Traveling… Texas!

So after we arrived in Texas safe and sound I changed LA out of her PJs and into her cute clothes so we could visit grandpas office.

I was worried she was too tired to show off appropriately but she rose to the occasion. She flirted and dragged various women around the office. She was fascinated with the floor to ceiling windows and view and she charmed her way into several new toys that were previously decorating cubicles.

And then promptly passed out on the way home!

Day 2-

Dad took us to the Fort Worth Stockyards followed by the Fair that was in town. LA has a real thing for ponies … Fort Worth has LOTS of ponies, she was in heaven.

Here she is trying to sign pony after seeing a painting of one.

(Actually it’s a painting of a donkey here… but I wasn’t going to quibble with details)

She got to have a carriage ride….

Then we played with the pretend ponies… Now my brother has a model dog, Konica, and he likes to joke that she’s a better model and smarter than LA.

So in the name of competition here are the pictures Konica took at Ft. Worth…

I wasn’t exact (and I should have been) but I took LA’s picture in the same places… and we got these

Konica certainly has skills…. but I am partial to my baby 🙂

We finished up at the stockyards….

You have no idea how difficult it is to get her to wear a hat long enough for a picture!

And then we headed to the fair!

Notice how I’m dressed like a local… yup, I try to blend. Incidentally, and totally off topic, while Grandpa was with sleeping LA I got heckled with some “hot damns” from a truck full of cowboys. I know it’s totally demeaning but it was my first heckling in like two years (since pregnancy at least)… felt kinda nice 😉

LA had her pony ride…

Towards the end of our fair time she even tried to get in the pony pen on her own so Grandpa bought her another ride… little con artist.

We did the petting zoo… most of the other kids her age were intimidated by the animals because goats are pushy. Not LA, she just shoved them back… she had a whole line of admiring Texans… admiring her “spunk,” as one woman put it.

and below is the moment I was convinced she’d get her first case of pink eye….

I was terrified about letting her go on the swings… but she just sat there, looking somewhat bored. The only reason I know she loved it is she excited signed “swing” when we got off and tried to get back on… but seriously, could the child look any more unimpressed?

So first full day in Texas a success!

Oh and I don’t have pictures but that night Grandpa took us to a Mexican restaurant with a mariachi band… they played for her (where she also sat looking terribly unimpressed) and she loved them. I think when she seriously loves something she goes blank, taking it in, and then gets excited later.

Day 3-

LA decides she has to work to earn her keep….

But grandpa reminds her she does not and takes us to the park…

And then makes us spaghetti dinner… of which I have pictures, but cannot post them because Daddy and Mommy have rules about nudity on the internet 🙂

Day 4-

Church day… a frightening blog post about this coming….worth waiting for. I seriously embarass myself beyond imagining.

Day 5-

Our last full day and we head to the zoo….

After feeding the fish…

Then upon arrival at the zoo LA was so overcome with excitement she fell asleep.

Only to be awakened by penguins… btw mama has a real penguin thing so I love this picture!

She got very excited by the herd of elephants statue and ran at them yelling “Dawgs! Dawgs!” and then kissed them on their trunks… too cute and yes, I have video!

Next we visited elephants, lions and birds… the child ran amuck!!! crazy running! And we saw chimpanzees….

which was exciting until another little girl showed up. Then she took her hand and took off…

Then we headed to the childrens area which was seriously awesome…

She got another pony ride and we fed the birds which landed all over me like I was the bird lady in Mary Poppins… LA loved this btw.

Then another opportunity for pink eye….

Then we got this tired…

Last Day-

We spent the morning hanging out… Grandpa let LA eat a breakfast of jello off the floor (ah the things Grandpas do lol)

Later we had our first In & Out experience… LA mostly ate peas althought she tried fries dipped in ketchup for the first time.

And then it was time to come home for Daddy….

A lot more happened in there… she got to meet (and fell in love with) her Aunt Katie… she played Elmo with Grandma Nancy or Auncy (we’re not sure on names yet… everyone figures they’ll let her decide). Some pictures can’t be shown due to aforementioned nudity 🙂

Lots of fun… and sad to go but it was a lovely visit!