​Birthday parties. You get to eat cake and open presents and take your first plane ride. Wait, what?!

My nephew celebrated his birthday in August, and our family got together to surprise him with toy planes, a flight suit, and his very first plane ride.

I arrived at my parent’s house one afternoon to enjoy burgers, birthday cake, and an afternoon of swimming with our family. As soon as everyone arrived, my nephew Michael went straight for his gifts. We watched him open some new toys that he loved, and then came the big gift.

He, as well as his “present-opening helpers”, opened a flight suit where our family told him he would be going for his first flight the next day. He was excited for the flight suit, but I don’t think he realized immediately what that it meant. It wasn’t until the next afternoon when he arrived at the airport, boarded his first plane, and learned all about flying that the biggest smile was left upon his face.

We ended the day with an afternoon in the pool and playing outside.