Busy week in Pictures

We've been busy having a lot of fun over the past week. 

We had Grandma visiting us while Dan was away for work.  (I'm eternally and endlessly grateful for a mom and mother-in-law who will fly across the country to babysit.)

We went to the Oakland Zoo on the weekend.  It's one of our very favorite places.  I've noticed that once you become parents, your "favorite places" list changes up just a bit.  I can't tell you the last time we went to the art museum, but we have a standing membership at the Zoo.

This giraffe was cracking me up with his tongue.  I couldn't zoom in because I was taking this with my iPhone (having discovered carrying a baby and a DSLR are not mutually agreeable activities) but if you look closely at the giraffe in the center, his tongue is hanging out of his mouth.

Livie spent most of the time like this. 

Olivia melts me into a huge puddle of mommy love.  It's cuteness overload, and my heart just can't handle it.  I melt.  And start talking total gibberish and cover her face with a million kisses.  I cannot be held responsible for these actions- this picture is proof that Livie and her adorableness is completely to blame.

But she did spend some time like this.

Which is even more cuteness overload.

Seriously, can you hear my squeals?

Paityn's favorite part of the zoo is always the rides.  And people wonder why our vacations are always to Disneyland or Disneyworld.   

Paityn's the kind of driver who likes to make friends with her passengers.

We had an amazing fashion moment this week that I have to share.

I'm the mom who lets my kid dress herself.  And although there are days when I wish I could put a sign on her stating that, I stand by my decision to allow her to express herself how she chooses.  I ask for her help when buying clothes and shoes and as long as they are appropriate, then we go with what she chooses regardless of my taste. 

Here's the proof.

Yesterday, I called in a half dozen favors and skipped out on a busy morning at work to go to P's weekly school for a Mother's Day celebration.

She made mama's gift ultra fabulous.

My first handmade Mother's Day gift!!! Truly worthy of italics and exclamation points.  I cannot begin to convey how giddy I was to receive this. Some of the other mother's were picking out what pretties to use and putting them on themselves, but not me.  This baby is 100% Paityn designed and crafted.  Priceless.

Should anyone be wondering what Livie has been up to this week, this picture pretty well sums it up.

And this one.  

She's nursing, by the way, for all the nameless critics (which I am sure does not include any of my wonderful readers, but I still love to make a point, even if I preach to the choir) who think it can't be done without showing the whole world your goods.

Linking up with these wonderful blogs: 

Angry Julie Monday
Naptime Momtog 
And then, she snapped
Baby Baby Lemon
The Paper Mama