The stinker went down to Georgia

Emily and Steve got married this past weekend on Jekyll Island and St. Simon's Island. (you might remember Emily when she babysat me when I was just a month old)

We had a layover in Atlanta so my friends Carolyn (mommy's research assistant when she was at Emory)and her daughter Annsley came to visit me at the airport.

Emily and Steve are such a beautiful couple. And they had a beautiful wedding too.

Sitting in the bushes outside of the church

Sitting in Barbara Jean's Restaurant eating crab cakes (well, this is what I was doing before the crab cakes came out)

Can't have a trip to the islands without some fun at the beach.

We visited the Georgia Sea Turtle Center where they take care of sick and injured sea turtles.

Baa...Baa....Baa

Grandma and Grandpa McDonald and Aunt Tessa came to visit this weekend. We had a great time playing at the playground, walking the city streets, and visiting Riverdale Farm. I got to practice my signs on some real life farm animals! We saw chickens, turkeys, sheep, goats, horses, a donkey, cows, a cat, a rabbit, and some mating ducks. I can bleat just like the sheep too....

My New Dress

Nonnie Liz and Grandpa Bill have (successfully) corrupted Mommy Laura and Daddy Pat into thinking I look cute in this dress they sent me. Thanks to my daycare teacher, Luisa, for taking this picture and for accessorizing me with a hair clip. Don't count on me turning a new girly leaf anytime soon, however....

Outside

loving the playground

I'm quite talented aren't I?

W-A-S-H---M-E

Signs Part II

(note from Mommy Laura instead of Anya):
Anya has been quite cute with the signing lately. Here are a few examples:

baby: also see "cat"

flower: flowers make noises. The sign for flower is to move the hand, fingers together, from one side of the nose to the other. During this process, Anya's hand takes a temporary detour to "slide" across her lips to add a little harmony.

potty: this has always taken a life of it's own in the evening when it's time for bed as that seems to be when Anya wants to poop. Over the past week or so, after cleaning the potty, Anya takes it from the bathroom and places it back in it's place on the shelf at the end of the bed.

We have gotten in the habit of reading books during potty time. Anya loves to read books both on and off the potty. As we go to bed, she's often lying there and (probably) half tired but then realizes she has to go potty. So lately she waves her arm around doing the potty sign. For the first 2 times she actually does go potty (#1, #2). I can appreciate someone wanting to relieve them self before bed. But then the past 2 nights we have gone to bed a 3rd, and 4th time and Anya still says she has to go "potty" but it's really because she wants to read books (at least this is what I think). So last night was so funny. It was about 10:30 (usual bed time is around 9) and we were on "potty take 4" (potty 1 and 2 were actually potty times). I thought "ummm, maybe I'll just lay here and pretend I'm asleep and she'll just forget about the potty" Nope. This is what happened(I'm playing dead this whole time but peeking out of the corner of my eye):
-signed "potty"
-signed "potty again"
-crawled to the end of the bed (where the potty lives on the shelf)
-take potty off the shelf
-signed "potty"
-moved "potty" to the middle of the bed
-proceeded to sit successfully on the potty with diaper on
-signed "potty"
-pointed to a book
After this, I hid the potty and the books so hopefully that will work until she outsmarts me again.

Signs!

Over the past week especially, my ability to sign words is amazing! I can now sign duck and bird (one and the same), monkey, telephone, dog, cat, nurse, and potty! (n.b. as many of you know, Anya's been sitting on the potty since she was 8 months old so this last one has taken a l-o-n-g time).


This is me looking at a "cat" photograph compliments of Aunt Tessa

Sweet teeth

With all this snow, we've been finding ourselves foraging for some comfort food. This has primarily involved trips to get hot chocolate (and coffee for Daddy Pat) and having Grandma and Grandpa's maple syrup on waffles and French toast.