This year we put on a combined 1st and 3rd birthday party for Cairo and Jonah. I had this vision for the party- a nature picnic. It was going to be great. We were going to go on a nature hike. We were going to do outdoorsy craft projects and we were going to eat picnic food- pasta salads, fruit, sandwiches. Easy, right? Well, Humboldt County has a plethora of great outdoor locations to picnic and enjoy nature. Los Angeles is a little lacking in the lusher foliage, clean running streams, and cool (or just bearable) weather I had in mind... and we were in LA. So, I made-do with what we had. Monrovia Canyon Park is as close to my ideal location as I could think. There are picnic tables under trees for shade, the location is close, there is a year round, spring fed stream, and enough variety that a nature hike would have been fun. Only problem- the parking is limited. The party was on Sunday and I didn't think that many people visited the park. I was wrong! The park officially opened at 8 am. We got there at 8:02 am only to find out that the night before someone staked claim to the picnic area we were going to try and grab, the other picnic areas were reserved, and the parking was quickly filling up. It was looking like all party goers were going to be sitting on blankets on an incline, but only after hiking in 1.25 miles, uphill from outside the park where they could find parking. Oh yeah, did I mention it was 90 something degrees out. By 8:30 am I was slightly panicked and looking for a last-minute new location. Bye-bye nature party. June 6th sure was a popular day because everywhere I looked that had shade was not available.
As is happens I have amazing family. My Uncle Tabby volunteered a few days earlier to let us use his place. I didn't think it would be necessary (because of my whole nature party idea), but as it turns out, it was a lifesaver. So after a quick dust down of the cabana, a few calls to let people know this was now a pool party and NOT (sniff, sniff, tear) a nature party, we were ready to go when people showed up at 11am.
In the end, everything was perfect. It was the perfect day for a dip in the pool. Cairo and Jonah had a great time, we were able to still do some of the crafts I had planned, and it was probably a lot more relaxing than it would have otherwise been.
Jonah's first swim and first time on a board... he liked it!
Go Dad. Sportin' the Hawaiian prints!
Birthday Cupcakes- complete with dirt and worms. Thanks Daddy!
Present Time. Cairo was SO SO excited about this part. I have to say, getting presents is just as exciting when you're 30. :o)
Cairo and Jonah were showered with great gifts which they love (thanks all!) When we got home Cairo tried very hard to play with ALL of them at the same time. Actually, when we first got home Cairo decided that she no longer wanted to wear clothes. We were able to convince her to put something on, so she got into her new dress-up box and put on her new tu-tu, fairy wings, and princess crown. Then she lined up all her new things along the couch and tried to play with everything. She did a pretty good job at it.
It was a good day. Thanks Auntie Ta-ta. If you hadn't taken pictures we would not have had any!
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