Woo!

Niiiice hat, Jaynie!

Yeah, it's my frog hat.  Cheeeese!

While in Memphis, we went to their fabulous zoo.

These, by the way, are pics of Joe and I with our 2 kids.  Check out the stroller parked next to me.  See?  He's in the picture, too. 

Jaynie got into her usual amount of trouble at the zoo.

Including an "incident" with her pants that left her bare-legged for the rest of the day.

Good thing I have this cute blue diaper to wear, huh?!

After no nap yesterday (museum), staying up till 8:30 singing last night (too excited to sleep), then waking up at 6am shouting "I'm awake! Time for the ZOO!"...

Jaynie passed out as soon as she was clipped in. We hadn't even started moving yet - Joe was still loading the wagon and stroller back into the truck.

She was too tired to finish her Granola bar.  (So she generously gave the rest to "Joe", her teddy bear.  She named it herself.)

Little baby.

Big almost-2-year-old.

Feed them enough animal crackers...

And look at them grow!  Look at the difference 22 months makes.

Don't worry, Mom.  I won't get any bigger.

Ha!  Just kidding ya!  I'm gonna be huge! (Look at that grin!)

You'd better smooch these cheeks now, woman.

Cause soon I'll be a teenager asking for the car keys.

That's it - lean in close for a kiss...

How was that for you?  Delicious?

Heh.  I thought so.  (Too bad he moved out of the frame, here.  He rarely smiles and holds still at the same time.  Always with the thrashing and grinning.)

Long time website viewers - take note that he's wearing Jaynie's "Sweet Pea" shirt.  Sigh.  See?  She really did used to be this little. 

Happy Birthday Jaynie!  We start things off right with presents in bed.

Then on to the park, for more presents, 

silly hats, 

and cake. (Cake pictures are a little lower down. You'll know you're there when you see chocolate icing all over this girl.)

Ooooh!  Books!

They know me so well!

We interrupt this present opening to chase some ducks.

Ha!  That'll teach them to crash MY birthday party!

Jonas is, as usual, thrilled to be here.

Ooooh!  Time for some birthday swinging!

Weeeee!

Back to the presents.

A DOODLEBOARD!!! (Mommy did good with this one.  She takes it everywhere.)

You'll notice in this picture, that Madam has lost her hat.

Oh, there it is!

What do you think of that, Jonas?

"I think the man has no shame, Mom."

"But that's part of his charm."

Hey - the birthday girl offers you a hat, you take the hat!

Jonas is wondering why he didn't get to wear an Elmo hat, too.  (Answer - it didn't occur to me until right this second that I could've put one on over his sunhat.  Oh, well.)

Here they are!

The messy cake pictures!

She ignored the spoon for a while,

then threw it away altogether.

Chocolate cake is best enjoyed with your hands, anyway.

Common knowledge, Mom.  Utensils ruin the taste of birthday cake.

And here we have the totally ridiculous "Mommy push Jaynie AND the doodleboard on the swings!"

Joe was laughing at me, but come ON.  How seriously can I take him in those hats, anyway? (Jaynie kept yelling at him when he tried to take them off.  "Daddy keep bunny ears ON!  Just keep them ON!"  Ha.)

One last shot of the chocolate smeared, bossy, swing-loving birthday girl... with her new best friend in the background.  Happy birthday, baby.

While Mommy and Daddy run around getting ready for the party, Jaynie spends a quiet few moments nursing Baby Aurora.

Checking his latch.  LOL.

I tried and tried to get a good picture of her in this Elmo outfit and hat.  Does this remind anyone else of Calvin's school pictures?

An action shot.

The kiddos had a great time coloring.

Or eating the crayons - depending on their ages. =)

Some of you may recognize these pants.  Yes, I yelled at Ava's mother for bringing her tiny, adorable baby into my house wearing Jaynie clothes.  Just in case I wasn't already upset at how big my kiddo was, we have to remind me of how small she used to be?

Take 10 toddlers...

4 babies...

Not enough grown-ups...

Add cupcakes, frosting, and candies...

