A Busy Busy Birthday!

Wow what a day!

We started with a drive to the Green Belt Station to ride the train! Johnny loves these piggy back rides from Daddy but hasn't gotten very many of them lately because of Daddy's knee...so this was an extra treat!

However Johnny hasn't learned how to hold on very well!

Waiting for the train, with his balloons, birthday ribbon and St Patty's day hat...oh and his dinosaur shoes.

Getting very anxious to see the "inosaur train"

Riding the train really was one of the most exciting parts of the day. He was an angel for the entire trip! On the seat and off and looking out the window and getting excited every time we went through a tunnel, calling in a "time tunnel." (from his new fav show Dinosaur Train) He also loved when people got on and off the train and said hello and good bye to everybody!

Once we got into the museum he saw the elephants immediately! It was very exciting! I don't think he has ever seen one so close.

We went right into the dino area. It really took him a few minutes to take it all in, he was quite and just looked around. There was just so much going on and dinosaurs everywhere. I was so proud of him, immediately he started asking us "what's that?" He wanted to know about everything. Daddy explained about bones and that these bones where once dinosaurs, he really picked up on it. (in fact all bones in the museum he then thought where dinosaurs)

"what's that?"
"Look Daddy INOSAUR!"

Next we went up to the Butterfly pavilion so Johnny could see some real butterflies flying all around! It wasn't as exciting as we thought it would be, but he did love the really big ones.

Coming out of the butterflies we went into the insect zoo. There where scientist carts out letting people touch and see insects up close. Here a scientist is trying to show Johnny a really big caterpillar, Johnny wasn't so sure he wanted to have anything to do with it. Later Daddy let a hissing cockroach walk on his hand, Mommy stood far enough away to not get a picture of that.

He did like the rest of the insect zoo where there insects where in habitats all around.

"What's that?" MONKEYS!

Johnny loved this mammoth skeleton which combines two of his favorite animals...dinosaur and elephant! (yes that is a third change of cloths, it got hot later in the day so Johnny went down in layers)

Here we found a discovery room where kids could touch and play with everything to learn, he loved his real alligator head.


A new exciting exhibit was "Origins of Mankind" Mommy and Daddy wanted to read and look at it, but it did not really interest Johnny, so on we went.

So we went into the Mammal Hall, where you can explore stuffed mammals and exhibits. This monkey skeleton was very interesting.

I was surprised at how many of the animals he really knew and he was so excited to see them all here up close and personal.

After nearly 4 hours walking around the Smithsonian answering Johnny's questions about everything, we went down to the gift shop to let him pick out a toy to spend his money that Papa has slipped into his pocket. He settled on his very large T-Rex. It is actually really great since it is spongy and not too hard. He carried it around and would not let go. (he slept with it in his crib that night)

Even cuddling with it on the train ride back to the car.

Then falling asleep with it, happily!

We made a point of going to Towson Town Center on our way home to take Johnny to Rain Forest Cafe for dinner, to discover it was closed, actually fully removed from the mall...I should have know that. So we went up to TGI Fridays since Johnny loves the Mac and Cheese there.

After dinner we meet up with Grams, Papa, Ella, Sammy, Uncle Tommy and Aunt Natalie for some birthday ice cream at Dairy Queen.

Everyone wore green for him!

Isn't it nice? But we did miss Uncle Chuckles, Aunt Chel and Wyatt, who drove in late Thursday night for Johnny's party this week end!

So that little sunday Mommy order apparently was not enough ice cream, he began "sharing" with Ella. But she is a great big cousin and shared freely.

Johnny how old are you? You are TWO!

I really love this picture of Johnny with his Papa because Papa is smiling and you can tell they have been playing. Also it is very similar to this picture of Papa and Johnny the day Johnny was born, all curled up together in the hospital.

WOW! What happened to that 8 pound baby?

And that was our day! Johnny had a blast you could tell each step of the day he was just so happy and well behaved, inquisitive and sweet! I could not ask for a better day or more perfect memories! Honestly Mommy had to stop herself from crying more then once, just watching how smart and wonderful and old and remembering each moment of that day 2 years ago as that moment passed in this day. Though I would love to live in those moments holding his tiny body forever, I love watching him grow up and wouldn't give it up for anything.