Goin' to Grant's Farm

One week ago we took a nice little trip to Grant's Farm. It's such a great spot to visit, very laid back (we missed the huge crowd later in the day). It's not too big, so you get to see everything pretty easily, and we had great weather. We went to the elephant show, ate lunch, and saw lots of donkies, ponies, birds, and other animals. I think Henry was surprised by the "friendliness" of the goats. We got the little bottle of milk to feed them, and he wasn't quite convinced he shouldn't have a little too. For me? No? Are you sure? We also spent some time looking at a guinea pig he found fascinating. On our way out we stopped by to see the Budweiser Clydesdales. Overall, a lovely time (and I think Papa Bill would be quite fond of this place).

We've Come a Long Way, Baby!

Henry turned 16 months old this past Monday (now about 33 inches tall and 27 lbs). You may have noticed I stopped my "month" blog updates at 12 months, well, because I just hate being tied down to one thing in particular. But, hey, what a difference 4 months can make! He is really turning into quite the toddler (although always my baby)...walking, running, talking (even some two-word combos), and playing. He is Mr. Social working on those self-help skills and becoming more independent. Bottles and baby food are things of the past. Little tantrums and saying "no" have entered the scene, along with, dare I say, time-outs. It's amazing to watch him master new tasks, discover things, and interact with his environment in different ways. I always marvel at how we get from one stage to the next sometimes without even realizing it. What a cool journey. There are surely frustrations, but most of the time sweet Henry makes me so proud. And he definitely makes me laugh (especially with his new quiet-growling monster). I'll sign off as Henry would with a "buh-bye," a wave, and a "mwah" as he blows you a kiss!

P.S. Don't you wish we adults could make such big accomplishments happen in such a short amount of time?!

4th of July Weekend

We had an eventful weekend! On Friday afternoon we headed to the St. Louis Zoo. It was busy and tough to find a free parking spot, but when we did it was like winning the lottery! We pet the stingrays at the new exhibit and enjoyed seeing the zoo from Henry's ever changing perspective. Chad took some video this time, so that's why I don't have any pictures with the animals, just a pirate hat and a stroller shot. We hosted my family for the 4th of July cookout on Saturday. You can see Henry and some of his cousins (Eva, Eli, and baby Lily) and his Aunt Brooke. We also went to the Grizzlies baseball game before the fireworks. Oh, but wait, our town's fireworks were postponed until Sunday night :( Instead we watched some little (and slightly unpredictable) fireworks purchased by Uncle Bob and some of our neighbors most likely illegal larger displays. Fun times! Today (Sunday) we went out to lunch with my sister and her family before they had to head back home. And now it's time to get ready to watch the big show from our driveway! We hope everyone celebrated a great Independence Day!