Sugar HEAVEN!

Jaynie was more interested in hording this bowl of Reese's Pieces than the cupcake.

The M&M's were popular, too. 

Ah!  Finally someone appreciating the cupcakes I stayed up till 2am baking!

Here's another one.

Look how fixated this baby is on her cake.  Stop smiling at the camera, Mom, and give me another bite!!!

At the end of this frosting extravaganza, Max had to be wiped from head to toe.   He had cupcake mess on his butt, both feet, the back of his neck, in his ear, on both hands up to the elbows, all over his face...  apparently he rolled in cake while we weren't looking.

These are MY M&M's.  MINE!

Ahaaa.  This candy makes me so happy.  This is the best birthday EVER!!! 

I didn't get any pictures of Jaynie blowing out the candles...

..because I couldn't get the camera to turn on.  Turns out, Joe had taken the battery out to charge it.  Nice timing, Dad.

Here's my glorious cupcake tower, before it was demolished.

And here are some greedy toddlers who have already consumed their weight in sugar, thinking that if they sit at the table and look cute the grown-ups will share their cupcakes with them.

Notice who the leader of the pack is.

What?

It's my party!  If I want another cupcake, I'll eat another cupcake!

Oooh!  Presents too?!?!

I love this birthday thing!

All the sugar I can eat, new toys, center of attention... this is my kind of day!

Yes, I know I screwed up Elmo and he looks like a red Grover. Whatever.

The leftover balloons.  Everyone got to take one home.  These were the ones bought for the "maybe"s that didn't show up. (Well - the big Elmo was always going to be Jaynie's).  Just what this house needs - a balloon for every room.

Oh, my.

Would you look at this cute outfit?

Big Sister Jaynie picked it out for him!

He doesn't seem to mind being dressed by a two year old.

What?  Dressed by who?

Holy cow, Mom!  What if she wants me to wear the ballerina outfit next?  You gonna allow that?

I mean, I do look awfully cute in the "alligator shirt and khaki pants!" (who taught that kid "khaki"?)

I think he looks a lot like Aaron in this one.  Probably due to the lack of lips.

Before.

After.  Yes, I gave this baby his first haircut at the ripe old age of 2 months.  Yes, I used clippers.  He didn't seem to mind in the least.

Now he doesn't just look *like* Joe, it's like he IS Joe.  I have to look for a diaper in order to tell them apart.

More shots of the haircut.

Look at that happy boy!

So photogenic!

So smoochable!

So amazingly cute and wonderful and scrumptious and...  Well, let's just say I'm crazy about him.

Joe!  What are you doing home at this hour?

Seriously, shouldn't you be at work or someting?

Wait a minute... is that a diaper under there?

Here's a beautiful girl who needs no introduction.

Every now and then she still breaks out the old baby signs.  Here she's asking me for MORE fruit snacks, and she's using her sign because her mouth is still full of the first bag.  Greedy and practical all at the same time!

Uh, Jonas?  Could you hold still please?

Good job, honey.  Twinkie?  Now you're moving.

I effectively bribe them into laying still.

Look at these cute kids!

It's all I can do to keep taking pictures instead of chucking the camera and diving in for kisses.

Hmm.  I'm not real crazy about the way she's looking at him here.

And what the heck is this?  

Aww.  That's better.

Kisses from the big sister.

Ewww!  Boy germs!

It was about then that she started deliberately posing for the camera.

Him too.  They think this is a catalog shoot or something.

This is what you get when you ask to see her "beautiful face".  Pretty good, huh? =)

Jaynie - what on earth are you doing?

Just sitting in my toy box reading a book, Mom!

DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!

Hee.  It's a pretty good book.

Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to it...

Woo!  A new park!

Jonas is, as always, thrilled to be there.

Who cares what he thinks!  This park is great!

Be still my heart.

Jaynie picked out their outfits.  "Jaynie and Baby Jonas can match, Mommy! Jaynie wears Smoochable, Jonas wears Irre.. Irreee..  his blue outfit!"

Irresistible is right!  Look at those feet!

