Laurel park

Parenting Woes

Poor, sweet Anna Fair. When it was just Laurie and me, I recorded every moment of her life. Every laugh, every move, every coo and ah from her mouth is well documented. Anna Fair could repeat the entire alphabet and no one would notice. So, I turned over a new leaf and recorded our chit chat over breakfast this morning. She has gotten so vocal, if you really have her attention, she will try to repeat most anything you say.


And our next display of fine parenting, Laurie's fat lip. She insisted it needed a band aid. I think it adds that little something extra that sets her apart from the rest of the clutzy kids with plain fat lips.

Cake and Make Believe

Short clip of Anna Fair eating her birthday cake. I don't think I fully realized how many helpers she had. No wonder she wasn't too interested in the cake, there was to much else occupying her attention. And as we all know, the girl loves some commotion.



Laurie is really getting into make believe. And it cracks me up to watch. Bebe and Grandaddy gave the girls this sweet little house and a set of Dora figurines. Laurie has spent lots of time moving them around the house, talking to them, setting up little scenes. It brings back fun memories of playing with my own dolls. Here's to many years of playing house!

Anna Fair Turns ONE!

Yesterday, Anna Fair was my baby, my infant, my little lamb.





















Today, she is all grown up, a full ONE year old, and I scarcely know what to do.

Here's what big girls eat for breakfast:
















Here's the kind of car seat babies ride in:





















And the car seat big girls ride in:

















Here's how big girls match their big sister and get hugs they don't want:





























Happy Birthday, Anna Fair, I will miss my little baby, but I look forward to getting to know my little girl!

Anna Fair's Birthday Party

Our house has been so excited about Anna Fair's coming birthday. Her big day actually isn't until tomorrow, but we celebrated last night. It was fun, with such perfect weather, the kids roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and played outside. After asking every day when the party was, Laurie was beside herself with joy. When I told her it was today, she donned her bib in cake eating preparation and refused to take it off (you never know when someone might spring some cake eating on you at the last minute).

The birthday girl was thrilled with all the commotion. The child seriously loves a party. I say it all the time, she and Laurie are so different, take for example, Laurie's first birthday. Where Laurie didn't love all the commotion, wouldn't wear her hat, and ate the entire cake, Anna Fair couldn't get enough of the excitement, wore her hat all through dinner, and gingerly fingered at her cake, eating 3 bites of it. Anna Fair was very sweetly helped in opening all her gifts by big sister. Isn't it nice to have such good help?

Happy 85th!

Grandma Betty and Aunt Jane turned 85 on Saturday. We had a great time spending the day with family in Natchez. Laurie was particularly excited about the cake. Couldn't get Anna Fair to look at us. She couldn't figure out what those crazy boys were doing. Happy Birthday, Grandma Betty!

Noah's Ark

Something just seems a little bit...off about this picture.



















Will said he asked Laurie on the way home, "Who made the rain?" and she replied, "Laurie did!"

Pumpkin Patch

We made our first trip to the Pumpkin Patch, and it was a hoot. Loved the hay ride and calling to all the animals. What a treat to moo to the cows and have them moo back to you! Laurie was very serious about picking out the perfect pumpkin for herself. "I need a little one, you need a big one." Makes sense to me. A fun Saturday on the farm, we think you should go too!

Super Butterfly

Last week, Laurie was invited to a super hero birthday party. Seeing as how we have nothing here but pink and girly and more pink, we were lacking in super hero gear. So, we settled on going as a super butterfly (her Halloween costume). Laurie was loving wearing her sweet little wings. Refused to take them off to ride in the car or to take a turn in jumpy land. Her wings did not fair well. We'll have to see if we can save them. Also, at the last minute, we shucked the antennae for our bunny rabbit ears. We are not afraid to blend our species.

Feast with the Beasts

Friday night the zoo hosted Feast with the Beasts. It started after the zoo closed and we had a grand time in the beautiful weather, enjoying seeing the animals more active than we have often seen them. The tigers frolicked, the beavers were busy, and elephants were snacking. A cougar even meowed so sweetly at us.

One of our beasts enjoying her feast.
















This kind volunteer was shouting, "Two fingers, two fingers, TWO FINGERS!" as Laurie came barreling over to him.

















I feel the need to snap photos of the elephants every time we visit. We will miss them so much.

















Laurie loves the merry go round, she would be content to ride it and do nothing else.


































Not a great family self portrait, while we were enjoying a train ride before we left. But Anna Fair's expression was funny. It is screaming "Are we done yet?"

Woe out

What yazoo city does to the little people.