"All Aboard the Choo-Choo Train!"

If you know me, you know that I believe in celebrating birthdays - often and long. Now that Jones is getting excited about things - at the moment, the "spooky" episode of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" - I am even more excited about HIS next birthday than I am my own.

Celebrations started yesterday ahead of his actual birthday, which is next Friday. We took him to breakfast at Joey's Pancake House before heading to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to ride the Secret City Railway. To be honest, he may have been just as excited about getting to make the trip in "Dada new beeg car" as he was about riding the train.

Even before we got there, Jones was VERY quick to point out that we were riding in the coaches and also that we were being pulled by a diesel engine. There's really not much about trains that he doesn't know, thanks to his binge-watching "Thomas" for a good bit of the last year.

My friend Stacey - the one who's given Jones and Freddie about 97% of their wardrobes by way of her boys' many wonderful hand-me-downs - joined us with her son Jake, who is a HOOT. Stacey, Jake, Jones, and I sat facing each other on one side of the train, while Jeremy and Freddie sat, side by side, across the aisle.

My favorite part of the entire trip was when Jones and Jake discovered I had bubble gum in my mouth. I then spent the next ten minutes blowing bubbles that Jones would immediately attempt to smash with his hand. The belly laughs of both boys had me howling, happy - which is just the way birthdays are supposed to be.

Jones has REALLY gotten good at giving
what he calls "big giant zerberts."

One of the best things about Dada new beeg car
is the fact that they boys' seats are close enough
for them to hold each others' hands,
so I don't have to contort myself to let them hold
mine, stretched back like Elastigirl's from the front seat.

That looks safe. 

Make yourself comfortable, Son. 

brotherly hug 

Freddie was asleep about
ten minutes after we'd gotten
in the car.