Noah's 4!!!!!

So what's a birthday without some type of markings on one's face? I don't know, I'm pretty sure that we've never had one here. (And we've DEFINITELY never had family pictures without a facial injury on someone!)

So it stands to reason, that Monday night there was an injury.

The boys were allowed to sleep on the floor, and were playing pilot games in preparation for the air show this weekend.

Noah tripped over Jonah and fell face first into the side of his bed.

After determining he hadn't broken his nose (and from the swelling, you would have thought he had) Noah was happy to take his Calliou ice pack and go to bed.

He actually looked worse the next day, but I never did get around to taking a picture of it. I'm sure there will be plenty of other injuries to get good pictures of in the years to come...

Here's Noah making his birthday cake!
(His birthday was actually Tuesday, but we celebrated on Wednesday- he doesn't know, so shhhh. Reason being, he wanted to go to the Rainforest Cafe for his birthday, and they have $1.99 kids meals on Wednesdays. Hey, that saved us about $10 on two kids! And it was a good thing, because the railroad we were taking him to wasn't open on Tuesdays!)

We took the kids to Huckleberry Railroad and Crosstown Village. There is, of course, the railroad- which is why we went- and there is also a old-fashioned town from the 1800s. All of the buildings are original 1800 buildings that were moved there. It was very neat. I was hoping for more interactive stuff like Hale Farm & Village, where I went as a kid, but it was still fun.

After a few mishaps- like a lost cell signal that meant no GPS and therefore no directions, and no signs leading there- we finally made it...with just enough time before the last train left to use the restrooms and board!
Here's the train we were on. It was supposed to be a steam engine, but the steam engine was "getting water" so we had a diesel. Noah was kind of disappointed, but since they are SO smoky and smelly, I was kind of relieved.

The train was first run in 1951, so needless to say it was old, and pretty bumpy and shaky on the tracks. Noah was pretty scared at first.

Oh, I guess this isn't so bad...

No fear here, Mom!

And no teeth either!

Just enjoying my first train ride.

I was only a little bit scared at first, but once I got to stand up and hold on, I was loving it!

Hey! Where's everyone going? I can't walk yet!

(My pathetic attempt to get a picture of all 3 kids)

Jonah, you aren't leaving without me, are you?

Oh, uh, thanks Jonah. But this isn't very comfortable, maybe Mom or Dad could help out!

(I about had a heart attack when he picked her up, but Bryan was right there and grabbed her right away, whew! Can't say he doesn't try to be helpful...)

I just found this completely ridiculous. Not only were they Obama paper dolls, but it was $8!!! And trust me, it wasn't a very big book!
Maybe it's just because I don't have a girl who plays with stuff like that yet...

Jonah in an old barber chair, being told that the "barber" is also the dentist and the doctor if he needs any teeth pulled or blood let out...

The boys in a corn maze.

Poor Noah got stuck and Jonah had to rescue him.

I literally had to drag Noah out of this building. He just wanted to play with the trains all day!

Bryan and Jonah, racing little bears up the strings (I have no idea what this is called.)

Bryan got a little crazy, and therefore Jonah won by persistence!

Here's the old man singing songs on the bench. Selah was mesmerized! Noah kept telling the guy that he looked like Santa Claus as he sung. The guy did a great job of ignoring him, but I think he was pretty annoyed. I was TRYING to keep him quiet! After he finished, Noah asked, "ARE you Santa Claus?" And the guy ignored him...

it was funny but I did feel bad.

The boys trying to figure out how to get the "Polar Express" out of the case.

And then there was Engineer Selah...

"What's that? There's something on the road up ahead?"

"Let me take a look!"

"OH! HER? That's just my Mom! Don't worry, I'll get her to move!"

Everyone watching Noah get yelled at for shoving popcorn in his face. I still don't let him eat it as I feel it is just too much of a choking hazard, but Bryan lets him. Gives me heart palpitations every time. And when he starts shoving a bunch in...I admit I panic. Looks like I wasn't the only one that time!

Here's Noah, trying to "fetch a pail of water."

He gave up, but luckily we had Jonah to help out!

Poor tired Selah snuggling on Daddy a little.

(If it looks like she's asleep, I assure you she wasn't!)

She got something in her eye- sunscreen we think- and had quite a reaction. Her eye and nose were running, and the whole upper side of her face turned red and blotchy. We felt so bad, and of course she kept rubbing it and making it that much worse!

We cleaned her up as best we could and it cleared up after a few hours. Poor thing!

Here's the boys with Gordon, Percy, and James.

(We didn't realize it, but the weekend before and the weekend after were "Day out with Thomas" days. So the WHOLE place was covered in Thomas stuff. It was hard for Noah who REALLY wanted to see Thomas. But the airshow is this weekend, so ... oops!)

What kind of 4 year old could walk past the apple tree and NOT smash apples while everyone else had to wait for him to catch up? Definitely not mine...
His question?

"Who threw all of the apples on the ground?!"

Selah and the goat had a staring contest.

Noah was VERY interested in the sewing... she was making a cross-stitch tablecloth.

The boys, cleaning the broom shop. Wish they'd sweep my floors for me!

At the doctor's office, looking at all of the old tools.

They seriously gave me an ill feeling. Especially the one that was used for removing tonsils...I can't even talk about it, it was that bad. Praise God for modern medicine!

Noah getting weighed.

He weighed 2 stones and 14 pebbles.

(I have no idea how that equates, but he actually weighs about 33 lbs.)

Standing with the train for a picture...kind of.

Jonah getting a little mad that Noah STILL hasn't smiled for the camera. He was too interested in the train!

Last resort, holding Noah in place.

But that doesn't last long, Noah's getting stronger and can pull Jonah along these days.

Bringing home pet rocks.

Being told there will be no Rainforest Cafe if the rocks come into the car.

A little time to spare before our reservations warranted a quick stop at Bass Pro Shops to see what cool fish they had.

Selah, pointing to the turtle. She was talking to him, too. It's SO sweet.

Selah checking out the tree frog at Rainforest Cafe.

Noah, playing in the rainbow- that was lost by the flash.

Trying his birthday sundae, that his brother ate for him! He didn't like "the warm stuff" that was on it.

If you've never been to the Rainforest Cafe, I'm not sure that I can recommend it in good conscience. The boys LOVED it, and I admit the atmosphere is very cool, but it was RIDICULOUSLY expensive- and that was on $1.99 kids meals night. The food was definitely nothing special and for that much, I would expect an incredible steak and a couple of alcoholic beverages! (Neither of which we had.) But Jonah wants to go back for his birthday...so I guess we are stuck with another trip...

And Selah has deleted the pictures of Noah's cake. I will add those in a new post...grrr.