Butterflies and cake

Every year we do butterflies for Cora's birthday.  It helps to do something to commemorate the day, because in the words of Lilo and Stitch, "Family means nobody gets left behind, or forgotten."  She's a part of our family, so she doesn't get forgotten.  We released the butterflies on Sunday, May 1st because it was warm and sunshiny, rather than cooler and rainy.  Then on the 2nd we went to IHOP for her birthday dinner (Erin decided it would be Cora's favorite place to eat a few years ago) and then came home for birthday cake.

Cupcakes!

I always say I'm going to get better, and then I don't and feel bad.  Oh well.

So Patrick's birthday was last week.  He wanted a cake like the character Toad from Super Mario, but I talked him into Yoshi instead because I had a t-rex cake pan that wouldn't be hard to modify.

And then the next day we went to see Kung Fu Panda 3 at his request.

And today we went and got his free cupcake from the Barnes and Noble kids club (I had to pay for the other two the rest of us shared, but one free is good!) after his well child doctor appointment.  He is 49 inches tall and weighs 48 pounds.

All in all a fun end to February and start to March!

Fort Worth Stock Yards

So, shortly after we moved here, Patrick got it into his head that he wanted to see a Texas Longhorn Cattle.  Today, almost 2 years later, he finally got to.  A friend of ours from Denver who also relocated was being visited by her sister this week, and invited us to go to the Fort Worth stock yards with them.  And Patrick not only got to see several longhorns, but SIT ON ONE TOO.

 Since there was a $5 fee to sit on the cow, only Patrick did.  I figured he deserved it for waiting for so long to see one.  But everyone else got to pet it.

 I was worried Owen was going to be afraid of it, so I wasn't going to pull him out of the stroller.  But he got so mad that he wasn't going to do what everyone else was doing, so I picked him up to go pet the cow.  I wish we could have gotten a picture of his face, he was SO excited.  His eyes lit up, and he started giggling and yelling "COCO! COCO!"  Coco's name is his catch-all word for animals lately.  I got him *almost* saying "cow" by the end of the trip.

 We stopped by the stockyards museum...which was exactly what it sounded like it should be.

And then we went to go see the little herd they keep around (you know, as opposed to the ones that they sell and move and transport)

They had these awesome mist fans out on the sidewalk.  The woman holding Allison is our friend Shannon, and the woman in orange is her sister Anna.

 and we met some cowboys.  And their horses.

So, it was ridiculously hot.  But the kids loved the big animals.

Splash pad

We went to the splash park this morning.  My skin could only handle being out there for an hour, even with tons of sunscreen, but we had fun.

Life as we know it

So I have been having a hard time lately.  Texas and I don't get along, especially in the summer.  So I have been muddling along through my days, dealing with headaches and such.  

Anyway, Owen is growing more and more into a "kid" and not a "baby," and while I'm happy he is growing and developing as he should, it's a little sad.  Lately he's been wanting to walk everywhere...

 And has definite opinions about what he wants to do and doesn't want to listen to anyone else.

Allison told me the other day that she could hug me forever.  And wanted a picture.  She's a sweetheart when she wants to be.

We accidentally ended up at Chick-fil-a on "Cow appreciation day."  If I had remembered, we honestly wouldn't have gone because it was SO busy.  But I didn't remember until we were already inside and I really didn't feel like trying to get everyone back in the car and fighting with the parking lot before eating.  Erin and Patrick loved it when the cow showed up.

 Allison was scared, but wanted a picture with the cow anyway.  She wouldn't let me go, though, so we had an employee take the pic.  Owen was very scared, so I just left him in his chair.

I have been working with Owen to pet the kitties nicely.  He adores them, and it is SO cute, but he can be a bit rough if I'm not careful.  He usually does okay at first...

 And then he gets excited and petting turns into hitting.  Poor Ilisidi (Azizi, as Owen says).

And last night, we had a "family movie night."  I ended up with two kids on my lap, and there was barely enough light for a picture.