Birthday Adventures

This past weekend it was my birthday.  Want to know how old I am?  Let's just say that I'm now older than most major league baseball players.

My first adventure was a mani/pedi where I peacefully sat and read a book for over an hour.  Bliss.  Then I came home and we headed to Dallas for brunch.  Since we were behind schedule according to Korey's birthday itinerary for the day, it ended up being lunch.  And because it was so cold outside which eventually turned to rain we indulged in coffee and breakfast tacos all the while trying to make sure this little guy was happy after I had limited his outside entertainment because of the cold.

On a side note we went to Breadwinners which was packed with all the Uptown young people.  This is a place I used to go when I lived in Dallas as a single person and now I was back, married and wrestling with a toddler in the packed waiting area.  That made me feel old.  But I love my suburban life now!

One of my handsome brunch dates.

The other toddler wrangler, my husband.  I made a comment later in the day about being hungry and he said keeping up with Hunter was like wrangling cattle sometimes.  You burn calories, people!

We let Hunter run around on the patio but it got too cold so we had to go inside and feel like a sardine in the tiny waiting area all while trying to hold him, entertain him, and distract him from wanting to get down and explore.

After we hurriedly ate, we set off to the Children's Aquarium in Fair Park.  It was pouring down rain by this point and we were already wet from running to get our car after brunch.  Then when we got to the aquarium we ended up in the wrong building and we had to RUN through the rain to the right building.  There was no cover.  We had no rain jackets on.  My hair was way past pretty.  It was cold and I was starting to feel bad.
When we got inside this is the first thing I saw.  He totally looked fake and I kept waiting to see if he would blink but he never did.

Hunter wasn't very interested in watching the fish swim in their aquariums so we took him to the stingray section which was more my style because it wasn't crowded and he liked getting to interact.

There are little steps for him to stand on so I picked him up and he was trying to pet the stingrays as they swam by.  The ones in this tank were on the baby side.  You can buy food to feed them so I think they thought we had food.

Korey and I switched places and he and Hunter went to look at the sharks in the bigger tank.

Korey snapped this photo and tried to claim photography credit for it but I told him I adjusted the camera settings so I got points, too!

Hunter is standing in front of the tank of sharks.

Korey's favorite photo that he took of Hunter that day.

When we got home my sister-in-law and her son, Brandon were standing on our door step waiting for us.  Perfect timing!  They were on their way to see her mom so we were the halfway point.

These two started playing and Hunter showed Brandon his videos.

Then we headed off to my parent's house where I was feeling feverish by now.  Aaarrghhh.  But we enjoyed a fabulous dinner with my sister's help and then we indulged in this:  Italian Cream Cake.  The one thing I look forward to every year.  Homemade by my mom.

My dad assisted by making the chocolate curls.

I love tulips!

The cousins together smiling.  Whenever we say, "cheesy grin" to Hunter he executes this face.

I don't remember who took this photo but Korey liked my face in it.  It had been a looonnngg day.  Fun but long and I wasn't feeling 100%.  I was tired.  Man, I'm old!

Me and my awesome sister.

And this little guy always makes my day!