Lowry Park Zoo

The kids had a blast at the zoo with their cousins.  Lauralee is Queen of the Rides.  She went on every possible ride and even wanted to go on the big one with Adam but we ran out of time.  Maryann has a thing about goats ever since she got to feed some at Boyette's Grove so we were pretty sure she was going to love the little petting zoo at Lowry Park.  She was a little unsure at first, probably because the goats were so much bigger than her, but once she decided they were not going to hurt her she LOVED it and didn't want to leave.  Hogan was the most excited about seeing the Komodo Dragon.  All the kids, including Naomi and Elijah loved the Carousel.  Hogan finally got to ride on the dragon... he was pretty excited about that.  Lauralee, Hogan and Naomi got to do Bumper Boats together.  They were so funny to watch.

     

This, however, was definitely Maryann's favorite part of the day...

She LOVES her "Baby Gace"!

The Boss

22 Month Old Maryann....

Oh, how we love her!  She is so full of life, and energy, and spunk, and attitude.  She is one bossy little girl and she has everyone wrapped around her little finger.  She is totally in love with babies and talks about her cousin, "Baby Gace" ALL THE TIME.  When she gets to hold her she beams from ear to ear and is so obviously in heaven.  She loves "Laa-Lee and Enn-ae"... we really have no idea why Hogan is "Enn-ae".  When we do phonics she repeats all the letters after Hogan and Lauralee say them... it is amazing to me how well she can say them.  Really, it is amazing to me how well she talks in general.  If she thinks it she can say it!  She loves, loves, loves her Daddy.  She gives the sweetest kisses, although sometimes we have to guilt her into giving them.  So worth it.  When she gets a treat she always wants extras to pass out and share with whoever is with her.  Cheese is her primary food group.  Step stools are her favorite tools and she uses them to get into EVERYTHING.  Her laugh... oh my goodness...melt your heart.  Shoes and necklaces are still her favorite accessories.  She loves the pool and the boat and bubble baths.  Hates having her teeth brushed.  She gets gum out of my purse whenever my back is turned and has sat in my room by herself and systematically chewed and spit out an entire pack at a time before I caught her.  She is in charge, she knows what she wants, and she can usually figure out how to get it.  She tells me I'm "toot" (cute).  She walks around the house with her purse, her phone, her computer, her stroller and her baby.  She LOVES LOVES LOVES babies.  She talks about "Baby Gace" (Grace) all the time and is already talking about "Baby Line".  She refers to herself as "Me-uh".  She does the funniest little dance where she swings her head from side to side in wild abandon while she listens to the ABC's.  We have special cuddle time every morning because she wakes up so much earlier than everyone else.  She lays with me in bed, asks me to scratch her back, and talks and talks and talks while I try to convince her to go back to sleep for a little while.  She loves books, especially her Nursery Rhyme Book and Where is Spot Book.  When it is time to go somewhere she brings everyone their shoes.  She loves to be tickled.  She is our heart.