A Day at the Zoo

Guess where we went Friday?? Whootie's first trip to the zoo. Lanna and I had fun. Whootie was miserable. Silly teeth. Poor little guy just could not get comfy or happy. In between his yucky mood, we did see some pretty cool sights.

We watched the gorillas play with their babies for a long time.

My little monkey had a few moments of happiness.

We saw the little baby panda and learned that panda's will nurse their young for 22 months before sending them off to the wild. Hopefully, our little guy will be weaned long before 22 months - but he can stick around a little longer than that, if he wants.

There were these pretty little monkeys playing in a tree that was surrounded by beautiful oak leaf hydrangeas. (Papa and I love those oak leafs.)
Lanna totally freaked because she wasn't quite sure how those monkeys knew to stay in the tree. I pulled out the camera to take a few pics and when I turned around I couldn't find Lanna and Lane.

Lanna totally moved as far away as possible from the tree.

Lanna, remember that time we were getting our nails done in Midtown and that lady had her monkey there with her. Remember how it jumped over you onto me to get the magazine I was looking at? She had it dressed like a baby in a dress and diaper. And how it totally ruined your pedicure experience.

Finally, Whootie fell asleep. Poor little guy. He sure did look cute in his new stroller.

Lanna looked pretty too but she wouldn't let me take her picture.

Thank you for a fun day at the zoo, Lanna. You are the best Auntie a little Who could wish for.

Making me smile

1. Papa taking the day to go fishing: he catches them, cleans them and cooks them

2. We eat them

3. An impromptu night out with a friend once the babes go to bed

4. A wonderful husband who encourages mama to go out for cake and coffee while he stays home with the babe

5. Going out without the babe for more than three hours - and not getting the nervous shakes!

6. The wind blowing through his hair

7. Running into a Georgia Southern friend at Babies R Us and finding out we live so close to each other

8. A babe wrapped in a doggy towel every night after tubbie

9. A picnic lunch with special guest star Tara

10. Getting up and going this morning to spend some time with Lanna

Enjoy your weekend,

Lana and Lane

Tonight

In black and white

Making me smile

1. Papa's homemade lemonade
2. These three

3. And the fourth slowly coming around

3. Playing the maracas with Julie

4. Papa taking the babe to work so I could have a few extra hours of sleep Wednesday morning

5. Hand holding

6. Making a new friend

7. Spending the afternoon making food for the babes with my new friend

8. Evening naps - and improvising

9. An hour alone to roam the fabric aisles in search of the perfect spring skirt pattern

10. These big eyes

Wishing everyone a lovely (and safe) holiday weekend,

Lana and Lane

Just Peachie

We have another month or so until the peaches are ripe for picking. Yet, preparations began this week for the big peach picking and canning bonanza that will take place again this year. Monday, Mama, Papa and babe began thinning out the peaches. Although this requires removing peaches from the tree, it will ensure that the peaches we do pick when ripe will be bigger - and hopefully better.

On this year's peach menu: canned peaches, peach cobbler, homemade peach ice cream, and a new addition - pureed peaches for the babe. We can't wait to show him just how good fresh fruit straight from the tree tastes.

Papa found a bird's nest in one of the older peach trees on the property.

The younger trees produced plenty of fruit to share this year.

Papa

Mama and babe

Lane and the blue sky above him.

Little Hooties

Driving through Downtown Hoschton, Papa recently noticed a shop we knew we must visit when the time was right. Yesterday, as we traveled through town to visit my parents, and to pick peaches, we felt the time was perfect. The wind was blowing. The sun was shining bright. Whootie was fresh from a nice, long nap. So, we stopped inside.

Wondering what is so special about this place? Take a closer look:

Little Hooties Dippin' Parlor.

We can't stop hooting around this place.
Throughout each day, if you were a fly in our home, you would hear Lane referred to by many variations of Whootie, his official nickname since birth.

We call him The Who, Whootie Whootie, Who Bird and sometimes even Whootie Whootie Double Bootie.

And, we love ice cream.

