Rudy's Birthday Week, Part I

...because everyone gets at least a week, right?!

(Sorry, Grandpa -- might want to load up your printer, this is going to be a few pages)

What a bunch of party animals we have been!  We started off the festivities with Rudy's "friend" birthday party on Sunday.  It was a blast!!  The party was fire truck themed, and I went all out.  We had fire truck plates, napkins, small balloons, big balloons, badges, fire engine cups for the kids, fire fighter helmets, a fire truck cake, fire truck favor boxes complete with fire truck stickers, coloring book, tattoos, and more...

 

and the biggest event of all... a real life fire truck! 

 Rudy and Avery had a great time with all of their friends!!

 

A little Avery action before the party started (Rudy wanted nothing to do with getting his picture taken.  There were far more fun things to do!)

The night before Rudy's birthday, John and I filled his hallway with balloons.  Lots on the floor and lots on the ceiling.  Rudy LOVES balloons so we were excited for him to come out of his room on his birthday with balloons everywhere.  

AND his other surprise... Uncle Tony and Patrick and Aunt Kate drove to Springfield late Tuesday night so they could be here when Rudy woke up.  It was so exciting!  (Aunt Dawn the Great came too but she stayed sleeping with Gran, who also took the day off work to hang with  Rudy on his birthday)

We spent the morning opening presents from us and our visitors and John made pancakes for breakfast.  Rudy got all kinds of fun new toys!  He is one lucky little boy!  And Avery was so excited, she had no idea it wasn't her birthday   

 

Playing in the new ball pit.  Even Rufus got in on the action!

Mid-morning we went to Washington Park to play and have a picnic lunch.  Papa was even able to meet us on his lunch break.  Rudy played on all the equipment and we brought bubbles to chase.  Avery was happy as can be hanging out on a blanket, playing with toys and watching Rudy run around.

That evening Grandma and Grandpa Cicci came over with Mike and Mark, along with Grandma and Grandpa Ballweg, Uncle Kurt the Great, his new gf Carla, and George for dinner, cake (round 2 of the fire truck cake and Aunt Dawn the Great made a yummy baseball cake, which was right up Rudy's alley!), ice cream and more presents!

 

They're all the Sames' to me

 

Pass Miss Peachie

And pass the photo prop! 



The best for last:

A quick little video of the cutest 2 year old I know.  He danced when we sang to him, naturally.  Blew out the candles like a champ (one at a time...the smoke from the first one threw him off a bit) and clapped right along with everyone when he finished.  And check out his reaction when the candle came back!  :)  What a fun, happy kid!!

 

What an awesome 2nd birthday for our Ru!!