Birthday 3: Cohans

We can't stop the fun now! Aunt Sandi and Cousins Mira and Jacob drove in from Houston for some MORE Birthday fun! As usual, the cousins had such a great time together! They didn't even want to eat dinner when they arrived; Mira and Jacob JUST wanted to play with Gabi.

Who needs a "Rockin' Rider Pony" when cousin Jacob is around?

Time once again for the ever-popular COUSINS BATH!!! Gabi didn't seem to mind that it was an hour past her bedtime. Mira and Jacob kept her quite entertained.


Each cousin gets to read a bedtime story to Gabi. Jacob goes first with a great telling of "We're Going on a Bear Hunt." Gabi may have gotten distracted by his slippers.

When it's Mira's turn, she finds a great peekaboo book to read to Gabi.

Jacob finds another book to read with Aunt Debbie while it's Mira's turn with cousin Gabi.

Note how the number of children on Aunt Sandi keeps increasing. It's a magic trick!

Our fantastic next-door neighbors brought us some breakfast donuts. Aunt Sandi enjoyed hers with a cute niece; I enjoyed mine with a pretty cute niece as well.

Mira and Gabi play with her birthday ride-on car while Jacob and I prepare the cakes for the next day's Birthday Bash.


While Gabi naps, Mira and Jacob entertain themselves with sand art.

We head south to Lady Bird Johnson's Wildflower Center for a fantastically free Tree Festival.

I suppose we're continuing with the theme of, "How many children can fit on Aunt Sandi at once?"

Gotta start off with the fantastic tree swings!

On to fort building where Jacob got really into adding the bamboo and accessories to the structures.

Tree climbing was a success too!

LOVE this shot!

What's a Tree Festival without roasting marshmallows at a fire-pit?

How many kids can Aunt Sandi move at one time?

For Gabi's Birthday, her Gigi bought an awesome crawling tunnel and matching tent. With the 2 big kids, we quickly came up with the "Soft things only in the tent" rule...which quickly meant "All soft things in the house belong in the tent." The kids had a great time playing and reading together inside.

Now that the cakes were cooled, it's time to decorate them!

In the morning, Baby BFF Nora comes over for a fantastically messy Paint Party. We had another paint party scheduled with many many babies on her 'actual' birthday, so we clearly had to practice.

This picture marks the end of the day before. I think we all needed some rest for the big day coming up. before picture of all 4 kiddos

before and naked but CLEAN picture of all 4 kiddos

Let the mess begin!

Nora was really loving the spoons.

Mira and Jacob enjoyed splatter painting.

The big kids saw that the babies were painting themselves, and they decided it looked like fun!

Gabi was entertained.

baby bath time

Now that we're all 'clean,' it's time to get messy AGAIN! SMASH CAKE!!! Gabi is not quite sure what to do with it at first-

She decides, It's probably best to let them try it first. She shares with her cousins and mommy so no one feels left out.

Gabi figures it out and lets her hands dig in to the mush. She even lets herself taste some of the sweetness.

Pretty proud of what we've accomplished here today...

Happy 1st Birthday, beautiful big girl!!!