Papa and I each ordered a small bowl of yummy Mayfield ice cream.

Apparently, Lane now thinks any food served in a small bowl and with a spoon is meant for his mouth. Each time Papa would take a bite, Lane would open his mouth wide and follow the spoon with his eyes from Papa's bowl to Papa's mouth.

We found this quite funny.

We aren't too keen on giving our five-and-a-half month old ice cream - and he isn't suppose to have dairy until he is at least 1 - but we couldn't resist

just a small little taste on the tongue.




Wondering if he liked it? He didn't.
Our Whootie prefers his food warm.
The cold ice cream sent shivers down his spine.

Next summer, I am sure, will be a different story.

Making me smile

1. Thursday morning Bee Bop Buddies class

2. The expressions that come with tastes and textures of solid food

3. Lane's love of being held upside down

And the bright big smiles and eyes that come with hanging upside down

4. Afternoon "text conversations" with Lanna

5. My new table runner - and the pretty flowers I put together

6. Thursday date night with my loves: pizza and ice cream

7. Continuing date night after the babe goes to bed: cuddles, The Office and talking about how much we love the babe

8. Morning naps - and sharing the Boppy

9. Four peaches on our little trees and a handful of blueberries on our new bushes - that is just enough for a mid-summer cobbler

10. A full weekend: spending time with the newlywed cousins, who are in town for a Braves' game; and seeing Pops on Sunday, who is going to be shocked when he sees all the changes in Lane over the last two weeks

Happy weekend,

Lana and Lane

The Farmer and the Princesses

Today, Lane and I went to this really cool place, Farmhouse in the City, with some of our friends from the Mom's Group.
This was our first time there but will not be our last.
Farmhouse in the City is a great creative outlet for children to discover nature and art - and to encourage freedom to explore.

In addition to the playroom, art room, and animal room, there is a dress-up room. Lane already came in his camo, so he was the farmer, and I found a tiara, so I was the princess.

There are animals all over the place: chickens, dogs, cats, kittens, bunnies, a ferret, a guinea pig.

SO COOL.
I might have kicked that white chicken after she decided to peck at my toes. I'm not saying I did. I'm just saying I might have.

The kids played inside the house - dressing up, doing art and roaming around. Then, we all went outside for story time. I fell in love with this retro camper. I REALLY, REALLY want one of these.

These are the other two fairy princesses who came to Farmhouse in the City with us. The girls had such a blast. They wore these wings the entire time we were there. Too sweet.

When we got home, Papa wanted to do some work in the garden. We decided to join him. I dressed Lane in his new gardening hat.

He is my farmer. And, I am his princess.

This place also hosts Cork and Canvas nights - just for big kids. The adults can bring beverages, hang around the grounds and then paint their own picture to take home. The owner helps out each artist - and the end results are fabulous.

Anyone interested in going, let me know. I can't wait to go back.

My Day

I've pondered this post for a day now.

Looking for the right words to describe my first Mother's Day.

For once in my life, I am:

Speechless.
Overwhelmed.
With a heart so full it could burst.

The way I feel about my first Mother's Day, much like my life for the last five months, simply can not be described with words.

I've been asked numerous times how it feels to be a mama.
Each time I try to describe it, I feel as if I am selling the experience short.

Motherhood is overwhelming.
It leaves me speechless.
And at times, when I look at my babe's face, my heart becomes so full with love that I feel it could burst.

Yet, those words just don't do it justice.

My life with Lane is more than that.
I have yet to find the words.


On Mother's Day,


I was spoiled by Papa:
Cards full of compliments.
Kisses.
Homemade breakfast.
Hugs.
A beautiful gift.
Cuddles.
Nap with my babe.

Thoughtful words from friends throughout the day.
Some who are mamas. Some who are yet to be mamas.
All of them so special to me each in their own way.

Thank you.
Thank all of you for making my first Mother's Day so beautiful.

Thank all of you for making my life - every day - so wonderful.

I am speechless.
I am overwhelmed.
My heart so full it could burst.