Maryland Zoo and Easter Too

To start our Spring Break we decided to spend Friday morning at the Maryland Zoo with my mom, grandma (Olivia's Greatest), and Tyler.  The line for the zoo was insane and we waited in the line to get in for 40 minutes!  We enjoyed people watching and discovered that members have their own entrance to the zoo!  So we decided that the cost was worth it and we bought a year long pass to the zoo!  We also put down that we have 2 kids and we will always be able to bring a guest!  So who wants to hit the zoo with us!?

When we finally were able to enter the zoo we started at the Polar Bear exhibit and it was around 11:30, Olivia's feeding time.  So we found a shadowy spot and started to give her the bottle, but she was too distracted and ate only half the bottle.  Figuring she would be a mess and starving in half an hour, we ventured on to the Africa section.  Greatest and my mom hung back and Tyler, Dan, Olivia and I walked ahead to view the lions, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, and penguins.  We had Olivia in the stroller and it was around the penguins that she started to fall asleep in the stroller.  We were very impressed because she missed her morning nap and she hardly cried at all!  We looked down and she was out! We decided at that moment it was time to make our way back.  Plus Greatest was done walking around too.  My favorite part of the zoo trip was the giraffes because that was the one animal that we could see up close and personally!  Dan's favorite part was the penguins because several did a belly flop right into the water and they were hysterical to watch! I know the next time Tyler wants to bring $2 to feed the giraffes!  We will have plenty of time for that since we plan on going to the zoo several times in the next year.  Next time we visit we plan to head over to the petting zoo part.  I know Olivia will love that part!

This weekend was also Easter.  In the morning we found a basket left on our table from the Easter Bunny, but we waited to open the basket until after church at my parents house.  We attended the 9:30 church service, sitting next to Greatest!  Olivia had another successful week at church, sitting through the whole service!  She loved sitting next to Greatest and trying to grab her nose and glasses.  When we went to the front for communion, she received all kinds of compliments and oohs! 

When we arrived at my parents house a note was on the door that there 50 eggs in the backyard for Tyler, Shayla, and Olivia to find!  So Olivia had her first Easter Egg Hunt and she was able to find two eggs!  She enjoyed eating the plastic egg more than the candy inside!  We had an enjoyable day with the family and Olivia took a two hour nap at my parents house! 

She also opened her two Easter Baskets!  She was spoiled with a bunny, two outfits, and book from Gram and Grandpa Puryear.  The other basket had a fun ball toy and bubbles! 

It was a memorable first Easter and I think we wore that little girl out!  Today she took a 2 hour and 10 minute nap and an  hour and a half nap.  Hopefully she will catch up on that sleep because tomorrow night/Wednesday morning at 1:30 we are leaving for Ohio to visit Jill, Steve, Emma, and Ava. 

Hope you are all had an loving Easter!
love
Laura, Dan, and Olivia

Cereal Time

Olivia turned 5 months on April 1st, so on Monday March 29th, we decided it was time to start feeding her cereal.  Our first indication she was ready was that everything goes into her mouth!  When we eat or drink something she needs to see or touch what we have.  She can sit up very well with support, so we knew it was time!

Our pediatrician, Dr. Landcaster, recommended that we give it to her very thin first and then slowly make it thicker.  It has been about a week and we tried several ways to feed her.  The first night I sat her in Dan's lap and that was not very successful as she wanted to hold the spoon and most of it did fell onto her bib and clothes.  The next night, Tuesday, we decided to try her in the Bumbo.  That was a little more successful and more cereal appeared in her mouth!  She has more fun holding the spoon and biting on it than eating the cereal.  Finally, on Wednesday we discovered the best approach, the bouncer!  This bouncer seat has been quite a lifesaver for us!  (Thanks again Brookie and Chris)  The bouncer angles her just right and she can eat all her cereal much better!

She is so cute when she eats, grabbing the spoon and putting it into her own mouth!

Thus far cereal has been a success and we make it a little thicker each night.  She really loves to eat it too!  I look forward to trying new foods with her! 