Helloooo in there!

Jonas, are you laughing at your sister?

It's ok, Mommy.  He obviously doesn't understand how this phone thing works.

I have no caption for this.  Just stare in silent wonder at his cuteness.

Me: I don't think she's big enough for that, Joe.

Joe: Don't worry, I've got her.

Me: Are you pushing her?  Or is she climbing that wall?

Joe: (cracking up) It's all her!  

Seriously folks.  This kid could climb the side of our house if we'd let her.

You think she's trouble?  Heh.  You just wait, Mommy...

Park pictures are always so hard to come by. She's never still.

Another eye exam from the Twink. 

All this excitement proves to be too much for the muffin man.

Madam's still going strong, though.

So strong, in fact, that we had to get creative.

We had to "think outside the box" to come up with a way to get a moment's peace.

Yes, that's my daughter buried in the rocks at the park.  You wanna make something of it?

Before you go calling CPS, check it out - we eventually dug her out.

And even let her go on the slide 34308750837097 more times. See what good parents we are?

Whoa, honey.  You got a little dirty at the park.

Gee, Mommy!  I can't imagine when that might have happened!

Could it have been when you buried me in the dirt?!  (Look at that evil little smile!  I'm telling you - this kid has plans.  Destructive plans, no doubt.)

Grandpa Guy is here!

Ok, is this not the best picture of a Grandparent and baby ever?  Sorry to the rest of you - this will never be topped. 

Paguy poses with both of his grandkids. (What?  Look closely!)

So cute.

Helping her with the slide.

Yes, I may have let her dress herself.

What can I say?  The kid loves accessories!

I love this one.

Jaynie's new trike!  Thanks Gil and Evie!

Look at the genius design!  Until they learn to pedal, it's basically a stroller that they don't try to escape from!  It's wonderful!

More grandparents!  When it rains it pours!

Grandma Sharon can't keep her kisses to herself around this one.  She's just that smoochable.

Awww.

Whatever, Mommy.  Wasn't it you pinning me down and forcing kisses on my just this morning?  Hmmm?

Happy baby alert!  What's got him all excited?

Could be this ginormous Elmo balloon!  

Grandma had the best idea ever!

You tie it to his foot, and he spends the afternoon smiling at it, talking to it, kicking his foot to watch it move...

To think I spent the money on expensive baby toys and chairs, when all I needed was a $2 balloon from WalMart!

Smooches from Grandpa Vic.

Jonas fell asleep in his arms (Vic - this could mean you should work on your repertoire of  songs, rhymes, knock-knock jokes, etc.  I'm not saying you're boring, but if people are falling asleep in your presence... hee hee.)

This is the one thing I bought for him myself.

I swear - we've gotten so many clothes as gifts, or hand-me-downs, I only had to get him this one thing.

And I love it.  I realized I had no pictures of him in it and immediately put him on the bed and got my camera. Pretty cute, huh?  (The outfit's not bad either.)

Jonas, mid roll. He held this halfway pose for like 20 minutes, then rolled over when I left the room for 2 seconds.

Speaking of rolls - look at those thighs!  Like the Michelin Man!

I tried to tell myself I could only put 5 of these up.

Ha ha ha ha!  That's the funniest thing I've ever heard, Mommy!

You got sooo many cute pictures of me that day!

How could you possibly limit yourself to just 5?

I mean, sure, the spit up on the shirt takes away from the cuteness a bit...

But not much!  I'm adorable!

I seriously want to eat this kid up.  Maybe with a little ranch dressing. He's just sooo freaking yummy!

Jaynie horns in on the photo shoot.

Hey! Over here! Take a picture of Jaynie!

Look - I'll even make the fish face for the camera!

If you are thinking "Wow!  They had a late cold snap!", you would be wrong.

What we have is a girl who loves to accessorize. (I believe I've mentioned this before.)

I had her in the shirt and skirt, she came out of her room wearing the hat, sweater, socks, and shoes (on the wrong feet - I helped her out), and told me it was "time to go outside!"  The fact that it was about 70 degrees meant nothing to her.