss riding in the car... we've been about 4500 miles on this trip and I still love it!"

Lunch with Great Grandma!

Big T is 2!!!

I am way overdue in my blog posting but I did want to wish our sweet Tyler a very Happy 2nd Birthday today!  We've been celebrating since Friday because we wanted to show him how to blow out candles for his party and he's certainly enjoying it!  I'm feeling nostalgic and emotional at how fast time has flown by since he was born, but most of all feeling very blessed that he is in our lives.  I'm hoping to post another update soon about our adventures over Christmas but here is a recap of his birthday!

We had a party on the Saturday before Tyler's birthday at a local play space that has a restaurant attached. Tyler was pretty pumped to have everyone singing Happy Birthday to him.

He's a pro at blowing out candles now!

Inside the play space they have slides, a basketball court, a ball pit and lots of tunnels, soft play and things to climb on!

Our table at the restaurant

The theme of his party was airplanes!  Thank goodness for the Planes movie - that gave me lots of options for party props 

Hey Lucas, check out this glider plane!

All the littles eating.  We called this our American party in London - everyone that was there was an American expat :)

Tyler loved the cupcakes.  He's developing quite the sweet tooth.  His cupcake was gone in about a minute (notice the boy and girl to the right of him have barely taken a bite as he is shoving the whole thing in)!  He then went around the table picking up everyone's scraps of cupcake!

Picture collage of  his big party!

Practicing bubbles at the park after the party.  Sorry for all of you in the Midwest that are still stuck in the Polar Vortex, you will not want to hear that it was 50 degrees and sunny the day of his party.  We had to go outside and burn off some of that cupcake sugar!

Little Rugby started this Sunday too.  JJ is going to take him there every Sunday.  He's the youngest in the class by far (but one of the biggest) so he's a little confused by what he's supposed to do.

Our future rugby star in action :)

He loves the cheap sunglasses I put in the party bag for everyone.  Any time the sun is peaking out he demands to have his "glasses."  We need to get him a proper pair of sunglasses I think :)

He got a tool bench so he can work on "fixing" stuff like Daddy does!

His birthday morning was like Christmas morning!  JJ and I set up this super cool train table and he is all about it!  He loves his choo choos! 

Speaking of choo choos, it was another nice day the day of his birthday so we went to the park where you can watch trains go by.  He was in heaven!