Cary and Dean are 4!

Cary and Dean turned 4 on Sunday, which was also Mother's Day.

I honestly couldn't think of a better way to spend Mother's Day than to celebrate the birthday of the two sweet boys who made me a Mom in the first place! The boys are FOUR. Can you believe it?

We spent their day at my Mom and Dad's house, where they were surrounded by 10,000 cousins, stuffed full of jelly beans, cupcakes, juice boxes, lollipops, ice cream, chips and a million other things. This is the first year they really get what it means to have a birthday, and they were so excited all day! They especially loved getting to do any and everything they wanted, eating crap all day, and playing outside with all their presents and cousins. If you ask them, they would probably say they had the best day of their lives so far. And I couldn't argue with that. It was pretty great.

Here's the day in (way too many) pictures!

Headed out to the festivities. Look who's wearing her sandals!!! (After being bribed with gel pens.) And look whose shoes are on the wrong feet (as usual).

The party was construction themed, hence the little hardhats.

Blowing out the cupcake.

I made cupcakes for C and D, and also some for Aminah and Kwahli, whose birthdays are on the 4th and 5th, respectively. The boys graciously shared their birthday party with their cousins.

Hi Matty!

Opening 1 million presents from Nana and Granddad and Auntie Hira.

This series of three photos of Clair cracks me up.

OK, I am taking a picture with this stupid hat on.

Now what do you want me to do?

Seriously. I am way too old for this. LOL.

My beautiful Mom, who bought the boys all the things they asked for. They were so happy.

Happy Mother's Day to us!

There were 10,000 children outside. No kidding. If you count the three teenagers (one of them, Kalonji, is in this picture, with an early 1990s-style high-top-fade) there were 14 kids. FOURTEEN. All 1st and 2nd cousins. This is why I don't really ever have to plan a real party and invite kids over.

Dean running one way.

Cary running another.

My Dad bought them scooters, which they LOVE. Especially Dean.

Russy is looking more and more like a big boy every day!

Aminah is 9. I can't get over that.

She has major attitude and drives my sister crazy. But she is still always super sweet to me.

This picture of Clair makes my heart skip a beat!

Alahna is at that age where she is always super sweet and still super helpful.

Kwahli did not get off this bike, except to try to help Dean learn how to pedal on it. Which lasted all of five seconds.

My sister bought the boys these blow up mallets and shields so they could beat the crap out of each other. 

Lester got on one of the kids' bikes and Cary thought this was so funny!

My sister's husband, Reggie. My husband. Same stance.

Reggie and Kalonji tossed the football around for awhile, until the ball smashed into my sister and that was the end of that.

My Dad bought Clair and Matty matching tricycles.

And he bought all the mothers of the family chocolate-covered strawberries. Isn't that sweet? (He had my sister write the note, to which she replied, "Why do I have to write my own Mother's Day note?")

When it was time for us to leave, Matty cried and cried. My boys didn't want to leave either, but they were too exhausted to cry. This birthday wore them out.

Happy birthday, Dean and Cary!