Katie's 2nd birthday was pretty quiet - since DiAnn was in the hospital, we didn't do much. Katie did, however, get a "Little People" farm - just like the one Daddy had.

Checking out the Little Farmer.

On a makeshift bed in Mimi's hospital room - a blanket over a couple of pillows!

Katie's little day care buddy, Eva, has a birthday on May 1st. Katie got to go to her first ever birthday party and she had a blast!!

The birthday girls!

Pump it up jr. - filled with blow up slides, bounce houses, and all the toys - yes, it was total chaos.

Katie, Eva, and Landon - a little boy from their day care. I get hugs from Eva and Landon when I go pick up Katie.

Love the hat - and our first introduction to juice boxes. Katie's not much of a juice girl - she's all about dairy.

Tooling around with Cooky in Mimi's wheelchair.

At Katie's 2 year appointment - we had to kill a LOT of time in the waiting room while Dr. Ferguson took longer than anticipated with another patient.

Katie checks out Mommy ....

Mommy checks out Katie! All good - Katie continues to grow and thrive (95th percentile height, 75th weight, there's a shocker) in spite of eating nothing but cheese, yogurt, milk and the occaisonal cheerio.

Mother's Day picture 2009 - Skip takes a picture of Katie for me every year, and this was the 'winner' for 2009. Skip was a little extra challenged this year as he ran out of time to get the picture taken - this was literally done in front of our house the Friday morning before Mother's Day!

Katie does the Wii Fit: Half Moon Pose.

Katie: Warrior Pose. Hee hee.

Katie helps Mommy do the laundry

While DiAnn and Angie were here, the Budweiser Clydesdales were at a festival in Grapevine. DiAnn has said the one thing she wants to do before she dies is to see the Clydesdales - well, now she has. Seen the Clydesdales, that is! :-)

Katie and Mommy check out the Clydesdales. The Budweiser people should've moved the stalls a bit so the food was facing the people - we got to see a lot of horse butt.

On our way to Nebraska, Katie gets introduced to the joys of Elmo on DVD. "Furry Happy Monsters ..."

Katie at a McDonald's playland somewhere in Kansas, I think

Katie decked out in a hat and shades for a trip to the sandhills.

Checking out the big flags at the cemetery in Miller, Nebraska. I told Katie how each of the flags was very important; how each represents a man or woman who fought for our country. Some of it must've stuck, because now she notices "FLAGS!" everywhere we go. (But it doesn't quite sound like "flag" ... you do a double take the first time she says it.)

The row of flags at the cemetery in Miller, NE.

The Tumbleweed Cafe in Broken Bow, NE - where the food was good and Katie was not.

Ah ... beautiful sand hills!

The Dismal River, running through the sand hills northwest of Broken Bow, Nebraska.

More Dismal River ... it was a beautiful day for this trip. (Note to golfers: Jack Nicklaus has some killer golf course named Dismal River in that vicinity.)

Daddy and Katie check out the river.

Katie looking in the 'wa wa'

More Daddy & Katie

Daddy & Katie say bye bye to the sand hills

Katie SACKED OUT on the way back to Holdrege from the sand hills

Katie gets some snuggling in with Cooky (Angie)

As we left Holdrege for Kansas City, I had Skip stop off in Nebraska City at Arbor Lodge.

Yes, my Texas friends ... Arbor Day has its roots in Nebraska City. No pun intended. I remember lots of field trips to Arbor Lodge as a kid - the park is very pretty and the house is pretty cool.

Mommy & Katie on the path outside Arbor Lodge.

Skip booked us a room at Westin Crown Center in Kansas City for the Sunday before Memorial Day, and as we pulled in there were TONS of people gathered on the outdoor mall, listening to a live pops concert. We got to our room just in time to watch the fireworks from our balcony.

Katie and Josh, our godson. I just like this picture because Josh looks just like his Daddy Mack. (His Daddy's name really is Mack, I'm not tryin to get all hip hop.)

Katie gives Joshie a kiss ...

... and a snuggle ...

... and finally Joshie returns the favor.

Josh will be five in September, but the two got along great - tore through Mack & Joleyne's whole house, and whatever Josh did, Katie did.

Chillin' at Country Club Plaza in KC

Some live jazz at Country Club Plaza

Scenic vistas near Emporia, KS

Pool's open!! Katie gets into the pool for the first time this season and LOVED IT.

We figured we needed to get Katie in the pool - her day care has a little "water park" (it's like a big jungle gym thing with sprinklers) and she starts swimming lessons with Ace and Debbie next week!

All bundled up after a morning swim!