Use all of the adjectives and date filled explanations you'd like, but you'll still end up concluding that Henry had 2 birthday parties. We had decided to give him the presents from Mom, Dad, and Grammy and Grandpa Turek on the Monday of his actual birthday. Given that Grandpa Barnes was in Alaska for a visit, we quickly shifted that evening into a family dinner. Uncle Randy and cousin Nick soon jumped in and before you know it, it's a party.








The following Sunday was the formal party that included Maggie, Anne, and most of the folks that had been there on Monday. Speaking as someone responsible for the food, beer, and room prep, these 2 events were both full blown parties. If there was a difference, I guess you could note that Henry received more gifts on Monday night, though that's a little like declaring that you ate more on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day.

Our cozy townhouse buzzed with family, toddlers, potty breaks, crock pot scents, and oodles of hot wheels and plastic trucks. Perfect all around.
Looking at the pictures now, I see that we put Henry in the same shirt for both parties. The rule of thumb is that Monday was ice cream night, and Sunday was cake day.



Full set of birthday photos here.