Fifth Birthday Party

Today was Wesley's birthday party. This if the first real party we have had for the kids. We have celebrated in their preschool classrooms but we have never hosted a party for either one of them. About six weeks ago, Wesley started begging for a party with his friends.

I remembered the director of women's ministry at our church telling me that she had several birthday parties for her boys at Hidden Pond Nature Center. She said, "You show a boy a snake and he thinks it is a great party." Wesley agreed that it sounded like a great idea because he really had fun when we went with MOPS last year. He helped me pick out these cute invitations online.
We had around 21 total kids there today. Three high school volunteers brought the animals down to the classroom and a did a presentation for the kids.

Here a few of the boys are looking at and touching a very small snake. I love the look of joy on Hunter's face.

Here is Evan touching one of the turtles.

Lydia touching the rat snake...

... and the corn snake. The volunteer said that farmers named them corn snakes because they found them in corn fields and they thought the snakes were eating their corn but the snakes were actually eating the rats.

The corn snake is Wesley's favorite snake so I made a special request that it be included in the presentation.

After seeing all the animals up-close. We went on a walk around the pond to see the turtles. Thankfully it wasn't too hot and humid for a short walk.

I think the pond is really pretty.

I thought we would do a whole frog/turtle/snake theme for the party but Wesley really wanted a dragon cake. BJ's told us that they could do a photo of a dragon on the cake if we brought in the photo we wanted. We showed Wesley a lot of clip art dragons and he picked this one.

I think he liked everyone singing Happy Birthday to him.

A little while after we were finished with eating cake I realized I needed to clean Lydia up a little.

Chris did temporary tattoos for the kids. I think all but a couple of the kids wanted tattoos.

Wesley had a great time and I think the other kids did also.