"Helping" mommy.

I had a couple little ones helping me plant my deck flowers the other day. They were supposed to be playing with the water table, but flowers and potting soil was way more fun (especially for Kylie).

This shot reminded me of another little squirt who had just as much fun playing in this table for the first time almost exactly 2 years ago. ...

I have a feeling this is what my summer (and his) is going to look like... this kid loves dirt! And getting dirty! I wish I loved doing laundry.

Needless to say, we had to make a pit stop at the kitchen sink before heading up to bed for naptime.

This is Gav's first sink bath... Ky's an old pro, even though she is running out of room!

Princess Ky Ky

It is no secret that Kylie isn't and has never been a real "girly-girl." We never chose to dress her in dresses and ruffles... it just never fit her personality. About a year ago, I got her a princess dress for dress-up, thinking she may eventually hit that phase. Well, time passed and she began to show more and more interest in digging in the dirt, looking for bugs, running, jumping, kicking balls, and riding her bike. Basically, if she was a Spice Girl she would be Sporty Spice.

However, a couple weeks ago grandma Pat brought her a crown. Ky immediately popped it onto her head and declared herself a "pincess"! I decided to pull out the princess dress and little miss sporty spice was thrilled. For about 3 days straight she wore it pretty much non-stop indoors (except to nap... I had to convince her that princesses don't nap in their gowns).

For being new to the princess world she seems to have nailed the princess pose.

This is how she gets whatever she wants from daddy!

Giving orders to her servant Carmen.

And, of course, what good is a dress if you can't twirl in it.

That's my kinda girl; looking so pretty and feminine in her dress but still sporting her athletic Puma socks.

Proof that she wore it all day long...

Donnie Downer.

It's really a shame how unhappy this little guy is...

I mean, I wish he would just smile every once in awhile.

Life is too short to be grumpy all of the time.

Would it kill ya to have a little fun?!?

Maybe laugh at yourself every now and then?

Ok, I understand, it's hard work being a 13-month-old.

But try to suck it up and make the best of it.

"Hey mom, am I sensing some sarcasm here?!?"

Me + My Babies.

Better late than never. Me and my beautiful babies on Mother's Day. We were about to head out the door for breakfast, hence the sleepy eyes!

I'm one blessed mama. :)

Explorer.

Apparently, that is his exploring face. It's a serious job.

Easter.

So, I realize it is mid-May and Easter was weeks ago. But, with Gavin's birthday party being the same weekend as Easter this year, posting his party pics trumped Easter pics and the Easter pics got filed away and forgotten... until now!

Ky was excited to come down Easter morning to look for her Easter basket... that is, after she confirmed that the Easter Bunny was indeed GONE! She wanted to be sure that he went back to his house before she came downstairs!

Lots of goodies in her basket this year... gardening/digging tools, seeds to plant, note pads, gel pens, a dinosaur book (she loves dinos right now), and some candy.

Gavin was pumped about his basket, too... especially the bow!

That afternoon, we joined the Schneider clan for the annual Easter Egg Hunt.

Abbie sharing her bills! :)

The kiddies... 6 kids aged 4 and under!

Ice cream.

Up until about a month ago when we would go to Handel's we never ordered Gavin his own ice cream. He would get a few bites here and there but really showed no interest in having his own. That seemed to all change overnight. All of a sudden he was well aware that he was the only one without his own cone/dish! He would sit in his car seat and just stare at Kylie eating her ice cream. It killed me! After that trip, he now always gets his own baby dish of banilla (Kylie speak for vanilla). And he loves it!

After that last trip, and the long (2 mile) drive home staring at sissy eating her treat, we decided to make him a little dish of ice cream at home. Kylie insisted on being the one to feed him. She sure knows the way to her bro's heart... through his belly!

I love how she was doing the ineveitable "open-your-own-mouth-open-wide-while-feeding-a-baby" face.