Testing out the stomp rocket at the parkway:

Cora's first birthday cake experience:

4 Years photo shoot:

With arrows, of course...because, why not?? :)

12 months: 1 year old!!

The same little girl:

I will never forget when Cora was born, how they put her on my chest and she immediately lifted up her head, rotated it to look at me, and gave me the biggest scowl ever.  :)  I thought, "WELL.  This one has some spitfire to her!" 

She did, and she still does.  :)

Last night.

This morning.
Lord have mercy, her screams are louder than any I have ever heard...except for maybe Henry's.  ;)

Happy Birthday, Finn!

This was technically a party for Finn, Cora, Andrea, and Jon...but Jon went to see his sister, Andrea got really sick, and Cora fell asleep by 6:20 p.m.  So, mostly we celebrated Finn!  Cora didn't even see a cake...we'll do that with her today, as it's her actual birthday, but I have high doubts she'll be into it.  She and Finn don't seem to care for sweet things that much (Cora's favorite food is still meat, hands down...), but Layla?  Layla lives for sweets.  :)  

This is my new favorite thing:  our "new to us" table, chairs, and umbrellas.
(I paid $50 for them on a FB buy/sell/swap group.  God bless rich people selling their stuff at reasonable prices.)
We go outside, sit down in the back yard, and then get up...three hours later.
Happy MN summer!

Aunt Lauren modeling with Cora, who obviously loved it...

Always with the tongue out when he is doing something physical...

Two hats.
I hid the smaller of these blue striped hats, but he found it.  I might need to pack it away in his 3T box.

Finn and Henry being Superman on the swings.

He was a big fan of his Blues Clues cake. :)

He never really watches the show, ever, but he loves finding "clues" in real life.  

He has been asking for this cake for a long time now...and it was by far the easiest one I have ever made: 5 circles with blue sprinkles in them.  Yes, please.  

Checking out his treasure map and treasure chest for the pool this summer!

FOUR!  That's just crazy.  :)

Zoo Sunday afternoon

YAY the goats are back! :)

She is the cutest baby ever.  No lie.
AND she kept this hat on her head the entire time.  Maybe she is her brother's sister, eh?? :)

She reeeeeeeeeally wanted a cow.  NOW.

I'm sorry for the brightness of the photos!  I don't have any editing software yet, so there's not much I can do.  The day was SO sunny yesterday, and we went to the Zoo around 1:00...not a cloud in the sky, and I could barely see my camera screen to make adjustments.  Ah, well.  :)

There is nothing Layla loves to do more, right now, than carry around Cora.
Mama says no.
What a killjoy.  ;)

Layla frequently forgets this instruction...

He wouldn't go into the pig barn.  He just wanted to sit outside on the pig statue.

What a little dolly!  She melts my heart.