Off to the zoo we go!!!

We had a fun-filled spring break week! Seriously, we were busy everyday!!! Monday we met Nonna and Papa for dinner and they took Avie while Chad and I went to a movie. Our first in MONTHS! We used to go to a movie like once a week, but I think we have seen 3 since Avie's been born. She's our hobby now! We saw Duplicity. Definitely a renter. It was good I guess, but sort of confusing. Tuesday, we had our 9 month check-up...get this: head is in the 25th percentile (yay for no melon heads!), she's 30 inches long...off the charts!, and she weighs 20 lb 13 oz...in the 75th percentile. PERFECT! Growing wonderfully and amazing us everyday! After Avie's check-up, we met Emmy and the girls for lunch at the Olive Garden and then saw the Hannah Montana movie. It was pretty cute. I love how all the little girls were singing "Best of Both Worlds" when the movie started. Wednesday we headed to Ruston to spend a few hours with Nana and Pops. Nana, Avie, and I had lunch at Monjuni's (mmm...Pasta Pizzolato...only at the Ruston Monjuni's) and then ran a few errands. Children's Shoppe was having a fabulous sale on smocked dresses...yeah, I bought one. Just one though, I promise! Friday we went to Dubach to have lunch with Nana and to show Avie off! Then Avie spent the night with Pops and Nana. I met my girlfriends in Ruston today for lunch and pedicures. So much fun!!!

I left Thursday out of my above story. That's because it has its own story! I took Avie to the zoo for the first time!!! Daddy loves the zoo, but he said it would be ok for us to go without him since he was at work. My friend, Tara, invited us a couple of weeks ago and I've really been looking forward to it! We met for lunch at McDonald's so the kids could play and then we headed for the zoo. It was me and Avie, Emmy and her girls, Tara and her son Gavin, and Jennifer and her son Jacob. It was actually my first outing with other moms and their kids!

Here are Gavin and Jacob clowning around!

And Molly and Jacob!

This was Penelope the hippo saying, "Feed me!!!"

Avie and Caroline...I'm sure lots of people thought they were twins!


Couldn't resist taking a picture of these boars "spooning"! HAHA.

Tara and Gavin. I've known Tara since we were probably 8!

Emmy and her girls

Avie and Mama

Jennifer and Jacob

These were prairiedogs! I've never seen this exhibit at the Monroe zoo. Maybe it's new...maybe I've missed this part every time I've been.

Caroline, Molly, and Avie

"Sweet Caroline...ba ba ba!" Do yall know this song?

My sweet girl

I'm fascinated with alligators. This one was huge! My first year teaching, I took my first graders to the alligator park in Zwolle. Those gators were MONSTROUS! No kidding, they were bigger than...well, I don't even know what to compare them to. They were ginormous.

The lion and his lioness (you can't see her very well, she's to the far right)

The peacocks!

Molly LOVES pink flamingos! I've never noticed them when you first walk into the zoo. How am I missing all this stuff???

BFF's!!! Look how happy they are to be at the zoo!!!

Molly with the hippo in the background. I've never seen a hippo standing outside eating hay. I thought they were always inside laying in water! (do you see Molly sticking her tongue out?)

My angel baby