My Mommy's Amazing 30th Birthday

My Mommy turned 30 on March 29th and as a surprise Daddy planned a whole day of festivities!  It all started on Friday when Aunt Denise flew into town and Daddy presented Mommy with her acceptance letter to her own Amazing Race!  The first clue was given to Mommy and she was told to head to the airport to pick up her Amazing Race teammate!  I stayed home to hang with Dad and Hurley, waiting for Aunt Denise to arrive!  When she arrived she was so shocked at how big I have grown!  I hung with her for a little bit, but I had to go go bed! Saturday was the when the real fun was happening!

At 10:30 in the morning, while I was down for my nap, Aunt Laura arrived and announced she was the driver for the Amazing Race and they were given their first clue! Dressed in Maryland gear, the girls set out to the first stop, The Terrapin  Adventures, to complete a zip line and a giant swing!  Mommy told me later, "the zip line was a bit scary at first, but once you jump off the platform and are on the line it was very cool."  Her favorite part was the giant swing because it was an adrenaline rush.  I am not sure what an adrenaline rush is but it seems like fun because Mommy could not stop shaking and talking about it!  She told me later that it was very scary and when they pulled the girls up the release line did not work the first time so it was even more nerve racking because they were waiting for the swing to drop!  When it did not the man running the ride brought them down and fixed it.  The second time they dropped right away and it was extremely scary!  The staff was so nice and even let them go a second time!  She can't wait to go back and try it again.  I can't wait to be old enough to have an adrenaline rush! I like to swing too!

The next clue was to head over to grandma and grandpa's house and she had to preform a road block.  This posed a challenge for Mommy because she had to start a fire in the fire pit and make it high enough and hot enough to burn a piece of rope.   I think Daddy got that idea from Survivor!  Mommy had a difficult time with this task and she was a little frustrated.   My cousin Tyler told me he tried to help and that made it go faster! Finally, she got the fire burning and she was off to Old Ellicott City for a Detour task! 

During the next stop, The Wine Bin, the Detour, a choice between two tasks, was called Over or Under.  Mommy, Aunt Denise, and Aunt Laura had to choose to buy a bottle that cost over $50 and under $70 or three bottle that were under $20.  The other catch was they had to be different types of wine, ones that Mommy had never had before in her 30 years.  After a short discussion, they decided to go with Under because they were able to get 3 bottles!   The Wine Bin was an exciting store and the three bottles bought were called Blue Reef Shiraz, Ass Kisser Chardonnay, and a bottle of Champagne to toast Mommy's birthday!
The next two stops were in Baltimore.  The fourth clue required  Mommy to get her picture taken at Edgar Allan Poe's grave site and the next clue had the team find the Johnny Unitas statue in front of Raven's stadium and get her picture taken again.  Finally, the race was over and it was time to open the last clue, which told the three girls to come home and get ready to celebrate with a happy hour!  When she arrived home she was greeted by me, who was very hungry, and her family and friends!  I was so proud she was able to complete the Amazing Race!  It seems like she had a blast!

While mommy and the girls were on their Amazing Race, I stayed home with Daddy to get ready for the party at our house.  Aunt Courtney came shortly after Mommy left and played with me while Daddy prepared the food.  Next to arrive was my cousin Brayden and his parents, my Aunt Carol and Uncle Scott.  They ran quite a few errands for Daddy and were a huge help that day too!  Daddy made all kinds of food, each representing a stop on mommy's race!  I think Aunt Carol and Daddy had the most fun cutting up the chicken to make chicken wings! 

The party was a blast and Mommy had a great time celebrating!  My favorite was helping her blow out the candles, even though I wanted to put my hands in that frosting!

I was such a good girl that day too!  I played on the floor, let people hold me, and even stayed up past my bedtime, but was not a cranky girl!  I know Mommy had a blast and was so grateful for the family and friends that help her celebrate her 30th! Great job on planning the day, Daddy! 

Love
Olivia